GovXchange – the local and central
government secondment programme

Grade: Grade 7

Anticipated length: 1-2 years

Location: Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, York

Role description:

As a senior evaluation adviser, you’ll work within ‘accelerators’. An accelerator is a multidisciplinary blended team bringing together colleagues from local government, central government and the wider public sector to work on a place-based project to prototype solutions to complex policy issues. Examples of some of the accelerators in our portfolio include ‘violence against women and girls’ in Islington, ‘special educational needs and disabilities’ in Nottingham and Sandwell, ‘economic inactivity’ in Wakefield, and ‘neighbourhood health’ in Plymouth and Liverpool. You’ll be responsible for embedding evaluation and monitoring into the accelerator’s work. At the same time, you’ll also be developing guidance with fellow evaluation advisers on good practice for adaptive evaluation that will
support the overarching ‘Test, Learn and Grow’ programme and influence the wider public sector evaluation landscape.

This role is mapped to the Senior Digital Evaluator role in the Government Digital and Data framework, though we would expect candidates to be able to apply their skills to digital and non-digital projects. This role will require travel within the UK to work closely with local partners.

Responsibilities:
You will:

• work in a multidisciplinary team
• develop theories of change and evaluation plans with stakeholders
• manage relationships with stakeholders, data analysts, user researchers, product and strategy leads, and operational secondees
• collect and analyse quantitative and qualitative data through research
• assure the work of other evaluators, including evaluation plans, data collection and analysis
• present analysis clearly, turn complex data into compelling, clear and actionable stories, and give strategic recommendations to decision-makers
• ensure data ethics and privacy compliance
• use a range of appropriate evaluation techniques, which could include process evaluation, impact evaluation, ‘theory of change’, experimentation, and economic evaluation
• collaborate with stakeholders to gather requirements and deliver findings, working under the guidance of the Head of Analysis
• ensure coordination with the programme’s independent evaluation (being carried out by GO-Lab), including supporting with data collection and analysis where required
• contribute evidence to inform TL&G strategy, objectives and priorities
• work in the open and share often

Essential skills and/or experience

Evaluation Delivery

• evaluate using appropriate techniques including process evaluation, impact evaluation, ‘theory of change’, experimentation and economic evaluation
• analyse and interpret data you have collected and data from other sources
• use a wide range of analytical approaches, including descriptive and inferential analysis

Communicating Analysis and Insight

• turn complex data into compelling, clear and actionable stories
• present analysis and visualisations in clear ways to communicate complex messages

Data ethics and privacy

• work with stakeholders to identify and address ethical and privacy concerns
• research developments in data ethics and privacy to improve compliance and processes
• assess and constructively challenge proposed data ethics policies

Evaluation planning and strategy

• influence stakeholders to secure resources for an evaluation project
• ensure plans for monitoring and evaluation of products and services are appropriate and proportionate
• agree the evaluation approach with diverse stakeholders

Monitoring and evaluation across the product life cycle

• manage the delivery of evaluation of services or products at different phases
• plan and look at data requirements in future phases

Product and service monitoring

• work with data analysts to develop performance dashboards reporting service analytics and other identified indicators

Quality assurance of data and analysis

• bring data together from different sources
• quality assure the work of other senior evaluation advisers and senior data analysts (preferred coding languages are R and Python)

Logical and creative thinking

• ensure that the most appropriate actions are taken to resolve problems as they occur

Agile and Lean practices

• apply agile practices to your work

Inclusivity

• support equity and inclusion for your delivery work as well as in your team
• incorporate a wide variety of views from underrepresented groups into your research

Desirable skills and/or experience:

Behavioural science knowledge

• working knowledge of theoretical concepts such as defaults, loss aversion and social norms

Place-based evaluation skills

• delivery of complex place-based evaluation working with multiple partners outside of central government

Grade: Grade 7

Anticipated length: 1-2 years

Location: Manchester, Sheffield, Darlington and Leeds.

