About the job

Job summary

Following publication of the Civil Service People Plan and building on the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, we have an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional analyst to support our aim of a Civil Service comprised of the very best people from across the UK.  

You will play a pivotal role supporting this work by providing valuable and rich data analysis, evidence and insights to help inform and develop appropriate policies that make the Civil Service a great place to work and in helping us to deliver excellent public services.

This role will suit a self-starter, someone who is able to work proactively and independently in order to deliver on customer and stakeholders’ priorities. You will especially enjoy helping to shape policy colleagues’ ideas through the use of a wide-range of administrative and survey data, drawing out insights, using data and evidence to help effect positive change. 

You will be confident in using a wide-range of analytical and statistical techniques to develop and maintain the evidence base on Civil Service diversity issues. 

Job description

Specific tasks are expected to include:

• Working very closely with Diversity and Inclusion policy colleagues in Government People Group (GPG), helping them to develop, shape and deliver on their priorities;
• Supporting the Permanent Secretary Diversity Champions to ensure they are provided with the latest evidence and insights on the full range of diversity issues, as well as feed into briefing for other senior leaders including ministers, the Cabinet Secretary, the Chief People Officer, and the Civil Service Chief Operating Officer;
• Further developing and expanding our public-facing dashboards and other data visualisations demonstrating our progress on Civil Service diversity and inclusion measures, and looking at opportunities for opening up more of our data to civil servants and the public we serve.
• Innovating and collaborating across teams, using the latest available tools and techniques to ensure our processes and data collection activities and outputs are as efficient and effective as possible. 

 In addition, you will lead analysis on key areas, including, but not limited to:

• Socio-economic background (SEB): as the subject matter expert within the team you will lead the analytical work to better understand and measure differences across the Civil Service workforce, whilst ensuring our measurement of SEB takes into account the latest developments in this area;
• Sex and Gender: working alongside our Data & Operations team, you will take the lead on analysis to understand drivers of the gender pay gap as well as supporting policy colleagues and working with other departments, including the Office for National Statistics (ONS), on considering harmonised standards on sex and gender;
• Ethnicity: following the publication of guidance last year on reporting differences in pay across ethnicities, you will help develop appropriate processes and outputs for the Civil Service workforce, maintaining our reporting of the Civil Service data as part of wider Cabinet Office led work on understanding disparities in this area;
• Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination: actively supporting policy colleagues by providing analytical assurance on the Cabinet Office led review of departmental actions following the Dame Sue Owen 2018 report;
• Data collection activity and assurance: lead the collection of data relating to the community background of civil servants working in Northern Ireland, producing the necessary briefing and report for this statutory reporting process. Additionally, provide oversight on measures relating to diversity across the range of Civil Workforce data collections in Analysis & Insight, including Civil Service Statistics and the Civil Service People Survey.
• Outputs and reports and further analysis: lead the production of our standard analytical data packs, used as the basis for providing our key policy officials with a comprehensive update across all measures of workforce diversity in the Civil Service, as well as developing an approach to providing this information through a self-service portal. Additionally, lead the narrative drafting across the range of diversity related outputs in Analysis & Insight, and take forward detailed intersectionality analysis across the range of diversity characteristics;
• Working collaboratively: actively engage with our key stakeholders in GPG and beyond to identify gaps in knowledge and information and commission new data, research and analysis as required, taking the broader strategic context and related work streams into account. 

As the role requires building and developing links to analysts and teams across the Department and the wider Civil Service and beyond, you will be very comfortable working across boundaries, using your strong interpersonal skills to good effect. 

You will report to the Grade 6 Head of Civil Service Workforce Statistics, Analysis and Research and work very closely with the other Grade 7 analysts in Analysis & Insight. Whilst the role does not currently have direct line management responsibility, you will be expected to contribute fully to the wider development of colleagues across the team and more broadly as part of the growing analyst network within the department. 

The post is based in our new offices located in the heart of Glasgow. Some travel to London will be required.

Applications from candidates who wish to have a flexible working pattern, including part-time and compressed hours, are welcome, noting that a minimum number of days working from  the office is expected.

Relocation Costs​ No relocation costs will be available.

