About the job

Job summary

This position is based nationally.

Job description

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Do you have the passion, values, and ability to help us solve the biggest problems of the justice system?

Modelling analysts, Data & Analysis, Ministry of Justice

Overview

We have 2 Senior Executive Officer (SEO) level analyst roles in the Modelling Hub, within the Data & Analysis directorate. These roles provide an exciting opportunity to use and develop your analytical, modelling and data science skills to design and implement innovative analytical projects. Our work supports key decision-makers in all areas of the Ministry of Justice. The roles available include deploying a range of data, modelling and forecasting approaches to aid future prison population projections and forecasts of demand for Lasting Powers of Attorney for the Office of the Public Guardian. There are likely to be further roles available in areas such as the Strategic Workforce and Pay Modelling team. We will keep a merit list for a year for those who successfully pass the interview board but who are not offered a post and we will use these to offer positions for these roles.

Roles are open to:

• Existing analysts from the GSG, GORS, GSR or GES professions either on level transfer or on promotion.
• Other candidates that are not members of one of the GSG, GORS, GSR or GES professions but possess and can demonstrate similar skills and experience at the appropriate level. Opportunities to join these analytical professions will be available once in post for those who wish to apply.

Specialist allowance

Due to the role(s) being analytical, those successful in recruitment will be eligible for a specialist allowance following an analytical interview based on the following values: 

• SEO London: £500
• SEO National: £1,500

Location

We welcome applications from candidates based across the UK. Candidates will have the option of being based in:

• the Leeds or London HQ offices (with flexible working arrangements available).
• their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre (Brighton, Cardiff, Ipswich, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham and South Tyneside).
• their nearest Justice Satellite Office (Ashford, Beverley, Birmingham, Bristol, Caernarfon, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Coventry, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Haverfordwest, Hull, Leeds, Manchester, Merthyr Tydfil, Newport, Northampton, North Shields, Plymouth, Sheffield, Stafford, Truro, Weston-Super-Mare, Weymouth, Winchester, Wolverhampton and Wrexham).

Alternative locations may be available and will be discussed and agreed on the completion of background checks.

About the Modelling Hub

In the Modelling Hub, we are passionate about improving justice outcomes through innovative modelling, research and analysis. We provide high quality evidence and analysis to ensure strategic, policy, finance, corporate and operational decisions are based on robust evidence.

We create a culture in which people are empowered with the data and information to make excellent decisions; using cutting edge tools, techniques and collaboration; putting evidence at the heart of the justice system.

We are a multi-disciplinary modelling team of around 70 staff that sits at the heart of the Ministry of Justice providing analytical support across a diverse and exciting agenda. We work in a dynamic and fast-paced context and our skills are in heavy demand across the department.

The Modelling Hub is part of the Data and Analysis directorate, made up of 650 analysts and specialists including: Social Researchers, Economists, Operational Researchers, Statisticians, Data Engineers, Data Scientists and other data specialists (such as data strategists, data dissemination, generalists and assurance experts).

In Data and Analysis, we want all our people to feel valued for who they are and for the work they do. We provide a warm, inclusive place to work and offer a wide range of flexibilities and benefits as part of our people offer to reward our staff.

What we offer

• Flexible working arrangements and a focus on equality of opportunity – including welcoming part-time and/or job-share arrangements, compressed hours, hybrid working and working from your nearest Justice Collaboration Centres or Justice Satellite Office.
• Career development – regular development and promotion opportunities across a wide range of roles, career development support, with a generous individual learning and development budget.
• Range of new areas of work using new tools and techniques – we pride ourselves on our excellent deployment of both well-established analytical methods and innovative new approaches to leverage departmental data and drive evidence-based decision-making.
• The Ministry of Justice’s Senior Team and our Ministerial Team want all decisions to be evidence driven – your analysis will be key in influencing decisions and real-world impact.
• Vibrant community – part of a multidisciplinary team that has a supportive culture and is looking to further develop the community with the help of everyone.
• See the frontline and what your work is influencing with opportunities to visit our front-line service providers, including courts, prisons, and probation to better understand the areas your analysis is affecting.

What you will do

SEO roles in the Modelling Hub include work on a wide range of topics, including Criminal Justice System modelling, forecasting the future prison population and probation caseloads, future demand for Civil and Family Courts as well as for Lasting Powers of Attorney and modelling to understand future staffing in prisons and probation.

Across the teams, analysts have used a variety of techniques such as microsimulation, Monte Carlo, MCDA, linear regression, time-series forecasting, cost-benefit analysis and the Delphi method. Depending on the project, analysts model in Excel, R and python. Our teams also use SQL to perform data manipulation and query our larger datasets.

