Qualitative Evaluation Senior Lead – Population Health Improvement: Sponsorship Available

Job summary

Working as part of the new cluster made up of BSW, Dorset and Somerset ICB’s.

We are seeking an experienced and highly skilled evaluation
professional to take on the role of Qualitative Evaluation Senior Lead within
the Population Health Improvement Directorate.

The role provides senior leadership for the design and delivery of qualitative
evaluation activity across the Cluster, ensuring that the voices, experiences
and perspectives of people who use services, carers, communities and frontline
staff are embedded within strategic assessment, service improvement and
decision-making.

The post holder will use a range of recognised qualitative
methods, including interviews, focus groups, observations and rapid appraisal
approaches, to generate meaningful insight that complements quantitative
evidence and supports population health improvement.
Working closely with colleagues across population health, commissioning,
business intelligence, strategy, transformation and health economics, the post
holder will lead the development of high-quality qualitative evaluations,
ensuring that findings are robust, accessible and used to influence service
redesign, resource allocation and improvement priorities.

The role will also
support the development of evaluation capability across the organisation
through methodological leadership, guidance and shared learning.

Main duties of the job

• Lead the design and delivery of qualitative evaluation programmes using
  recognised methodologies such as interviews, focus groups, observations and
  thematic analysis
• Ensure the experiences and perspectives of service users, carers, communities
  and staff inform strategic planning and improvement activity.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across population health, commissioning,
  business intelligence, strategy and transformation to support mixed-method
  evaluations and evidence-based decision-making.
• Oversee the quality, consistency and ethical delivery of qualitative
  evaluation work, including governance, documentation and the handling of
  sensitive information.
• Produce high-quality reports, presentations, case studies and summaries that
  communicate findings clearly and effectively to stakeholders and senior
  leaders.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with service users, community
  groups, partner organisations and system stakeholders.
• Provide specialist advice and methodological support to colleagues,
  strengthening qualitative evaluation capability across the directorate.
• Contribute to the development of evaluation tools, frameworks and guidance to
  support continuous improvement and consistent evaluation practice.
• You
  will be an experienced evaluation professional with substantial expertise in
  qualitative research and evaluation methodologies, together with a passion for
  using insight to improve services and outcomes.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience designing and delivering qualitative research or evaluation using methods such as interviews, focus groups,
• observation and thematic analysis.
• Experience interpreting qualitative findings
• and explaining what they mean for services,
• pathways or outcomes.
• Experience working with a range of partners, including people who use services, frontline staff and system colleagues, to gather
• insight and ensure diverse perspectives are
• captured.
• Experience contributing to mixed method evaluations by working alongside colleagues who use quantitative or analytical
• approaches.
• Experience planning and organising evaluation activity, including preparing fieldwork, agreeing timelines and managing Together across NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire, NHS Dorset and NHS Somerset practical arrangements.
• Experience presenting findings to senior
• colleagues or programme teams in a clear and accessible way.
• Experience supporting others to improve
• their understanding or use of qualitative
• methods.

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to masters level or able to demonstrate equivalent experience working at a senior level in a relevant specialist area.
• Holds specialist knowledge of qualitative research approaches, gained through postgraduate study or equivalent experience, with further learning to masters level standard.
• Formal training or substantial experience in qualitative methods such as interviews, focus groups, observations and thematic analysis.
• Understanding of research governance, ethical standards and safe handling of sensitive information.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Good understanding of current healthcare policy and how it affects evaluation work.
• Awareness of how health and care organisations relate to each other, including provider, commissioning and system level functions.
• Membership of a relevant professional body
• where appropriate.

Closing Date: 23 August 2026