Role description:

The Public Sector Reform Test, Learn and Grow (PSR TL&G) team is at the heart of the UK government’s initiative to drive innovation and reform in public service delivery. With the £100 million PSR Innovation Fund, ourteam collaborates with local authorities and government departments across the United Kingdom and with the Devolved Governments to design, test, and grow innovative solutions that enhance public service outcomes. By employing a “Test & Learn” approach, we focus on creating evidence-based improvements while relieving pressures on public services. Our work involves piloting foundational programmes and place-based initiatives to accelerate mission delivery, support preventative measures, and foster a collaborative environment that encourages continuous improvement and innovation in public services.

A secondment with HMG offers a unique opportunity to work temporarily within the Civil Service, where you will remain an employee of your current organisation. This opportunity will allow you to develop some unique skills, but bring in specific knowledge and expertise, and work on projects that aim to deliver better public services for UK citizens. It is an immersive experience, providing you with new perspectives and the chance to contribute to significant and meaningful work. If you have confirmed with your employer that you are eligible for a secondment you’ll be presented with a question in relation to this on your application form.

You’ll lead design in a multidisciplinary Pioneerteam—a place-based project with public sector partners to prototype solutions and policies aligned to government missions. You’ll design and facilitate workshops and stakeholder engagements, support the team with design research when needed, prototype solutions and help your team use various methods and approaches for ‘test and learn’.

This role is mapped to the Senior Service Designer role in the Government Digital and Data framework, however we’re looking for some wider additional skills in UX design, design research and/ or policy design. We’re looking for someone who can bring digital and data skills to a policy environment and is excited about working on the ground alongside place-based partners.

Responsibilities:
You will:

• lead and coordinate design work in your team
• work effectively in a multidisciplinary, agile environment, adapting quickly to changes in requirements,
  priorities or user needs
• use research and analytics to understand policy areas and users needs, identify service failures and
  test different designs
• lead design research when needed, working alongside the Data Analyst responsible for data and
  quantitative research
• design collaboratively and in the open, engaging your whole team with the design process and adapting
  it if necessary
• champion accessibility and inclusion, considerthe impact of change: new policies and technologies and
  ensure that designs meet legal requirements
• collaborate with designers in otherteams and departments, reviewing each other’s work and developing
  shared patterns
• guide, support and mentor designers

Essential skills and/or experience:
Design communication

• work with the team and stakeholders to frame problems, map systems and processes and create clear,
  evidence-based cases for change supported by high quality outputs and deliverables
• facilitate stakeholders toward a shared goal, build consensus around an approach and build strong
  relationships

Designing for everyone

• understanding ofthe importance of inclusive, equitable, accessible and sustainable public services
• design and deliver ethical solutions that considerthe personal and social context of stakeholders and
  users
• support equity and inclusion for your delivery work as well as in your team

Designing strategically

• use risks, opportunities and constraints in technology, systems and policies to shape design
• work with senior stakeholders with the ability to negotiate important design decisions
• lead design in a multidisciplinary team working in a complex policy environment ensuring test and learn
  approaches are grounded in theories of change and measurable

Designing together

• engage with people in a variety of ways (e.g. workshops; co-design activities; mapping) and have the
  ability to adapt a design session to ensure you achieve a useful outcome

Evidence-based design

• make effective decisions with research and data
• apply design research methods to support qualitative research

Iterative design

• work in an agile, multidisciplinary and collaborative environment
• prototype complex ideas at an appropriate fidelity

Desirable skills and/or experience:

Systems thinking:

• understand and can apply systems thinking frameworks and practices to complex policy areas

Policy design

• understand the policymaking cycle and where the opportunities are for change, involving lived
• experience, and/ or relational/participatory work.

