About the job

Job summary

We're looking for a talented individual to join our team! Your influence will not go unnoticed and will help to shape our organisation's future!

Do you want to transform the way cloud technologies are used across Government and the wider Public Sector in Scotland?

Do you want to enable the delivery of better technology to serve the people of Scotland?

As part of the wider Digital Strategy of the Scottish Government to build a suite of common platforms that help public services to be delivered in a more secure and efficient way, the Scottish Government Digital Directorate successfully launched a shared government cloud platform in 2023. The Cloud Platform Service aims to enable an improved and accelerated adoption of cloud services and encourage digital innovation within the Scottish public sector.

The Senior Data Analyst role is an integral part of the team that is developing and operating this service working with our customers, Cloud Platform engineering team and technical professionals, practicing a DevOps first approach to delivering digital services. A particularly important part of our Cloud Platform Service is to provide optimisation service to our customers including FinOps advice.

 HOW DOES IT FEEL TO WORK HERE?

** Iain Stewart, Data Governance Manager **

“I enjoy working in the team, there is the chance to work closely with the service and technical teams to design and develop the data maturity model from the ground up and making sure the data sources are ready to draw from. There is lots of learning and development opportunities as well as the chance to be a part of the wider division and directorate data community.”  

Hear from colleagues discussing Digital Careers at Scottish Government.

Job description

HOW WILL I SPEND MY TIME?

As a Senior Data Analyst, you’ll be crafting and refining the tools that shape our optimisation service set out to help our customers and our team use public cloud infrastructure effectively and efficiently.

You’ll work closely with tech teams and our customers, diving deep into analytics to understand and help establish our cloud optimisation service with data at the heart of its service.

You’ll help explain the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ behind the usage numbers, shedding light on variances and trends. This is an exciting opportunity to enable and advocate for best practice use of leading public cloud service providers across the public sector in Scotland, with excellent opportunities for career development as part of a rapidly growing team.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Engage with stakeholders (internal and external) to build strong working relationships and develop and refine data analysis requirements across cloud platform service.
• Maintain and enhance our FinOps and internal tech / data tools / dashboards to support the cloud optimisation service.
• Innovate and develop new tools and processes to boost cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency in cloud.
• Utilise data analytics technologies, e.g. Power BI, to provide comprehensive analytics, connecting the dots to build impactful recommendations.
• Offer insights and recommendations that will be embraced by our customers.
• Create effective and clear designs for data analysis products to meet these requirements and agreeing those with appropriate stakeholders.
• Implement data analysis products (queries, reports, dashboards, visualisations) in accordance with project requirements and designs, and rigorously testing them including with business users for acceptance.
• Understand the sources from which data can be used to build reports etc and manage and manipulate that data to ensure reporting is done appropriately and where necessary, linking data sources together.
• Manage the quality of the data and cleanse, abstract and aggregate data together to meet requirements.
• Automate production and delivery of reports and other data analysis products towards a DataOps or Reproducible Analytics Pipeline (RAP) approach.
• Provide effective data analysis consultancy and advice to customers and stakeholders.

WHAT IMPACT WILL I HAVE?

Over a successful year you will grow to be a fundamental part of the team and service providing essential skills collecting, organising, and studying data to provide both the Cloud Platform team and its customers with vital business insight. This is an exciting opportunity to enable and advocate for best practice use of AWS and Azure across the public sector in Scotland, with opportunities for career development as part of a rapidly growing team.

COMPETENCIES

• Analysis & Use of Evidence
• Communications & Engagement
• Financial Management
• Improving Performance

 If invited to any interview or assessment the panel will be looking for evidence of how you meet the above competencies. More details on these are available in the Person_Specification_Band_B_Updated_9.9.22_PDF

Person specification

QUALIFICATIONS    

No formal qualifications are required for this role. We would love you to apply if you meet the following essential criteria. If you would like to chat first, please get in touch   

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA   

1. Significant expertise using advanced Excel, Power BI, Python, or other programmatic skills for data analysis.  
2. Experience developing reports, dashboards and/or visualisations in Microsoft Power BI or equivalent reporting / visualisation tools.  
3. Understanding of data preparation activities and data modelling required to support report development and production using such tools.  
4. Good oral and written communication skills with ability to present views confidently and persuasively to an audience who may not share your technical background. 
5. Experience of working with business stakeholders/business analysts to define data analysis / reporting requirements.  
6. Ability to work on your own initiative to manage competing pressures, meet deadlines and deliver high quality outcomes; ideally using agile project management techniques.  

