Consulting Director - Education & Training

ICF; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading policy consultancy in Greater London is seeking an expert to lead its education policy research initiatives for the European Commission. The ideal candidate will have a PhD and 10-15 years of related experience, along with strong analytical and communication skills. Responsibilities include managing education-related projects and building a team of specialists. The role offers competitive benefits and a hybrid working model that supports work-life balance.

Benefits

Single Private Medical Insurance

Dental insurance

25 days annual leave

Pension scheme with employer contribution

Enhanced parental leave policies

Qualifications

• 10-15 years of experience in education and/or employment policy.
• Experience in managing teams, coaching or mentoring colleagues.
• Strong commitment to ethics and confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Lead policy research and evaluation services on education policy.
• Support the delivery of research proposals for EU education agencies.
• Build in-house team and network of education policy specialists.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Leadership

Team management

Entrepreneurial talent

Education

PhD in social sciences, public policy or related field

Job description

Responsibilities

• Lead ICF’s policy research and evaluation services on education policy for the European Commission and its agencies. Specific responsibilities will include leading the evaluation and consultancy framework contracts that ICF has with DG EAC as well as directing projects secured under these frameworks.

• Direct and support the capture and delivery of research, analytical and evaluation proposals, for DG EAC as well as for EU decentralised agencies with a relevant education policy interest.

• Build our in-house team and wider network of education policy research specialists.

• Be an active member of the senior management team of this area of our business, working with colleagues to ensure its effective management and achievement of agreed business goals.

• Provide line management support to team members and contribute to the efforts to enhance the capability of the team and ICF.

Qualifications

• A strong academic background; ideally at PhD level in social sciences, public policy, educational sciences, international relations or a related discipline.

• At least 10-15 years of professional experience in education and/or employment policy within the European context; experience of working in a consultancy capacity.

• Experience of conducting high quality EU level research and evaluation assignments, including the development and implementation of research within the education and employment policy area.

• Strong analytical skills and the ability to develop sound conclusions and policy-relevant recommendations.

• Knowledge of the education and employment research community, including networks of experts.

• Experience in managing teams, coaching or mentoring colleagues and providing regular feedback to support their development.

• Demonstrable experience in winning and successfully delivering research and evaluation projects and contracts for the European Commission.

• Excellent communication skills, including experience with presenting key concepts to clients; both internal and external.

• Excellent verbal, written, analytical and presentation skills in English, additional European languages an advantage.

Personal qualities

• Sound research and business ethics, including the protection of proprietary and confidential information. Strong commitment to and interest in the policy fields referred to above.

• Ability to lead a team to success, inspiring, motivating and supporting more junior colleagues to achieve their potential.

• Strong entrepreneurial talent to identify and realize new opportunities as well as new innovations / approaches that will secure success in proposals.

• Ability to work within multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary teams spread across several countries.

• Commercial acumen and an understanding of the policy consulting business model.

• Ability to work with all levels of internal staff, as well as clients and sub-contractors.

• Excellent communication skills, including experience with presenting key concepts to clients; both internal and external. Excellent verbal, written, analytical and presentation skills in English, additional European languages an advantage.

• Commitment to the employee progression and development.

About us

Working at ICF means applying a passion for meaningful work with intellectual rigor to help solve the leading issues of our day. Smart, compassionate, innovative, committed, ICF employees tackle unprecedented challenges to benefit people, businesses, and governments around the globe. We believe in collaboration, mutual respect, open communication, and opportunity for growth.

We can only solve the world's toughest challenges by building an inclusive workplace that allows everyone to thrive. We are committed to creating a culture where we embrace our differences in ideas and identities. Together, our employees are empowered to share their expertise and collaborate with others to achieve personal and professional goals.

Learn more about what we do and our commitment to inclusion.

Benefits

Our people at ICF are our most important asset, so we invest in them from the moment they arrive. When you join our team, you’ll have access to a vast array of benefits to help you live your life well.

We offer a hybrid working policy, which will provide you with the flexibility to collaborate in the office, as well as in the comfort of your own home, ensuring you are able to successfully deliver the requirements of your role.

To support you, our employee wellbeing hub is designed to provide highly personalised support across a comprehensive range of wellbeing issues, such as mind, body, finances, community, career programs and HR support.

We enjoy celebrating success, which is why we have a competitive recognition program called ‘You Matter’, which awards points as a ‘thank you’ for your work achievements. These can be spent on a large variety of high-quality items, as well as online or high-street vouchers, all with zero tax payable by the employee.

ICF also offers a range of competitive benefits, which include:

• Single Private Medical Insurance cover with no restrictions on existing conditions.
• Dental insurance and an online GP service.
• 25 days annual leave, plus UK bank holidays (annual leave increases with years of service).
• Pension scheme with 5% of salary employer contribution
• Life assurance paying 4x annual salary and Group Income Protection paying 66% of salary for up to 5 years if you are off work on long-term sick.
• Enhanced parental leave policies, enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, and shared parental pay.

Candidate AI Usage Policy

At ICF, we are committed to ensuring a fair and equitable interview process for all candidates based on their own skills and knowledge. As part of this commitment, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate or assist with responses during interviews (whether in-person or virtual) is not permitted. This policy is in place to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the interview process.

However, we understand that some candidates may require accommodations that involve the use of AI. If such an accommodation is needed, candidates are instructed to contact us in advance at [e-mail]. We are dedicated to providing the necessary support to ensure that all candidates have an equal opportunity to succeed.

London (GB80)