Director - Education and Families Policy Evaluation

Job Details

Director – Education and Families Policy Evaluation

Location: London, Westminster

Job type: Permanent

Employment type:  Full Time / Part-time 

Hybrid working: 40% working time in the office per week

Verian

Verian is one of the leading social research, evaluation, and advisory agencies in the UK. We have over 150 specialist researchers and evaluators, and an office in the heart of Westminster.  Our teams create the evidence required for some of the biggest decisions in the country. We advise clients on public policy design and ground-breaking behaviour change programmes, evaluate the performance of Government programmes, and are trusted to deliver official national statistics and longitudinal data. 

 Policy and program evaluation is one of the fastest expanding areas in social research today. There is an increasing focus within the UK government on more and better evaluation. As a top provider of evaluations to the UK government, Verian has a wide range of policy areas, including Education and families (e.g. EEF evaluations relating to reading fluency and school attendance, DfE evaluations of Family Courts, Pupil Premium, and PE and School Sport), Net Zero, Energy Security and Environment (e.g. increasing homes’ energy efficiency, and exploring the impact of access to nature on well-being), Housing (e.g. infrastructure, support housing, and homelessness), and Criminal Justice (e.g. drugs, anti-social behaviour, and violence against women and girls).

The Role

Joining as a Director, you will be leading and growing the Education and Families Hub within the Evaluation Practice at Verian UK. This role is key in shaping our thought leadership in this vital policy area, strengthening our reputation, and driving the acquisition and delivery of high-impact projects. You will lead evaluation of policies and interventions designed to support children and families to achieve positive educational and wider outcomes. You will be responsible for the Education and Families strategy within the Evaluation Practice in the UK, including the identification of market trends, key clients, potential partners, and competitors in the sector.

Verian provides clients with a unique combination of advanced methodological expertise, industry-leading primary data collection expertise, and deep sector knowledge, to deliver impactful, policy-relevant insights. As the Education and Families Hub Lead, you will work on large-scale multi-year programme evaluations that include process, impact and Value-for-Money components, working closely with methodological specialists and data collection teams. You will be working with clients including the Department for Education, Education Endowment Foundation, Foundations, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Youth Endowment Fund and Welsh Government.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of evaluation projects in the education and families space
• Lead proposal development in support of new business, with a focus on opportunities relating to Education and Families policy areas, including coordinating and writing technical proposals, identifying experts and partners, and creating proposal budgets
• Oversee the full evaluation project cycle, including developing evaluation plans, writing inception reports, overseeing data collection and analysis, and disseminating results through written reports, briefing notes, presentations and workshops with stakeholders in the UK public sphere
• Grow and develop the Education and Families team, within the Evaluation Practice
• Provide quality assurance to evaluation projects
• Strategy development, supporting the Evaluation Practice team lead to continue developing our evaluation offer in the education and families policy area
• Provide sector knowledge and support to wider research projects and initiatives across Verian UK
• Contribute to marketing and technical leadership by leading on knowledge management, thought leadership, and capacity building in education and families policy
• Maximise the impact of Verian’s work through the delivery of high-quality evaluations the UK policy agenda, and showcasing our work externally

Skills and Experience

• Experience leading and managing research and evaluation projects in the education and families policy space.
• Knowledge and experience relating to one or more of:
  • Design and delivery of effective education policy (primary and secondary)
  • Children’s social care
  • Childcare and early years
• Experience overseeing the work of other researchers, evaluators and/or data analysts
• Highly organised, with track record in delivering projects to quality, timetable, and within budget
• Strong client handling skills
• Strong writing skills and delivery/verbal presentation skills to clients
• At least 10 years of research and/or evaluation design and delivery expertise
• Strong strategic thinking and leadership qualities

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Experience relating to one or more of the following policy areas:
  • SEND provision in primary and secondary,
  • AI and use of technology in education
  • Support for children and young people’s mental and physical well-being
  • Workforce recruitment and retention

• Track record of peer-reviewed publications and/or conference participations

Does this sound like you?

If so, don’t hesitate—apply online today!

To apply for the position, please submit a CV along with a cover letter that outlines how your skills and experience match our job requirements.  We review applications as they come in. If your skills and experience align with our needs, we’ll invite you for an exploratory conversation.

We review applications as they come in. If your skills and experience align with our needs, we’ll invite you for an exploratory conversation.

Why Verian?

At Verian, you’ll be part of a dynamic, collaborative team driven by curiosity and a shared commitment to making a difference. Our work shapes policies, drives social progress, and shapes the future of our society.

We foster an open and engaging environment where everyone feels valued and accepted, and are allowed to thrive in a space where their wellbeing is taken into consideration. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities throughout the hiring process and beyond.

Whether you’re an experienced professional or just starting out, Verian offers an inspiring, growth-focused workplace where you can thrive.

Learn more about us at https://www.veriangroup.com/.