Evaluations Associate

About PUBLIC

PUBLIC is a digital transformation partner committed to helping the public sector turn innovative ideas into practical solutions. Combining our expertise around government policy, delivery and technology, we aim to build a public sector that is powered by new technologies and innovative ways of working to achieve better outcomes for citizens. This mission is what drove us to create PUBLIC and is what continues to drive everything we do.

We started PUBLIC because we were collectively frustrated that the technology revolution we were witnessing was not having a positive enough impact on the public sector. With the ambition to put ‘GovTech’ on the map, PUBLIC emerged as a trailblazer in bridging this gap between government and innovative tech.

Today, PUBLIC works with a diverse range of organisations including the UK Ministry of Defence, the UK Department for Business and Trade, the European Commission, the Crown Commercial Service, National Grid and the NHS, to name a few. We support these organisations with their digital transformation through our full suite of services, delivering strategic advising, learning and digital upskilling programmes, digital product delivery and policy monitoring and evaluation.

We are proud to be a go-to digital transformation partner for the public sector and continue to work rigorously to provide greater value for our clients and achieve greater impacts on the services they deliver for citizens. As we continue to evolve as a business, this vision to build a better public sector will remain our north star - informing our decisions, guiding our growth and energising our dedicated team of innovators.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

PUBLIC is deeply committed to maintaining a diverse, inclusive and safe workplace that embraces individuals from all walks of life. We are an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. This includes, but is not limited to, those with neurodiversity, disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, individuals from all ethnic and racial backgrounds and veterans. We believe that a wide range of voices enriches our team and drives innovation.

As a proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, we are dedicated to supporting the Armed Forces community and welcome applications from service leavers, reservists, veterans, and their families. We are also committed to creating an environment free from discrimination, where everyone feels respected and can thrive.

Candidates from non-traditional backgrounds and underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. To facilitate an equitable hiring process and minimise unconscious bias, we blind review all applications in the initial stages through questions thoughtfully designed to help you demonstrate your skills and unique potential.

The Role

As an Evaluations Associate , you will help answer these questions by supporting the design and delivery of evaluations that assess the economic value, effectiveness and impact of public policy, digital transformation and technology-enabled programmes.

Working alongside Senior Associates, Project Leads and subject matter experts, you will contribute to research and analysis that helps public sector organisations understand the costs, benefits and outcomes of their decisions. This may include examining the economic case for adopting new technologies, assessing the costs and benefits of different policy options, or evaluating whether a programme has delivered the outcomes it set out to achieve.

You will combine economic thinking with quantitative and qualitative research, using evidence to develop robust, practical recommendations for clients. You will learn to translate complex findings into clear reports, presentations and insights that support better decision-making and the effective use of public money.

You will have the opportunity to work across a range of sectors and policy areas, including health and care, defence, local government and wider public services. Projects may involve economic appraisal, cost-benefit analysis, value-for-money assessments, impact evaluation, market research or the development of monitoring and evaluation frameworks.

This is an opportunity for someone with strong analytical instincts, an interest in economics and public policy, and a desire to understand how evidence can help governments make better decisions. You do not need to be an expert in every evaluation method from day one. We are looking for someone who is curious, rigorous, proactive and motivated to develop their expertise.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the assessment of the costs, benefits and wider economic implications of public policy interventions, digital programmes and technology investments.
• Conduct desk research, literature reviews, market research and primary research to understand the economic, policy and strategic context of an evaluation. Gather relevant evidence from quantitative and qualitative sources.
• Support the analysis of programme costs, benefits, outcomes and impacts. Contribute to cost-benefit analysis, economic appraisal, impact assessments and other analytical approaches appropriate to the project.
• Help design and implement monitoring and evaluation frameworks, including theories of change, evaluation questions, outcome measures, indicators and data collection approaches. Support the collection and analysis of evidence to assess programme performance.
• Contribute to rigorous, evidence-led benefits modelling for complex government interventions, translating policy and operational change into quantified economic, fiscal and wider public value. Apply established appraisal methods alongside empirical research, administrative data and transparent, testable assumptions to model benefits in areas where the evidence base is still developing. This will include work at the frontier of public-sector transformation, particularly digital, data and technology programmes across HMG, requiring analytical judgement and the development of novel approaches where standard appraisal frameworks do not fully capture the mechanisms of impact.
• Work with quantitative and qualitative datasets to identify patterns, test assumptions, assess outcomes and draw meaningful conclusions. Present findings accurately, transparently and with appropriate consideration of limitations and uncertainty.
• Translate research and analysis into clear, structured reports, presentations and recommendations.
• Collaborate with Project Leads and Senior Associates to plan and deliver defined workstreams, manage competing priorities, track progress and ensure outputs meet high-quality standards and client needs.
• Support client relationships by contributing to meetings, workshops and presentations.
• Contribute research, analysis and written content to proposals, bids and presentations, helping demonstrate the value of evaluation and economic analysis in supporting better public services.
• Build your understanding of economic evaluation, public policy, digital transformation and emerging technologies. Contribute to internal knowledge sharing and develop expertise in areas aligned with PUBLIC’s strategic priorities.