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU   

A meaningful and rewarding career, a collaborative culture and support for your career goals, while promoting a healthy work-life balance. We offer a valuable range of benefits to attract, develop and retain the best talent. These include:  

• Salary between £45,449 to £54,419  
• £5000 Digital (DDaT) Pay Supplement after a 3-month qualifying period *** 
• Generous Pension Scheme with employer contribution 28.9%  
• Flexible working arrangements including compressed hours and flexi time, with potential to accrue up to 4 days off a month. 
• 36.5 Days Annual Leave - including public and privilege holidays. This increases to 41.5 days after 4 year service.  

*** Digital (DDaT) Pay Supplement: 

This post attracts a £5000 DDAT pay supplement after a 3 months DDaT competency qualifying period. Pay supplements are temporary payments and are subject to regular review.    

To learn more about our full range of benefits, please visit our career's page   

REMOTE WORKING  

We operate a flexible location policy, with a contractual named base in Scotland of either Atlantic Quay (Glasgow) or Saughton House (Edinburgh).  

The team currently works on a hybrid basis and are fully flexible. We meet in person once a week and when it is useful to do so, such as workshops or divisional away day. If you wish, you can work throughout the week at the base office (or another Scottish Government office subject to availability). Commuting costs to the named base office are not reimbursed.   

While staff are assigned to the base office, there may be a need for travel to other Scottish Government offices/other locations depending on assigned work.    

HOW TO APPLY    

The Closing Date for applications is 28/04/24  

To apply please submit the following using our online application process: -   

• A CV (no longer than two A4 pages) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements, with particular reference to the essential criteria 
• A Personal Statement (no longer than 750 words) explaining why you consider your personal skills, qualities, and experience suitable for this role, with particular reference to the essential criteria.   

When reviewing your application, we will be assessing your career history and achievements against the essential criteria for the role. We are looking for examples of things you have previously achieved or your knowledge in a particular field which are relevant to the role. Please review and download links below for further guidance and support with your application.   

USEFUL LINKS   

How to Apply - Digital Jobs 

DDaT_Recruitment_-_Further_Information   

Any questions or issues during the process please email digitalcareers@gov.scot       

We are unable to progress applications which fail to provide clear evidence of meeting the essential criteria in their CV and Personal Statement.   

Diversity and Inclusion    

Delivering a successful national service for Scotland is impossible without ensuring we consider the diverse needs, perspectives, and backgrounds of everyone in Scotland in our work.    

We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, and work to ensure a positive recruitment experience where everyone is treated fairly, and with respect regardless of the outcome.    

It’s not essential to be in a similar role right now. You may be working in another field or returning from a career break - the experiences you have gained through this can bring fresh perspectives to our teams and work.    

What happens if I am unsuccessful?    

We greatly value the time and effort taken in applying to Scottish Government. If following interview and completing our full assessment process, you are not successful we may be able to offer alternative positions.   

Firstly, candidates meeting all criteria but scoring lower than appointed candidate(s) are placed on a reserve list for 12 months. If a matching role is identified, we are able to offer this position without the need for further assessment.   

Secondly, on occasion a lower grade post may be offered to suitable candidates. Any offers are made in merit order and in line with Civil Service Commission principles on the basis of fair and open competition.   

The Scottish Government is a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we want to help you demonstrate your full potential whatever type of assessment is used. If you require any adjustments to our recruitment process, please let us know via  ScottishGovernmentrecruitment@gov.scot    

As part of any recruitment process, Scottish Government and associated public bodies collects and processes personal data relating to job applicants and applicants for public appointments.   

Personal information you provide in the recruitment process will be made available to Scottish Government and our additional data processors. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £45,449, Scottish Government contributes £13,134 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

TBC

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.