About the job

Job summary

We are the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business & Trade (Previously the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy). We are here for the purpose of making regulation work to deliver real world impact. Regulation is a powerful Government tool to address market failures, influence behaviour and promote positive action. Crafted and delivered well, regulation can be an enabler of growth, innovation and efficiency. 

Since early 2018 we have been building a positive and creative team that enjoys a position of influence and respect within an organisation that continues to grow, most recently with the addition of construction products regulation planned. 

Our primary purpose is to protect people and places from product-related harm, ensuring consumers and businesses can buy and sell products with confidence. 

Further information can be found on our website here 

OPSS Analysis comprises almost 30 analysts working across statistics, data scientists, social researchers, and economists. The team provides analytical support for all the Office’s activity, adding value by harnessing our profession-specific expertise. We have a strong commitment to learning and development, maintaining strong links within DBT and HMG, and are not afraid to try new and innovative approaches to deliver our objectives. Many of our projects require a multi-disciplinary approach and so there is close working across all three Grade 6-led teams. 
 
The OPSS Analysis Team is structured by profession: The Economics Team comprises a Grade 6 economist, three Grade 7's, an HEO, three apprentice economists, an EO analyst and a placement student. OPSS is usually based across three sites: Westminster, Birmingham, and Teddington. 

Do you care about the safety of products and want to protect people and places? Can we use your skills, knowledge and experience to enable UK business to thrive? If the answer is yes, then we would like to hear from you! 

Job description

This role will provide a dedicated evidence lead for OPSS' role as a regulator of non-food consumer products (e.g. cosmetics, fireworks, electrical equipment, toys). While the role is available to all analyst professions, many aspects of the role would suit individuals with experience of communicating analysis to non-analysts, research and evidence gathering, quantitative analysis and analysing large datasets. 
 
OPSS recognises that the rise of online marketplaces for the trade of consumer products presents opportunities and well as threats to product safety. OPSS is also conducting a review of our product safety legislation - following the UK's departure from the EU - so we have a unique opportunity to shape how online marketplaces operate from a policy and regulatory perspective. Your role is a newly-created post which will co-ordinate and lead our evidence and analysis around the online marketplace sector. Once you have identified and collated our existing evidence base, you will identify evidence gaps and lead projects to fill them; alongside accurate dissemination of findings and recommending policy/regulatory courses of action. You will collaborate closely with policy and operational teams, as well as other analytically-minded teams in OPSS. 

This role provides dedicated resource to our online marketplace programmes within OPSS, ensuring that OPSS policies and regulatory activity is underpinned by robust evidence and sound economic theory. You will be the analysis lead for the programme, where you will engage in programme meetings and link up across the analysis team to support analytical needs of the programme. At present, you would lead on: 
 
• Collating and assessing our existing evidence base on the role of online marketplaces and the supply chains that underpin them.
 
• Identifying evidence gaps and leading projects to fill those gaps. This may involve commissioning research to external contractors, or managing colleagues to deliver the work in-house. 
 
• Chair and lead an internal online marketplaces evidence group, bringing together expertise across OPSS, commissioning short pieces of work and sharing emerging findings. You will also report evidential challenges to our internal programme boards as well, and invite scrutiny on your plans. 
 
• Provide leadership and support for the Online and Supply Chain Enforcement (OSCE) team to monitor delivery and evaluate programme, coordinating expertise from social researchers and statisticians in the analysis team where necessary. 
 
• Provide ad hoc support to emerging product safety incidents, such as our recent interventions with Online Marketplaces.
 
• Task and line management of Fast Stream/Mainstream/Apprentice/Sandwich Student economists based on resourcing and priorities. 

Person specification

We would love to hear from you if you: 
 
• Have a strong grounding in theoretical microeconomics and have an ability to apply that theory into practical examples. 

​• Know how to build strong relationships with non-analyst colleagues. 

​• Have an ability to manage multiple projects at the same time, managing your own time as well as those of your direct reports. 

​• Display initiative in solving problems through cutting-edge and innovative analytical techniques. 

​• Are prepared to invest time and energy in their professional development. 

​• Have technical skills and proficiency with specialist software, including Python and R. 

​• Have experience in managing research projects effectively, delivering impactful and timely analysis to policy issues.  
 
We are looking for candidates with the experience that matches the responsibilities listed previously. 

​We are keen to promote diversity, and we are not realistically expecting any applicant to have experience of every responsibility. You should apply if you think you have experience related to the majority of the role responsibilities and the skills and experience criteria, and we will support you to fill gaps in experience. 
 
Please visit our Careers website at https://opss-careers.co.uk/ for further information.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £53,560, Department for Business and Trade contributes £14,461 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.

Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:    

1. A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
2. A Personal Statement of up to 1000 words, explaining how you consider your personal skills, include an example of technical skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.   

It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date though this is subject to change.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift will be conducted on the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

Applicants who want to apply to be a member of the GSG will be required to do an online GSS statistical test.

Once you have submitted your application and the application has closed, you will be emailed during standard working hours inviting you to complete the GSS online multiple choice test. This is a timed test and must be completed within 48 hours for you to be considered for the next stage of the process. You are encouraged to try the test attached to the advert before attempting the real test. Please ensure you inform us ahead of the test if you require any reasonable adjustments to be considered.

Applicants who want to apply to the GSR will be required to undertake a 45 minute online written “knowledge test”. This test will be supervised and conducted online over MS Teams and involve you responding to a range of exam questions to test your technical knowledge of social research and statistical methods.

Please note: If you are already a member of the GSG, GES, GSR or GORS, you are exempt from sitting these tests. To prevent your application being rejected please email resourcing@businessandtrade.gov.uk as soon as you submit an application to notify us, please include the campaign number in the email title and your membership number. Once confirmed you will be moved onto the next stage by our recruitment team. 

At interview you will be assessed on the following technical skills relating to the membership your application is being processed against -

• Government Social Research: Technical skills, analysis & interpretation Click Here
• Government Statistician Group: Presenting and disseminating data effectively Click Here
• Government Operational Research Service: Knowledge and application of Operational Research skills and techniques Click Here      
• Government Economics Service: Application of economics knowledge Click Here 

As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a short oral presentation, details will be provided prior to your interview.

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. In order to request an adjustment: 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. 

Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.  

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Candidate Support

You may want to join a virtual Candidate Support Session. These sessions include helpful tips and advice on the recruitment process, from application to interview.  

Please see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department. 

Further Information:

• A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.   
• Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
• The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.  
• New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.  
• Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty. Any applicant who has details held on the IFD will be refused employment.   
• A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.  
• Terms and Conditions are attached.  Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
• Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.