Our modelling and analysis informs key strategic and operational decisions, and sits at the centre of decision making across the Department. We provide excellent opportunities for learning and development, as our role is also to promote innovative and new techniques and strong expertise in modelling.

Minimum Requirements

Candidates for SEO analyst roles must be able to show the relevant experience and skills and must meet one of the following the criteria for entry:

1. You possess a numerate degree or a degree that has an analytical, statistical or research element, with a 2:2 or above, or as a higher degree (e.g. MSc, PhD) and have significant work experience (usually a minimum of three years) using quantitative modelling and/or analysis to solve complex real-world problems. Time spent on an analytical PhD can count towards this experience.
2. Alternatively, you have significant experience (usually a minimum of five-years’ work experience) using quantitative modelling and/or analysis to solve complex real-world problems (outside of a part-completed Civil Service degree apprenticeship).

Who you are

In general, SEO analysts will:

• Have strong analytical ability - in particular, have successfully applied data and quantitative modelling approaches to tackle complex problems.
• Be able to work with Excel, GitHub, R and/or Python – Data and Analysis in MoJ are increasingly utilising data science techniques for modelling and analysis.
• Be able to analyse a wide range of insight and data, drawing evidence-based conclusions that drive decision making.
• Identify and utilise appropriate methodologies in more complex projects, delivering quality outcomes to deadline and identifying risks.
• Have strong written and oral communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to explain complex technical data and analytical concepts and practices to non-technical stakeholders, including senior leaders and ministers.
• Have experience prioritising and delegating tasks in line with organisational objectives and/or managing and developing others, ensuring timeliness of outputs and adherence to professional standards.
• Work with partners to generate analytical options and to evaluate their relative merit, deal constructively with challenge and where appropriate adapting the analytical programme when requirements or circumstances change.

 How to apply

You will need to submit an anonymised CV and Statement of Suitability as part of your application. You will not be considered if you do not provide both.

Your CV should be no more than 2 pages long and should show us your education and degree history along with your work history and previous experience. It should be well structured, succinct and written in clear language.

Your Statement of Suitability should detail how your skills and experience match those needed for this role. It should be no more than 750 words.

Selection Process

Applications will be sifted against the above “minimum requirements” criteria.

Those who make it through the initial sift will be invited to a Civil Service Success Profile interview. In the Civil Service we use Success Profiles to help us find the right person for the job. We highly recommend learning about Success Profiles and using the Situation, Task, Action, Result and Reflection (STARR) framework when preparing for your interview.

The highest scoring candidates that pass the interview will be offered the roles.

Behaviours

You will be assessed against the following Civil Service Behaviours (from the Success Profiles framework) at interview stage:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at SEO grade: Civil Service Behaviours

Technical

For existing analysts from GSG, GORS, GSR or GES professions, as well as the three civil service behaviours stated above, you will be assessed on two sets of professional competencies at interview (see below).

For external (non-Civil Service) candidates (and internal candidates not in the above professions), as well as the three civil service behaviours stated above, you will be assessed on your analytical knowledge, experience and abilities, and the impact of your analytical work.

All candidates will be required to give a presentation/test at interview. Details of this will be sent to those candidates who are invited for interview.

Professional Competencies

• Professional Competency (1) Knowledge & Skills 
• GSG - Data Analysis. 
• GORS - Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques. 
• GES - Analysis of Data. 
• GSR - Knowledge and application of GSR technical skills. 
• Professional Competency (2) Influence & Impact 
• GSG - Presenting and disseminating data effectively. 
• GORS - Achieving impact with analysis. 
• GES - Effective communication. 
• GSR - Using and promoting social research.

For more information regarding the Professional Competencies please refer to the analytical profession internet links below. Please note that some aspect of the professional competency may overlap with the Civil Service behaviours listed above. We therefore recommend that in providing evidence for the professional competency, candidates focus on the technical and methodology aspects of the competencies that are specific to the profession. We will use evidence presented for the Civil Service behaviours in assessing the wider skills candidates have. 

Government Statistician Group (GSG): Further information, including a user guide, can be found within the link below:

GSG Competency Framework 2021

Government Social Research Service (GSR): Further information can be found within the link below: 

GSR Competency Framework 2022

Government Operational Research Service (GORS): Further information can be found within the link below:  

GORS Competency Framework

Government Economic Service (GES): Further information can be found within the link below: 

GES Professional Standards 2022

Timings

Sifting will take place in January 2024. Interviews are likely to take place in February and will be held via MS Teams.

Further Information

If you require any additional information about the role, please contact:

Zoe.Gordon1@justice.gov.uk & Simon.Whitaker@justice.gov.uk

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,868, Ministry of Justice contributes £10,804 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.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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.