Lead Psychometrician

The successful applicant for the post to have experience of the following essential criteria:

• Strong experience delivering high quality analysis in an operational testing/assessment context. This will include using advanced skills in Excel and experience in IRT software such as flexMIRT and experience in at least one of the following: R, SQL, VBA, Python.
• Experience applying knowledge of assessment theories and psychometric techniques such as classical test theory, item response theory and validity theory.
• Experience using advanced programming skills with a focus on quality of coding and developing integrated tools to support analysis and improve processes.
• Experience leading and supporting technical colleagues in specialist domain knowledge and skills such as equating, standard setting and standards maintenance for evidence-based decision making.
• Experience leading with purpose and direction, organising and supporting others in effective collaboration with other teams and/or stakeholders, to deliver high quality outcomes for a project at pace to tight timescales.

£60,222

£64,518 London

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Alongside your salary of £60,222, Department for Education contributes £17,446 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department's transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years' service. In addition, all staff receive the King's Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days' bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.

Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

Part‑time hours available, from a minimum of 80% FTE.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs

Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.

The STA community is made up of a group of enthusiastic and hardworking individuals from within both the public and private sectors. Our people are specialists in what they do whether its developing tests, project managing the test cycle or working with suppliers. We are a friendly and inclusive team who acknowledge and appreciate everyone's expertise, knowledge, and experience.

This role represents an exciting opportunity for a highly skilled psychometrician to support the development and delivery of national assessments. The role requires excellent, demonstrable skills in item response theory among other educational measurement analytical techniques.

If you have a desire to work on one of the Department for Education's key priorities for ensuring all children achieve their potential, and ensure a positive experience for schools, this could be the role for you.

The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) is the part of the Department for Education responsible for the development and delivery of statutory assessments for pupils up to the age of 14 and for school-based assessment policy.

In addition to policy development and implementation, the STA's main functions are to:

• Develop high quality and rigorous National Curriculum Assessments (NCAs) in line with Ministerial policy.
• Deliver the assessments (including printing, distribution, marking and data capture).
• Support schools in carrying out the assessments.

The role presents interesting and challenging opportunities to deliver key ministerial priorities. The post-holder will work closely both with internal colleagues across STA and the wider department, and with external partners and suppliers. We are looking for a creative, proactive and motivated individual who is excited by the opportunity to make a positive impact and deliver on a high-profile policy area.

At DfE we have a strong culture of inclusion and diversity and are committed to being an equal opportunities employer. We aim to develop all our staff to enable them to make a full contribution to meeting the Department's objectives, and to fulfil their own potential. We promote and support the use of a range of flexible working patterns to help staff to balance home and work responsibilities and we treat people fairly irrespective of their working arrangements.

This culture is supported and built upon by our 10 staff networks, ranging from the BAME and LGBT networks to the Carers and EU/EEA Nationals networks. We are proud to be recognised by leading diversity organisations as actively promoting diversity in the workplace. We are also on the Stonewall Index and a member of the business disability forum, as well as achieving Level 2 Disability Confident employer in 2017.

We hope to attract a diverse group of candidates. It's important to us that our organisation is more diverse, so we encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and identities. We're especially keen to hear from candidates from BAME communities, who are currently under-represented.

The post holder will report to the Head of Assessment Research and Psychometrics.

You will be responsible for leading a team of psychometricians responsible for quantitative analysis for trialling and standards maintenance for statutory large scale national curriculum assessments. Your responsibilities will include:

• Line management and task management of psychometricians.
• Leading and developing technical experts to deliver high quality work and develop their skills.
• Undertaking psychometric and statistical analysis on a range of testing programmes.
• Contributing to the development of tests and other assessments through provision of psychometric expertise.
• Working closely with trialling manager to ensure data from trialling meets analysis needs both from paper-based and digital assessments.
• Ensuring the process for setting and maintaining standards on tests is undertaken in a rigorous way.
• Applying appropriate project management techniques to ensure that all projects are delivered to time, cost and quality.
• Leading on development and coding of tools for psychometric analysis using for example, R, RShiny, SQL and VBA, and the willingness to develop competency with other software as required.
• Contributing to the development of evidence on validity, reliability and fairness of tests.
• Contributing to data governance for the team.

Permanent

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Bristol - BS2 0EL, Cambridge - CB2 8DR, Coventry - CV1 2WT, London - SW1P 3BT, Manchester - M1 2WD, Sheffield - S1 2FJ
Please note - Bristol currently have site controls in place. Therefore, this location option is only available to existing DfE employees already assigned to this office location.

482590

Grade 7

Analytical

1

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