Apply to be part of the Evaluation and Trial Advice Panel
The Evaluation Task Force is now recruiting for the next cohort of expert panelists to continue its fantastic Evaluation and Trial Advice Panel from March 2026 onwards.
Documents
Details
Background
The Evaluation Task Force (ETF) is a joint Cabinet Office and HM Treasury unit which aims to put robust evaluation evidence at the heart of government spending decisions. As part of our work in the ETF, we are the secretariat for the Evaluation and Trial Advice Panel, a free to use service for researchers across government departments, arms length bodies, local government and What Works Centres to access advice on evaluation methods and implementation from our expert panel members. The aim of the service is to utilise the panelists’ expert evaluation knowledge to:
- Facilitate the delivery of high quality evaluations across government;
- Develop and maintain a network of internal and external evaluation experts.
Since 2015, the ETAP has provided advice on evaluation designs to over 230 government programmes across 25 organisations. The ETF is now recruiting for the next cohort of expert panelists to continue this fantastic service from March 2026 onwards.
About the role
We are looking for evaluation experts from government departments and external organisations to join our prestigious and highly valued Evaluation and Trial Advice Panel (ETAP). This is a voluntary position with a 2-year term (with potential to extend for a further 1 year) commencing in March 2026. Panel members will be asked to commit approximately 3 hours per month.
As a panel member, you will be expected to provide advice to government departments on the design and implementation of evaluations. This may include:
- Reviewing key documents such as preliminary evaluation designs and theory of change,
- Attending surgery-style workshops to provide advice on specific evaluation designs, including theory-based, quasi and experimental evaluations,
- Appraising the feasibility of different design options based on specific policy or intervention designs,
- Responding to ad-hoc requests for advice via email; and
- Peer reviewing final reports.
We also expect that you will contribute to the Evaluation Task Force’s seminar series which aims to build evaluation capability across government. This may include:
- Delivering a presentation on a recent evaluation you have worked on,
- Delivering a presentation on an evaluation methodology,
- Being part of a panel to discuss the latest advances in evaluation and common challenges for researchers.
There will be a range of opportunities to network with other panel members throughout your term, such as through the seminar series and at ETF events. To find out more about our previous panelist network, please visit the Evaluation and Trial Advice Panel webpage.
Benefits
- Opportunity to have a real impact on public spending by influencing the generation and use of evidence in policy-making across government.
- Opportunity to contribute to a cross-government programme to increase the use of high quality evaluation in the design and delivery of policies and programmes.
- Obtain insight into the needs of government decision makers across a wide range of policy areas, including crime and justice, housing, welfare, environment, health, transport and local government.
- Build your network with government stakeholders and other panel members all passionate about robust evaluation.
- Opportunity to present your work to an audience of government evaluators and policy professionals through the seminar series.
Compensation
Panellists are reminded that no compensation is provided and this is a voluntary role. Meetings will be held virtually.
Who are we looking for?
We are looking for passionate and experienced policy evaluators from within and outside of government. You should be a well established evaluator, with excellent written and verbal communication skills along with substantial experience of designing and delivering evaluations. You should be passionate about evidence-based policymaking and keen to make a contribution to improving the generation of robust evaluation evidence in government.
We encourage applications from individuals working within government and externally. For those applicants working outside of government, we welcome applications from those in a range of different organisations, including: universities, What Works Centres, research and consultancy organisations.
Specifically, we are looking for individuals with the following:
- An ability to turn expert knowledge into practical, helpful advice;
- An understanding of the policy environment and the realities of undertaking evaluations at pace in complex areas of social policy;
- Substantial work experience in the field of evaluation and extensive practical/applied evaluation skills (e.g. through published evaluations); and
- Extensive experience in the design and delivery of evaluations using a range of methods and approaches, with detailed expertise in at least one of the following:
- Experimental designs: including Randomised Control Trials, stepped-wedge, cluster designs, multi-arm trials, A/B testing
- Non randomised and quasi-experimental designs: including Regression Discontinuity Design, matching, synthetic controls, difference-in-difference
- Theory based evaluation
- Contribution analysis
- Qualitative comparative analysis
- Process tracing
- Machine Learning
- Natural Language Processing
- Economic evaluation
- Process and implementation evaluation
- Theory of Change and realist evaluation
- Pre-testing, including rapid cycle testing
- Test & learn evaluation approaches / agile approaches to evaluation
- Experience in applying evaluation skills in a local government context, working with Mayoral Combined Authorities or Local Authorities.
All panel members will be required to treat restricted government information in confidence and will be expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the handling and sharing of government information. Any body sharing information with panel members will put its own confidentiality arrangements in place if required.
All panel members must have and will keep in place adequate procedures to manage and monitor any actual or perceived bias or conflicts of interest. Perceived or actual conflicts will need to be registered with government organisations.
Application process
Individuals wishing to join the Panel will be required to complete this online application form and provide a letter of support from your line manager. Recruitment will close on Sunday 1st February 2026 at 23:55.
Applications will be assessed by a panel of ETF assessors. Applications will be assessed against the criteria set out in this specification, with attention paid to ensuring that the panel represents a diverse range of evaluation expertise. If you have any questions about the role please email trialadvicepanel@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.