Evaluation Manager - 12-month FTC – Maternity cover
At The National Lottery Community Fund we are committed to making a bigger difference. Our 2030 strategy ‘It starts with community’ puts impact at the heart of what we do and our Evidence and Impact Strategy explains how we will do this. We want to transform the use of evidence in our organisation to identify the communities that most need our funding and demonstrate the difference we make.
We’re recruiting for an Evaluation Manager to join our Impact and Evaluation Team. In this role, you will design, commission and manage large-scale, complexity-appropriate evaluations, focused on programmes in England that are funded via Dormant Assets. You’ll also be involved in UK-wide work about the impact of Dormant Assets funding in other parts of the UK. And, you will advocate for the importance of high quality evaluation.
A typical week in the role might include:
- a contract management meeting with an external contractor to feedback on a Theory of Change they have developed
- developing an evaluation Invitation to Tender with internal funding colleagues
- discussing learning from a recent evaluation conference with peers in the Impact and Evaluation team
- meeting with analysts in the civil service to discuss overlap between an evaluation you are managing and work they are doing.
Your strong evaluation expertise will be complemented by stakeholder management skills that mean you to get the best from contracts we procure. You'll effectively communicate evaluation findings to a variety of audiences, including those who are not evaluation experts. You'll be committed to professional development, staying up-to-date with best practice in evaluation design and delivery.
We are looking for someone with a passion for understanding the difference that the voluntary and community sector makes and using that evidence to improve practice. You will be motivated by helping ensure The National Lottery Community Fund makes the greatest difference for communities across the UK.
Interview details:
- Date: 5 August 2026
- Format: Online
- Location: UK Wide
We have a hybrid approach to working. Work pattern and location will be agreed with the successful candidate. The role can be based at any of our UK offices: Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, and Newtown. There will be some travel required within the UK.
We will be hosting a briefing session on: 6 July, 12.00-12.45. To register or ask any questions please email: [email protected]
How to apply:
Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (1000 words) with the following criteria, we will use this to score your application.
Essential criteria
- A professional qualification or equivalent level of experience in a relevant discipline covering quantitative and qualitative research methods, and/or evaluation approaches.
- Knowledge of standards and best practice for evaluation, including the Magenta Book.
- Experience of designing tenders, commissioning evaluations and of managing external research/evaluation consultants.
- Knowledge of research ethics and data security requirements and experience putting these in to practice
- Experience of working with multiple stakeholders, often with competing priorities, to gain agreement.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate with different audiences.
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of the voluntary and community sector and the funding landscape, and a passion for working in this area.
- A commitment to continuous professional development, learning about new approaches to evaluation and sharing this knowledge with others
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.
We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.)