About the job

Job summary

Our Open Source Data Analysts need to have a passion for data analysis, and an inquiring and questioning mind. The ability to understand and solve problems is essential. You’ll use a range of analytical techniques to gain an understanding of unfamiliar and complex issues, identify a relevant information and put it into context when making sound conclusions.

These exciting posts are within the Open Source Data Analysis team, part of Risk Insight & Analytics within the Risk and Intelligence Service. The Open Source Data Analysis team uses a bespoke cloud based private network and a variety of tools that enables the team to access all areas of the web, identify relevant data and analyse it.

Our data analysts use techniques from a range of analytical disciplines to combine, understand and visualise web derived data within a business context. We provide robust Open Source data analysis in a suite of products tailored to business needs and that can be used to inform business decisions and policy. Our analysis enhances the way the department understands, identifies and tackles risk to revenue.

Our ability to safely and legally search the internet to capture, analyse and exploit Open Source data from all areas of the web places us in a unique position to offer a different perspective and insight on issues that impact on tax compliant behaviour now and in the future.

About HMRC

HMRC is the UK’s tax, payments, and customs authority, and we have a vital purpose: we collect the money that pays for the UK’s public services and help families and individuals with targeted financial support. We are one of the UK’s largest organisations, with around 66,000 employees, collecting over £605 billion in tax revenue.

About the Risk & Intelligence Service (RIS)

RIS collects, integrates and analyses one of the largest and most diverse range of data and intelligence in the world. This enables HMRC to understand and manage risks associated with non-compliance with the UK tax system.

See what it’s like to work at HMRC: find out more about us or ask our colleagues a question. Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

Job description

The team has three core functions:

• Horizon Scanning: Identification of broad trends in web technologies, e-commerce and digital developments that impact on the department’s strategic objectives.
• Data Insight: complex data collection, interpretation and analysis of compliance populations and/or specific elements of serious non-compliant behaviour to inform tactical and operational decision making.
• Social Media Insight: analysis of social media platforms, their use and growth, the sentiment and language used across them and the compliance behaviour exhibited in reaction to changes in HMRC’s approach to compliance and/or legislative change.

We work with our stakeholders and customers to understand their requirements, develop and deliver bespoke solutions and suggest new ideas to support them. Employing analytical skills to design and deliver products that inform a diverse customer base within HMRC.

Person specification

Key Responsibilities

As an Open Source Data Analyst you will have an inquiring and questioning mind. Able to quickly assimilate and make sense of complex subjects and data.

The successful candidate will:

• Be proficient in using applications to manipulate multiple data sets. For example, using Excel to merge, analyse and consolidate data using pivot tables, functions and charts.
• Be comfortable in learning to use new tools and work with large datasets, including unstructured data, government, public and commercially available data.
• Be a good communicator, able to work with multiple customers to understand their requirements, balance conflicting demands, provide progress updates.
• Be adept at explaining and simplifying technical analysis in a manner that enables others to understand and act on analytical outcomes.
• Have excellent organisational and strong literacy and interpersonal skills, able to work as part of a wider team and individually taking responsibility for delivering high quality analytical products.

Desirable Experience

• Practical experience of using any of the following tools and languages to analyse and manipulate data is desirable:  R, Python or similar.
• A background in formal mathematics and / or statistical training (statistics, mathematics, pure sciences, computer science).
• Undertaken technical analytical roles and practical experience of data analysis or intelligence.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Find more about HMRC benefits in 'Your little extras and big benefits handbook' for further information or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

Stage 1 - Online tests

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete two online tests (Numerical Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning). You may wish to have paper, pens and calculator ready for completing them. You will receive instructions on how to complete the tests when you are invited. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application. 

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23.55 on 18th March. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Do not leave completing the tests until the last minute in case you experience any access or technical issues. While the tests should work on most operating systems and modern browsers with a good internet connection, we cannot guarantee that every combination will work. At the beginning the test will check which browser you are using and alert you if it is likely to be incompatible.

It is highly recommended that you complete the online tests on a desktop computer, not a mobile phone or tablet.

Applicants who pass the online tests will progress to the full application stage.

Stage 2 - Application Process

To apply for this role, please provide a CV and Personal Statement.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

In your CV, please detail the following:

• Job history – include the last 3 years of employment history, plus any other roles that you feel are relevant.
• Qualifications.
• Previous skills and Experience – please include a short narrative (up to 100 words per role) outlining what you delivered, and your key achievements.

In your 750-word Personal Statement please detail how you meet the following:

• Person specification.
• Include any relevant experience for this role.

You will also be asked to complete a maximum of 250 words evidencing the desirable experience listed above.

Please note - evidence against desirable experience will be used to inform a tie break scenario at interview stage.

Stage 3 – Interview Process

Candidates successful at sift stage will be undertake a 60-minute video-based interview, which will include experience and strength-based questions.

This is an example of a strengths-based question:

“It is often said that the customer's needs should come first. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?”

There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well.

Interviews will be conducted over MS Teams.

Applicants who are successful at interview will progress to the final face-to-face technical assessment stage.

Stage 4 - Technical Assessment

Candidates successful at the interview stage will then be invited to a 2-hour and 20-minute face-to-face technical assessment.

You will be provided with a laptop with pre-loaded data and asked to undertake an analytical exercise and present findings to the panel.

This will take place in:

Croydon Regional Centre, 1 Ruskin Square, Dingwall Road, CR0 2WF

We reserve the right to raise the score required at any stage of the process in order to manage numbers.

Interview dates to be confirmed. 

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles – if this applies to you, we’ll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

Eligibility

To check that you are eligible to apply, review this eligibility information

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers

This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need, so please review the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the ‘location preferences’ section that you are able to travel to. 

Reasonable Adjustments 

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition, or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate. 

If you need a reasonable adjustment or a change to be made so that you can make your application, review this information on reasonable adjustments, and contact hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible.

Diversity and Inclusion

At HMRC we are committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues and creating an inclusive and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society we serve.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role. We’re committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues here at HMRC. We want everyone to feel valued and supported to achieve their potential at HMRC.

For more information on how we make this happen, review this information on our culture and values

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible after considering operational and customer service needs. We can’t guarantee that we can meet all requests to work flexibly, as agreement will be subject to business ability to accommodate, and any request to work a more flexible arrangement should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer.

Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process. 

The Civil Service runs 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. 

Locations 

HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.

Security Update

For more information on the level of security checks we will carry out, review this information on security checks 

Additional Security Information

Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Further Information

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.

Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application/s will be withdrawn from the process. 

Duplicate applications for the same vacancy will also be withdrawn.

Transferring into HMRC from Civil Service If you are currently working for an ‘Other Government Department’ (OGD) and would like to consider the impact on your pay when joining HMRC, please see the attached document "Combined T&C and OGD Pay English”, found at the bottom of this advert. Further information on staff transfers can be found on gov.uk

Problems during the application process 

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

If you think you’ve made a mistake on a short application form (e.g. you’ve ticked the incorrect eligibility box), please contact hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk at least two working days before the vacancy closes. After this, we won’t be able to reopen your application.   

Please use the subject line to insert appropriate wording e.g. Please re-open my application - 341441 & vacancy closing date 18/03/24. Please note that we cannot amend or re-open your application if you have submitted your full application in the interests of fair and open recruitment.

For reasonable adjustments queries or requests, please see details within reasonable adjustments section above.

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.