Grade: Grade 7

Anticipated length: 1 – 2 years

Location: Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, York

Role description:

You will:

• lead a multidisciplinary Accelerator team to deliver solutions aligned with the scoping agreed with local partners, through test and learn cycles 
• define, explain and iterate an evidence-based vision for solutions that are compelling to your team, stakeholders and end-users
• collaborate with team members to create prototypes to test assumptions or approaches
• identify assumptions and risks behind possible approaches and include these in your planning
• lead on delivery planning for you team maintaining a roadmap and strategy, and develop and prioritise a backlog
• make decisions based on evidence and value for money
• use theories of change and evaluation to evidence the Pioneer as well as the wider programme goals
• share insight with the wider team and Head of Product and Strategy to ensure the programme strategy
• can adapt and have the best chance of success
• work in the open and share often

Additionally as a Senior Product and Strategy Lead you will:

• lead a team working a higher degree of uncertainty working out the most important research and insight and partnership needed to inform your plans
• create longer term plans that address dependencies and other risks, while also being responsive to change
• have an advanced knowledge of the value other professions can bring to a multidisciplinary team’s work, and ensure successful collaboration 
• line manage, coach and mentor product and strategy leads 
• champion best practice and the latest in product management tools/techniques

Essential skills and/or experience:

Leading multidisciplinary teams

• leading a team of experts in user centred design, analysis, policy, delivery, behavioural insights etc to develop and test solutions to complex challenges
• be the escalation point for your team
• developing a clear plan and narrative for the work

Product management and strategic ownership

• navigating complex policy / delivery landscapes to spot opportunities to leverage change
• successfully developing and releasing products, strategies, or solutions
• can identify, communicate and work within constraints, and challenge the validity of constraints while ensuring the team can still deliver high quality work

Agile and lean practices

• have proficiency in agile product management techniques, such as: roadmaps; prioritisation; MVP definition; using research, analytics and insight to inform decisions; planning at different horizons

Stakeholder relationship management

• successfully manage a range of stakeholder relationships to successfully deliver products, solutions or strategies that meet user needs and deliver government outcomes
• can reconcile strong differing opinions using evidence or research

Evidencing and evaluating

• can use data and analytics to spot problems with, and evaluate success of, solutions, product, or strategies
• can use theories of change and set, monitor and report on measurable objectives

Inclusivity

• support equity and inclusion for our delivery work as well as for our teams and programme
• incorporate a wide variety of views from underrepresented groups into product and policy work

Senior Product and Strategy Leads would also be expected to demonstrate:

Agile and lean practices

• can create roadmaps and plans that cater for uncertainty, dependencies and risks but still show progress and inspire confidence with leadership

Product management

• have experience of a range of delivery teams, lifecycle phases and products, and an ability to
  adapt your delivery approach accordingly

Evidencing and evaluating

• can identify the most important assumptions or risks to a successful outcome, and collaboratively devise ways to test them, gather the evidence needed to succeed, and work with others to evaluate solutions with different methods (e.g., RCTs, QEDs, IPEs, qualitative research)

Strategic ownership

• can work influence and challenge senior stakeholders when needed
• can prioritise and mitigate constraints, and turn them into an advantage and adapt the teams approach depending on the constraints

Desirable skills and/or experiemce

• experience of working directly with local authorities or other place-based providers including the Voluntary Community Sector (VCS)

Grade: HEO

Anticipated length: 6 – 12 months [part-time secondment]

Location: Glasgow or Manchester

Responsibilities:
You will:

• Support the team on the development of the UK’s national action plan
• Support the team on the UK’s chairing of the Open Government Forum this year
• Work closely with civil society actors using evidence to own and co-create specific commitments that come from the various internal and external meetings
• Work closely with other departments to develop commitments and ensure that departments buy in to those
• Work with either the Scottish government & Glasgow city council, or the GMCA to support alignment of the local action plans with the National Action Plan

Essential skills and/or experience:

• Experience of Open Government
• Creating and securing buy in for Open government commitments and action plans
• Working with civil society and government departments to create and get support for shared objectives

Desirable skills and/or experience:

• Building relationships to get ownership of key pieces of activity
• Working with social research and converting that into concrete commitments
• Facilitation of workshops

Grade: Team leader/ Middle Manager

Anticipated length: 1 – 2 years

Location: Newcastle-Upon Tyne

Role description:

The Strategy and Policy Manager will lead and coordinate the development of the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority’s strategic policy position, including future devolution proposals, working across teams to develop a coherent and evidence-based narrative that reflects the region’s priorities and ambitions.

