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.  

Are you analytical and looking for an opportunity to apply your skills and knowledge to influence Government policy? 

Do you want to use analysis to help make the transport system better for everyone? 

Are you interested in using transport modelling to inform key rail decisions and supporting wider rail industry objectives? 

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Job description

The post will be situated within the Rail Modelling team part of the wider Rail Analysis, a multidisciplinary division, providing economic analysis, statistics, and modelling to inform government priorities and decisions relating to the UK rail sector. We work closely with both analytical, policy and project teams across the Department and with external consumer and industry stakeholders including Network Rail, Rail Safety and Standards Board, Rail Delivery Group, Office of Road and Rail, and the Great British Railways Transformation Team. 

Our work spans across a diverse portfolio that includes creating new modelling tools to inform key policy decisions; modelling timetable changes and informing investment appraisal as well as quality assuring analysis and developing economic appraisal techniques that underpin policy-making. We work with industry partners to find new sources of data and develop techniques to make use of these datasets via programming and visualisation. 

As Senior Rail Modeller you will be working as an analyst within our skilled Rail Modelling team. Your role will be varied, interesting and challenging and will require both technical modelling skills, but also clear communication and influencing skills. You will have the opportunity to apply your modelling experience work to influence and support key decisions. 

Responsibilities

Will include but not limited to:

• Leading modelling projects to support rail policy. This includes understanding and using key rail models, and effectively communicating the outcomes of these projects to range of non-technical audiences.
• Developing and updating analytical tools able to input into business cases, and provide insight into a range of policy decisions.
• Leading and managing research projects to build the rail modelling evidence base. You will need to ensure that these projects are carried out to high and rigorous standards and the outputs can be used by the department to improve forecasting and/or update guidance.
• Potential to directly line-managing a junior modeller and/or manage them on projects. You will need to set a good example and set and maintain professional standards. You will also need to support their learning and development, as well as managing their work.
• Setting and maintaining high standards of quality assurance and for your team and their products, and developing tools and processes to support this.

For full details see role profile.

If you would like to find out more about what it's like to work at DfT Rail, please click here. 

Person specification

About you

The Rail Modelling team welcomes people with a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds. We are looking for a talented and motivated individual with a desire to make a positive and tangible difference to the millions of rail passengers who use the network every day.

• You will be a highly experienced analyst, need to be numerate, with strong spreadsheet and/or programming skills.
• You should be able to grasp and synthesise information quickly.
• We are not expecting you to have previous experience in rail demand forecasting, but you will need to be willing to learn about the industry, our models and then develop expertise. 
• You will have experience of handling complex data sets and using analysis and evidence to influence decision making.
• You will display excellent verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to clearly present complex technical information to a diverse audience.
• You will confidently engage to build positive working relationships with analytical and policy colleagues, internal and external industry partners.
• Knowledge in Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG) and Transport Appraisal is welcomed, but not essential. It is expected that with time you will develop a good working knowledge of TAG and can support you in developing this knowledge. 

Additional information:

You will have the option to be based in our London office attracting the London salary, or in Leeds or Birmingham attracting the National salary. If based in Leeds or Birmingham, occasional travel to our London office will be required for key meetings and team events.

A minimum 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. Occasional travel to other DfT offices will be required.

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

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement (max 750 words). Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please tailor your CV to match the role and its responsibilities, and within your Personal Statement please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following:

• Effectively used a transport modelling tool.
• Analysed a range of evidence/data to support decision making.
• Effectively communicated complex/technical information with clarity and understanding.

Transport Modelling Knowledge

You will need to be able to demonstrate an ability to use and understand a transport modelling tool (preferably with a demand forecasting element). We would expect that you could show understanding in at least one of modelling tool and share with the assessment panel. Please note, that we do not expect you to have knowledge of a rail modelling tool. You are welcome to demonstrate your technical knowledge on any transport modelling tool. This will be tested via a written assessment that will take place alongside the interviews.

The sift is due to take place from 04 June 2024.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held from week commencing 17 June 2024.

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.
• A written exercise.

This interview could be conducted online via Teams or face to face at one of our offices. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

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.

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.