About the job

Job summary

Our mission is to deliver exceptional public service communication that makes a difference. 

People work in government communications because what we do matters. We explain the objectives and policies of the government of the day. We provide clarity and reassurance to the public at times of crisis. We support businesses to grow. We protect our environment. We help those in need to access support. 

It's an exciting time to join the Government Communication Service (GCS).  The launch of the GCS Strategy 2022-2025 sets our vision to harness the rapid technological changes in communications for the public good, whilst developing our talent with unparalleled opportunities for learning and development.  All whilst carrying out interesting, meaningful and purposeful work.

Key to our work is collaborating across boundaries and taking a genuinely diverse and inclusive approach; communicating with and being representative of our audiences in all four corners of the UK.

Job description

The Team

The Applied Data & Insight (ADI) team is a group of multi-disciplinary experts who work closely together to provide bespoke analysis and innovative solutions based on a deep understanding of data, technology, insights and behaviours to improve and evaluate government campaigns and communications. We work highly collaboratively with other teams within GCS and build proactive partnerships with other organisations to deliver impactful and innovative products and services at pace. 

Our expertise ranges from behavioural science, audience insight, evaluation, data, analytics, standards, and innovation. The teams responsibilities are outlined below:

• Data: ethically harnessing communications data sources and new technologies to increase the ability of government to deliver personalised messages to citizens, resulting in less wasteful mass advertising; leading on innovation projects (such as AI chatbots and apps) to develop new solutions to achieve maximum value for money whilst respecting online privacy; Analytics: Implementing digital and advanced analytical techniques (such as multi-variant testing, natural language processing or econometrics modelling) to quickly test and learn, optimise messaging and improve impact;
• Audience insight: using commissioned and available market research and polling to understand the public’s concerns and confidence in HMG and ensuring actionable recommendations for No10, Ministers and Directors of Communications; and
• Evaluation: overseeing campaign KPIs for departmental marketing campaigns, monitoring progress and applying econometrics in order to challenge, improve and hold campaigns to account;
• Behavioural Science: specialising in the application of behavioural science to policy and communications campaigns as well as building capability across government

Working in the centre of government, this job offers nation-wide impact and accelerated career growth as a data specialist. You will be joining an energetic and fast paced team to deliver the priorities of the Prime Minister and government, supported by friendly analytical colleagues.

You will inform the largest, most visible communications campaigns in the country. Recent campaigns include COVID-19, Help for Households and GREAT. You will use a mixture of marketing data, statistics and sophisticated analyses to understand if government messaging is effectively improving the lives of citizens. You will then influence the decisions of Ministers, Directors and other senior managers with visualisations, dashboards and verbal communication.

The successful candidate will be energetic, proactive and thrive in the fast-paced  environment of central government. They will use programming in Python and R to deliver analyses of campaign performance and support cross government campaign delivery. This will be delivered by understanding the broad landscape of campaign performance and delivering products that distil this knowledge into actionable insights. These analyses will be presented to senior stakeholders in the form of Tableau dashboards. The analyses will be automated using AWS services such as Lambda, S3, RDS and EC2. There may be opportunities to expand into data science projects using modern Natural Language Processing techniques and regression.

The responsibilities and duties of the role are listed below:

• Apply your data and analytics skills to high-priority government campaigns, in close collaboration with strategy & campaigns and other ADI colleagues, to drive data-driven strategy, audience insights, data visualisation, measurements, optimisation and evaluation of flagship government campaigns.
• Apply a wide range of analysis techniques, using conventional methods alongside natural language processing, marketing mix modelling and return on investment analysis, using SQL, Python and R.
• Develop data wrangling approaches across multiple online and offline sources such as Google Analytics, survey data and outcomes data, and develop and track performance against Key Performance Indicators.
• Communicate your findings to relevant stakeholders via dashboards, visualisations and verbal communication to inform large government campaigns.
• Bring your curiosity, experience and ideas to innovate our analysis methodologies, with the support of our experienced data specialists, to deliver deeper insights.
• Build relationships with partners across government to secure quality data flows.
• Provide technical support to monitor the performance of all major government campaigns via a central reporting process, providing accountability to encourage consistent high performance.
• Become an expert in marketing data analytics, providing consultative advice to communications teams across government.
• Undertake AWS data engineering workflows and data quality assurance in collaboration with the Senior Data Scientist, resulting in efficient, high-quality and automated data pipelines.
• Line manage a direct report with an inclusive and supportive approach, encouraging high performance and career development for the individual.

Person specification

We encourage you to apply even if you are missing many of the experiences listed below and we do not expect you to be an expert. We are interested in candidates who are eager and able to learn new skills, as well as demonstrate existing experience. 

The criteria listed below are not exhaustive, but are some of the things we will be looking for:

• Fast-paced logical and creative thinking: You enjoy working under pressure in a dynamic environment and can ensure that the most appropriate actions are taken to resolve problems as they occur. You can coordinate teams to resolve problems and implement solutions and preventative measures.
• Analysis and synthesis: You have experience of helping teams apply a range of methods to analyse data and synthesise findings, and can also start to apply emerging theory to practical situations. Desirably, you have experience in digital marketing analytics tools and concepts, such as Google Analytics, Customer Relationship Management systems (CRMs) and UTM parameters, and an understanding of both qualitative and quantitative audience insights.
• Statistical methods and data analysis: You have developed breadth as well as deeper expertise in a narrower range of specialisms, desirably within communications and marketing, such as marketing mix modelling (econometrics) and/or (multi-touch) attribution, and return on investment.
• Analytical programming: Experience and working knowledge of data wrangling, modelling and reproducible analytical pipelines using a breadth of tools, including SQL and programming languages such as Python (pandas) and/or R (tidyverse). Desirably, you have experience designing and analysing experiments to test hypotheses and inform strategies, such as A/B and multivariate tests
• Data quality and automation: You can bring data together from different sources, you can start to build some automation, and you can peer review colleagues’ outputs to ensure quality. Desirably you have experience working using AWS tools including S3, Athena, Glue, Lambda, IAM and/or CloudWatch.
• Data visualisation: You can effectively use a number of data visualisation tools and techniques, preferably with Tableau. You can apply standards and best practices to present, communicate and disseminate data appropriately and with influence. 
• Communication: You listen to the needs of technical and business stakeholders and effectively manage stakeholder expectations. You have experience in communicating complex concepts effectively and persuasively with non-technical senior stakeholders.
• Project management: Experience prioritising resources against competing demands on your and/or a team’s time, and working to tight deadlines across multiple projects.
• Openness to innovation: High levels of openness towards new ways of doing things, embracing uncertainty, unlearning previous approaches, and adapting approaches to the needs of the project.

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 £40,850, Cabinet Office contributes £11,029 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, Strengths and Experience.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, 750 word personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. 

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the personal statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection Process

During the blended interview you will be assessed against your experience, behaviours that are contained in this advert and strength based questions, the strength questions are ones in which we wish to gain your initial response. 

At interview stage a short test/presentation may be requested in advance and this will be assessed as part of the interview based on experience. The details of this will be given once the applicants successful for interview have been chosen from the sift.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – tbc
Expected interview date/s – tbc
Interview location - remote via google meets/ in person if possible

Further information

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

A reserve list may 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

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.

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

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 and Barring Service or 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

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.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

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

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.