The role will support senior decision-making, strengthen engagement with Government and regional partners, and embed strong, evidence-led policy development and equalities practices across the organisation.

Specific tasks and responsibilities of the Strategy and Policy Manager will include:

The post holder will work with others in the Policy, Planning and Performance service to maintain high standards in the implementation of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), including raising awareness and promoting best practice across the organisation. This will also include overseeing preparation of the PSED annual report and supporting implementation of the socio-economic duty.

The post holder will work with teams across the MSA to identify and develop proposals for future devolution. This will involve prioritising key asks that would deliver improved outcomes for people in the North East, and which align with the Mayor’s political priorities. The post holder will also be required to support the development of a robust strategic case for change in these areas; and, working with the Data, Analysis and Insight team, will ensure proposals are underpinned by a strong evidence base.

The post holder will also be responsible for leading and coordinating engagement with Government departments on these proposals, and for supporting their implementation where agreements are secured.

Alongside this, the post holder will work with delivery teams and communications colleagues to develop and maintain a consistent set of core organisational messaging, aligned to policy priorities and funding asks. This will support submissions to Government at key milestones – such as Budgets and Spending Reviews – as well as senior and mayoral engagement with Government and with local partners. The post holder will ensure clear understanding of the organisation’s priorities internally within the Authority, and uphold consistent messaging with external partners.

This will include supporting the Principal Strategy and Policy Lead to provide briefing to senior leaders and the Mayor ahead of key external engagement, including meetings with government ministers and local authority leaders. The post holder will also support the production of regular internal policy briefings, including a fortnightly policy update, requiring monitoring of government, think tank, and regional sources, and liaison with communications teams for publication on the MSA’s intranet and in its internal newsletter.

Relatedly, the post holder will support the Principal Strategy and Policy Lead and Head of Policy, Planning and Performance to establish and maintain strong relationships with key partners in the region and beyond – including but not limited to local authorities, think tanks, other Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs), and central government departments. The post holder will do this by communicating clearly, confidently, and proactively to these partners about the MSA’s objectives, while ensuring that incoming queries and communications on cross-cutting policy issues are dealt with in a timely fashion. This will include supporting regular touchpoints with these stakeholders, facilitating stakeholder visits and policy roundtables, and supporting the MSA’s responses to relevant consultations and calls for evidence. This will ensure that national policy development reflects the North East’s specific context and priorities; and will build a strong policy network which will support the MSA’s own policy development.

Qualifications:
Essential:

• Degree or equivalent experience – ideally in a relevant subject such as public policy, politics, economics, or social sciences.

Desirable:

• Postgraduate qualification (e.g., MSc, MBA) in a relevant field.
• Training or accreditation in strategy, futures, or policy analysis.

Experience:
Essential:

• Experience of developing public policy, strategy, or funding proposals within a local government, Strategic Authority, or similar public sector environment.
• Experience of coordinating complex projects across multiple stakeholders and policy areas.
• Experience of engaging with government departments, external partners, or think tanks.
• Experience of producing high-quality briefings for senior stakeholders (e.g., elected members, senior leaders).
• Experience of facilitating meetings, networks, or stakeholder engagement sessions.
• Experience of evidence gathering, analysis, and translating insight into policy recommendations

Desirable:

• Experience of working on devolution, regional growth, or fiscal policy.
• Experience of contributing to national policy debates or consultation responses.
• Experience of working in a political or high-profile environment.