Skills Required:

• Economic modelling: Strong quantitative skills, with the ability to build, interrogate and deliver analytical models with limited supervision once the approach has been agreed. This includes representing relationships between inputs, behaviours and outcomes, testing assumptions and sensitivities, and producing models that are transparent, accurate and well-evidenced. Candidates demonstrating greater experience in developing complex models independently may be considered at a higher level.
• Economic thinking: A strong grounding in core economic concepts and the ability to apply them to practical policy and technology questions. This should include familiarity with costs and benefits, incentives, opportunity cost, supply and demand, market failures, externalities, discounting and the principles of economic appraisal.
• Research skills: The ability to gather, assess and synthesise information from a range of sources, distinguishing robust evidence from assumptions or unsupported claims.
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis: Confidence working with data and an appreciation of how different research methods can be used to understand programme performance and impact.
• Communication skills: Strong written and verbal communication, with the ability to explain complex findings clearly and contribute to reports, presentations and other outputs for external audiences.
• Attention to detail: A careful and methodical approach to research, calculations, data handling and written work, with a commitment to producing accurate and reliable outputs.
• Organisation and initiative: The ability to manage competing priorities, work proactively, take ownership of assigned tasks and ask for support when needed.
• Collaborative working: The ability to work effectively with colleagues and clients, respond constructively to feedback and contribute to shared project goals.
• Digital proficiency: Confidence using spreadsheets and presentation tools, including Microsoft Excel and Google Workspace, to organise, analyse and communicate information.
• Interest in public services and technology: A genuine interest in how public policy, economics and technology can improve outcomes for citizens and make public services more effective.

What you don't need:

A traditional educational background is not essential. An advanced degree in economics, public policy or a related field is preferred, but relevant professional experience demonstrating equivalent analytical and economic capability will also be considered.

Visa:

We welcome applications from candidates who have the Right to Work in the UK.

Salary and Benefits:

Salary for this position will be £36,118.80 per annum .

• Enhanced pension: A company pension scheme with a 5% employer match.
• Annual leave: 25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 days, pro rata, plus bank holidays and a Christmas shutdown.
• Learning and development: Six paid development days per year (three for learning and development and three for volunteering), a £300 annual learning budget, and access to the 5Mins learning platform.
• Health and wellbeing: A £300 annual Wellness Budget to spend on activities that support your wellbeing, such as gym memberships, equipment, or complementary therapies.
• Healthcare and support: A comprehensive BHSF Health Cash Plan and Employee Assistance Programme, with access to £1,500+ in annual medical and wellbeing benefits.
• Flexible working: Hybrid working arrangements agreed with your line manager.
• Work-from-anywhere flexibility: Up to 30 days per year working from outside your country of employment.
• Equipment and home working: A MacBook for work and a £300 home office budget to support your working setup.
• Cycling benefits: Access to the Cycle to Work Scheme and CycleSaver, helping you save on bike-share and e-bike subscriptions, including Lime, Forest, Santander Cycles and more.
• Financial rewards: Access to a discretionary bonus scheme.
• Community and culture: Community groups, team-led activities and regular All Team socials.