About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.  

In Roads and Local Group (RLG), we are responsible for walking, public transport, driving and cycling policies, covering 95% of all journeys. It’s a fast-paced, ever-changing environment so we are setting up a new Priority Projects Unit (PPU) to tackle urgent and high-profile challenges across the Group. The unit is sponsored by our Director General, Emma Ward and will operate as a pilot for 12 months. If the pilot is deemed successful in terms of value and impact, this posting would be likely to be extended. Note that the team will report to the Deputy Director for Future Roads Policy, but will operate a matrix management system, working on projects right across the Group. 

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to help set up and be part of a new multi-disciplinary team, working across some of the highest priority areas in DfT?

If so, we'd love to hear from you!

Job description

We are a small friendly team committed to inclusivity and delivery. We work on a wide range of priority projects and believe that high performance is best achieved by empowering team members and encouraging them to bring their whole self to work. We actively support team members in developing their own skills, expertise and careers, and offer flexible working opportunities.

This is a highly visible role across Roads and Local Group and DfT, that will suit a motivated individual who thrives on delivering high profile analytical programmes in a fast-paced policy environment.

 Responsibilities include:

• Taking analytical ownership of complex and sometimes ill-defined projects and driving them forward. Determining approaches to bespoke analysis to shape policy thinking and engagement, at pace, ensuring Ministers and stakeholders receive advice using the best available evidence from a range of sources.
• Use, promote and champion the use of evidence and analysis in policy, as a visible analytical leader. Support effective decisions through your advice, even where the evidence is uncertain. Communicate with impact to senior policy colleagues and senior analysts, using the best available evidence and analysis.
• Working collaboratively with the business-as-usual teams you will be supporting, as well as embedded analytical teams across the Group to deliver the best possible evidence and advice.
• Design and deliver regulatory analysis as needed, including impact assessments and de minimis assessments as well as appraisals and businesses cases.

Analysts at DfT

There is an active Analytical Community in DfT which includes economists, statisticians and operational researchers and holds regular events and training.  We encourage continual professional development, with a mixture of internal and external training being supported.   

The DfT is in The Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2021 and promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion for all.   

Person specification

We are looking for an economist or other analyst with a strong background in shaping and delivering high quality analysis for policy. It is likely that the PPU will work on several cross-cutting priority and strategic issues in parallel. You will be confident determining approaches to bespoke analysis to shape policy thinking and engagement, at pace; ensuring Ministers and stakeholders receive advice using the best available evidence from a range of sources. You will be experienced in designing and delivering regulatory analysis, including impact assessments and de minimis assessments. You will have experience of appraisal, and ideally, also experience of the business case process.

You will be proactive and resilient with strong communication skills, enabling you to get up to speed quickly on new areas of work, work collaboratively with business-as-usual teams and deliver high quality analysis to support policy making within a short space of time (3-6 month projects). You will work closely with other members of the PPU, including acting as part of the leadership team with the other G7s. You will also act as the liaison with embedded analytical units across RLG ensuring timely engagement where further analytical support is required on projects.

Additional Information 

A minimum of 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance. 

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance. 

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport 

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.

How to Apply 

When considering applying please look at how your experience relates to the role, and within your CV and Personal Statement (1250 words) please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following: 

• Scoping, designing and delivering economic and other analysis to influence policy decisions.
• Building and managing effective working relationships with people from a range of disciplines and across organisational boundaries.
• Communicating complex technical subjects to a range of audiences, including senior stakeholders.

 Sift & Interview Dates 

The sift is due to take place week commencing 19th February 2024.

Interviews are due to take place week commencing 04th March 2024.

This interview could be conducted via a video interview, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview. 

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates. 

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include: 

• An interview and presentation exercise.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile and with the Government Economic Service Professional Framework, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.

Government Economic Service Framework  - assessed at G7 level

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within. 

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. 

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website.   

This post is offered on a Temporary basis to complete a finite piece of work. However, there could be potential of permanency.   

Internal applicants will be appointed on inward loan and subject to the terms of the agreed inward loan agreement. The expectation is that you will return to your previous post at the end of the loan period, which will need to be agreed with your line manager in advance.  

If you're employed by a non-departmental public body (NDPB) by moving jobs this will involve a change of employer and you may break the statutory rules on.  

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

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

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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.

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.