Skills and Knowledge
Essential:

• Strong understanding of UK public policy, governance, and the role of Mayoral Strategic Authorities.
• Ability to develop clear, compelling strategic narratives supported by evidence.
• Excellent written communication skills, including drafting briefings, reports, and submissions.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across organisational boundaries.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality work to tight deadlines.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret complex socio-economic data.
• Knowledge of equality, diversity, and inclusion principles, including the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Desirable:

• Experience of working on devolution, regional growth, or fiscal policy.
• Experience of contributing to national policy debates or consultation responses.
• Experience of working in a political or high-profile environment.

Personal Qualities
Essential:

• Highly organised, proactive, and able to work independently.
• Politically aware, with sound judgement and discretion.
• Collaborative and team-oriented, with a strong commitment to partnership working.
• Adaptable and resilient in a fast-paced and evolving policy environment.
• Committed to the organisation’s values and to delivering inclusive growth for the North East.

This programme offers an exciting opportunity for UK Government civil servants to undertake secondments to local or strategic authorities, and for employees from local or strategic authorities to be seconded into the UK Government departments. It provides a formalised way to increase collaboration, develop leadership and strengthen our collective impact, and offers a rare chance to build bridges across different parts of government and work together to make a real difference for local communities.

We aim to provide as much flexibility as possible with the duration of the secondments involved. The specific length of each placement will be determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the needs of the role and the individual secondee.

We are open to a range of secondment opportunities, including:

• Short-term secondments, which deliver a discrete piece of work may be more suited to a shorter arrangement, such as 12 weeks. For example, a secondee may be brought in to deliver a specific aspect of a larger project or to provide front-line experience to support a part of the policy development process.
• Longer-term secondments, which may be more suitable for the secondees who want to build capability and expertise or fully lead and deliver a longer-term project.
• Part-time arrangements may be beneficial for an individual who can join the host organisation for a set number of days per week or month, enabling them to continue their work in the home organisation for the remaining time. For example, it may be helpful to have a secondee who can support the ongoing development of a policy or programme by providing regular guidance and expertise, without needing to be involved full-time.
• Exchange or job swap opportunities between organisations. In these cases, individuals in similar roles and at comparable levels swap places to gain experience working in a different part of government, whilst also sharing their own expertise and knowledge.

Our goal is to accommodate secondment arrangements that work best for both the vacancy holder and the secondee. We are committed to offering flexibility to ensure the placement meets the unique needs and preferences of those involved.

The individual terms of the secondment, such as remuneration, will need to be agreed between the host and home organisation.

The usual arrangement for secondments is for individuals to remain on their home organisation’s Terms and Conditions, payroll and pay awards, which will mean no changes to employees’ pension arrangements and injury benefits will be made. The host organisation will reimburse the secondee’s salary costs to the home organisation and VAT will be applied in most cases.

GovXchange will run in partnership between the Cabinet Office and the Local Government Association. See the Resourcing and Secondments Expertise privacy notice, setting out how we will use your personal data, and your rights.

Once a secondment match has been agreed upon by both the host and home organisations, the specific terms of the secondment will need to be agreed. The secondee will also need to undertake any relevant security or pre-employment checks, as well as complete any actions required by the host organisation’s policies as part of the onboarding process.

Once any relevant checks or actions are completed and the host organisation confirms the secondment can go ahead, a start date can be agreed. The start date should be suitable for all parties involved.. 

Secondment placements will be based in Bristol, Darlington, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, York and the recommended surrounding areas which are listed on the application form. However, some additional travel may be required to other UK-based offices operated by host departments.

Please specify if you have any geographical restrictions at the time of expressing your interest in secondment opportunities. 

Secondment placements will be based in Bristol, Darlington, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, York and the surrounding areas. There may be more flexible arrangements, such as remote or hybrid working, on offer, but this will be role dependent and considered on a case-by-case basis.

Please specify if you have any geographical restrictions at the time of expressing your interest to take part in the programme

Yes, if you are interested in a secondment and have a non-standard working pattern, please include your preferred arrangement in the expression of interest form. This will help us to identify the most appropriate matches and ensure we can accommodate your requirements

We do not offer a relocation package. Candidates should be within commuting distance of the location they are interested in.