The Ipsos Policy and Evaluation Unit works with public institutions to provide robust evidence on the effectiveness of public policies and programmes and to provide recommendations to help set policy priorities and strengthen delivery. We are a multi‑disciplinary team of evaluation specialists, economists and social policy researchers who work across all areas of public policy. Following an initial period of rapid expansion of our work for UK Central Government, we are now intensifying our efforts to diversify our work and expand internationally. A key strand of this is the EU evaluation market; we are part of consortia that hold framework contracts with several European Commission DGs and Decentralised Agencies, and are winning and delivering a significant and growing amount of evaluation and impact assessment work for different EU institutions.

• Estimating the likely environmental, economic and social impacts of an EU initiative to harmonise mobile phone chargers
• Evaluating the implementation of the legal framework governing the EU Customs Union
• Evaluating the EU's Strategic Framework for Safety and Health at Work 2014-2020
• Assessing the level of Research and Innovation Investment in Food Systems in the EU
• Evaluating the performance of the European Fisheries Control Agency

We are now looking to recruit an experienced Consultant or Senior Consultant to help us continue and accelerate our growth in this priority market. To be successful in this role you will need well‑rounded evaluation experience with a focus on the EU institutions and demonstrable experience of designing and delivering evaluation in a commercial environment across a number of projects. This means you will manage evaluation projects through the full project cycle – from evaluation design, to data collection and analysis, through to developing conclusions and recommendations – and work as part of a complex project work package. Ipsos UK offers a hybrid working environment with three days in the office and the rest from home. The role will be based in our London office (Ipsos's main hub for evaluation services in Europe). We also welcome suitable applications from candidates based in Madrid.

What will I be doing?

You will play a key role in further expanding Ipsos's footprint in the EU evaluation market. You will be responsible for the delivery and management of projects for EU clients, designing and implementing state‑of‑the‑art evaluation and impact assessment methodologies, coordinating inputs from evaluation and research project teams, and liaising with clients at the European Commission and other institutions. You will help identify and prioritise business development opportunities, prepare winning evaluation proposals, and support the team and wider management of the business. You will have the opportunity to work in a range of policy areas to scope and deliver studies exploring the effectiveness of EU policy interventions and their impact. At times, the role may also include work on projects for UK domestic and other international clients. Over time, you will be encouraged and supported to build your own project portfolio in areas that interest you.

Main responsibilities

• Delivering evaluation studies from evaluation design through to data collection, analysis, and development of conclusions and recommendations.
• Managing projects across the full project cycle.
• Developing effective client relationships while ensuring projects are delivered to budget and timescale.
• Close working with research teams in London, Brussels and other Ipsos locations to execute evaluation studies and provide advisory inputs.
• Drafting accessible and concise reporting outputs of evaluation findings.
• Presenting results to clients and stakeholders.
• Developing methodologies and research tools (e.g. questionnaires, discussion guides).
• Leading evaluation proposals as part of a wider team.
• Developing specialist expertise in a policy or methodological area.
• Line managing junior staff within the Policy and Evaluation Unit.

Qualifications

• A strong academic background in social sciences.
• Proven ability to manage projects to timescale and budgets with limited supervision.
• Experience in preparing winning evaluation proposals.
• Knowledge of both quantitative and qualitative evaluation approaches and methods.
• Proven ability to lead on research and evaluation proposals.
• A strong interest in the European Union, its policies, laws and programmes.
• First‑hand experience of working with the EU institutions.
• Familiarity with the European Commission's Better Regulation agenda and guidelines.
• Enthusiasm for business and team development.
• Desirable: fluency in one or more European languages other than English.
• Experience of designing and delivering evaluation in a commercial environment.
• Demonstrable experience of managing evaluation projects through the full project cycle, from evaluation design, to data collection and analysis, through to developing conclusions and recommendations within a complex project work package.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave.
• State‑of‑the‑art pension contribution.
• Income protection and life assurance.
• Comprehensive health & wellbeing programme.
• Financial benefits.
• Professional development opportunities.

Flexible Working

We realise you may have commitments outside of work and will consider flexible working applications – please highlight what you are looking for when you make your application. We have a hybrid approach to work and ask people to be in the office or with clients for three days per week.

We are committed to equality, treating people fairly, promoting a positive and inclusive working environment and ensuring we have diversity of people and views. We are proud to be a member of the Disability Confident scheme, certified as Level 1 Disability Confident. We are dedicated to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process.