About the job

Job summary

The Analysis Function in DCMS has a vital role in supporting and steering the development of policy. We are arranged into a ‘hub and spoke’ model:

• a Central Analysis Team (CAT) responsible for strategic and cross-cutting analytical projects, as well as economic assurance and statistical publication
• Sector Analytical Teams (SAT), embedded in policy directorates and working directly with policy professionals

The Analytical Projects Unit leads the department’s strategic and cross-cutting analysis from within CAT. We are a multidisciplinary team of economists and social researchers, as well as the home of DCMS’ data science function.

We work closely with the Strategy and Policy Unit, Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) and sector teams to tackle some of the department’s biggest priorities and challenges through our data and analysis.

Job description

DCMS’ data landscape is complex; our funding is distributed across dozens of programmes and through 42 public bodies, the largest number in government. This presents a challenging picture for collecting and analysing that information, understanding the impact of our spend and the outcomes it drives. 

In this role, you will be responsible for leading DCMS’ analytical work to improve how the department understands and utilises the data it collects, particularly with respect to our programmes and public bodies. Recent and ongoing work includes:

• An interactive Spend and Outcomes Map illustrating the regional distribution of our funding alongside contextual data such as participation in our sectors and evaluation information.
• A delivery dashboard automating the presentation of headline programme information to the department’s Delivery and Risk Committee.
• New guidance to better align public body KPIs to departmental priorities, alongside improved mechanisms for more consistently collecting and reporting the data DCMS receives.

This is a highly visible programme of analytical work, with frequent exposure to SCS (analyst and DDaT), Directors General and Ministers/Secretary of State. The post-holder will be required to engage with the breadth of the department and across government to tackle complex data issues and manage innovative tools that are pushing the frontier of DCMS’ data capabilities, championing new approaches and securing buy-in across a diverse range of stakeholders.

Person specification

The ideal candidate would have the following key skills and experience:

Essential requirements:

• Experience managing a range of data products, demonstrating an ability to deliver through others as part of leading a challenging and high-profile programme of analysis.
• Ability to set clear direction across the development of data products and workstreams, through the different phases of the product delivery life cycle – with an understanding of where backend data processing and frontend data visualisation can help to drive organisational improvements.
• Able to draw effectively on the expertise of others across disciplines (including data scientists, statisticians, social researchers and DDaT) to help shape analytical approach and outputs, with experience building a network of diverse stakeholders to foster effective collaboration and delivery. 
• Skilled at communicating options and analysis clearly to influence senior decision making, providing a ‘bridge’ between complex data considerations/methodologies and broader departmental understanding to secure buy-in.
• Badged membership, or eligibility and willingness to become a member of, one of the following Government Analytical Professions: Government Economics Service (GES), Government Operational Research Service (GORS), Government Statistical Group (GSG). Full eligibility criteria can be found at the links inserted.

Desirable skills:

• Data science and/or data engineering expertise, with experience of applying this to develop and deliver impactful analysis and analytical products, such as dashboards and RAPs.
• Programming proficiency in Python, and familiarity with using Plotly-Dash to build data tools.
• Previous line and/or task management responsibility for data scientists, data engineers or across other relevant data professions.

We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted by Thomas Warren, and will take place on:

11:30 on Wednesday 7th August

The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department. It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions.

Please register your interest by filling out this form and you will be sent an invitation. 

Please note that the session will not focus on the DCMS recruitment process - please direct any queries that you have on this topic (timelines, reasonable adjustments, onboarding, etc.) to recruitment.team@dcms.gov.uk

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £49,839, Department for Culture, Media and Sport contributes £13,456 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, Experience and Technical skills.

To apply for this post, please send us the following documents no later than 23:55 on Sunday 11th August via the CS Jobs portal:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential and desirable 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 and you should insert your CV into the "Job History" section on Civil Service Jobs on the Civil Service Jobs application form.
• In your application form you will be asked whether you are currently a member of the GES/GORS/GSG
  Profession and, if you are not, provide evidence against the membership requirements of the profession. 
• A Statement of Suitability (max 750 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted. You may also choose to reference the desirable skills listed.
• A behaviour statement of 250 words on Changing and Improving – an example of when you have instigated change within an organisation through a new data product. 

For the shortlist, we will assess your experience and select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the statement of suitability. Those who are successful in the initial sift will then be scored on all elements of the application.

For support in writing your application and interviewing, please refer to the ‘Application and Interview Guidance’ document attached to the job advert.

The interview process will assess behaviours and will include a presentation.

The behaviours to be tested at interview are:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a short oral presentation, which will be used to test skills and experience within the relevant technical framework for your profession. Full details of this, including the topic will be sent to you prior to your interview. Visual aids are permitted. We will be assessing your ability to analyse and present data, as described in respective technical frameworks listed below: 

• Economics - GES Technical Framework - Analysis of data
• Statistics - GSS/GSG Technical Framework - Acquiring data and understanding customer needs
• Operational Research - GORS Technical Framework - Knowledge and application of OR skills and techniques

Your interview will take place remotely via GoogleMeets.

For indicative sift and interview dates please refer to the attached Candidate Information Pack.

Further Information

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Department for Culture, Media and Sport from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk   

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

DCMS has a London and a National pay scale. For more information on this, including the circumstances in which each pay scale will apply, please see the ‘Information for Applicants’ document.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. 

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. 

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 had their employment continued. Any applicant’s 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.

Reasonable Adjustment

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, please:

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. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or a verbal test rather than a written one. 

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

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility difficulties with any of the attachments, please contact us. Contact details can be found in the 'contact point for applicants' section of the job advert.

Feedback

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.