Existing civil servants can take up the post on loan from their parent department for the duration advertised. Those joining on level transfer will retain their current salary. Staff joining on promotion terms will receive up to a 10% increase of their current basic salary or the pay band minimum whichever is the greater. Staff joining on promotion will adopt the modernised terms and conditions of employment which came into force in 2013.

Person specification

Essential skills required for the role

• Data and analysis skills: you are able to work quickly and independently with very large datasets, quickly understanding and transforming source data into different usable formats for analysis and drawing out added-value insights through the application of a wide-range of statistical techniques, for example, data mining, time-series, forecasting and modelling techniques to identify and predict trends in data. You can interpret and apply relevant data information standards, policies and procedures to data, especially in respect of personal and special category data.
• You can work both independently and collaboratively with other analysts in order to deliver high quality outputs, sometimes at pace and to tight timescales. You will have excellent knowledge and experience in using a range of statistical software e.g. STATA, and possess good/advanced MS Excel skills. You are able to produce rich and meaningful and compelling data presentations and visualisations, communicating complex analysis to both technical and non-technical audiences and at all levels of seniority;
• Interpersonal and communication skills: you can work with credibility with a wide-range of colleagues, customers and stakeholders, including with project managers, fellow analysts, user researchers, as well as with ministerial offices and very senior officials, including at Permanent Secretary level. Excellent relationship building, and communication skills are, therefore, essential.

Desirable skills

• The ability to code using R or Python.
• Working knowledge of large scale or complex survey research and design.
• Experience of writing formal briefings for very senior officials.
• Working level knowledge of conducting qualitative research and/or natural language processing.
• Experience in using Github for collaboration and version control.
• Experience of using Reproducible Analytical Pipeline (RAP) approaches for end-to-end processes.

 This role is likely to best suit candidates with a successful background in professional social research, statistics, or data science.

Eligibility 

Candidates should hold one of the following: a 2:1 degree in a social science or numerical subject; OR a 2:2 in any degree, with a Masters in a social science or numerical subject; OR an equivalent qualification, such as a Market Social Research qualification with two years of applied social research experience. Candidates with significant and relevant experience may also be considered, although some formal qualification(s) in a relevant analytical discipline will be expected.

This post is open to badged and non-badged analysts within the Civil Service, as well as external candidates who meet the eligibility criteria and possess the necessary skills and capabilities. 

Civil servants who are currently a member of one of the main Government analytical professions (GSS, GSR, GES, GORS, Data Science) should clearly state this in their application form, along with their existing grade. 

If the successful candidate is ‘unbadged’ (either an existing civil servant or an external applicant) then they will be expected to become a member of one of the analytical professions once in post. This will involve a further assessment process.

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £53,400, Cabinet Office contributes £14,418 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.

Application process

As part of the application process you will be required to provide four behavioural statements of up to 250 words each on the below listed behaviours:

• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Also, as part of your application, you will need to provide up to 250 words describing when you have demonstrated the technical skills required for the role. This means you will need to provide evidence of your suitability for the role, in reference to the essential and desirable criteria listed in this job description. 

During the interview you will be asked questions relating to the role, your experience and specialist analytical skills. Your answers will also be assessed against the following Behaviours:

• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

We recommend that you use the STAR approach when writing each of your competencies: briefly describing the Situation and Task at hand, and then in more detail the Actions you took, and the Results of these actions.

Assessment at sift and interviews will be based on meeting any defined skill/qualification requirements along with a Success Profile element assessment, as detailed in the job advert. The Success Profile elements to be assessed will be outlined within the job advert. The Civil Service Success Profile Framework is publicly available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles

We would generally expect answers to follow the STAR or CAR structure and encourage candidates to use this throughout their application.

The Cabinet Office adopts a scoring system of 1-7 for Behaviours, Ability, Technical and Experience.

Interview Process

Candidates that are invited for an interview will be required to deliver a short 5 minute presentation as part of the interview process. Details will be provided in due course. During interview you will be asked questions relating to the role, your experience and technical skills, answers will also be assessed against the following Behaviours:

• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the technical/specialist elements required for this role.

Selection process
The Civil Service 7 point grading system will be used for selection.

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – w/c 26th February
Expected interview date/s – w/c 4th March
Interview location - Interviews are expected to take place remotely.

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Cabinet Office 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.

Reasonable adjustments
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Government Recruitment Service via cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in 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 if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. 

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 Scotland 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. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

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 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.

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

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.