East Midlands (England), East of England, London (region), North East England, North West England, Scotland, South East England, South West England, Wales, West Midlands (England), Yorkshire and the Humber
This position is based nationally.
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Do you have the passion, values, and ability to help us solve the biggest problems of the justice system?
Senior Analysts, Prison Statistics Team, Analysis Directorate Ministry of Justice
The two advertised roles sit within the Prison Statistics team – a team which are responsible for processing, analysing and publishing data based on our key prison datasets, as well as offering key analytical insight to support / challenge policy initiatives.
Recent (and ongoing work) also includes supporting the Department’s response to prison capacity pressures (including work on End of Custody Supervised Licence [ECSL] which was in operation from October 2023 until September 2024, and ongoing analytical work at pace relating to the earlier release of prisoners from some determinate sentences [SDS40]). This work has included producing fast-paced analysis on prisoner cohorts to inform Ministerial policy options.
Other recent high-profile work has included exploratory analysis into the length of time prisoners spend on remand, as well as planned work on maximising the use of existing data to identify the numbers and characteristics of ex-service personnel in the prison population – to support long-standing ministerial priorities.
Roles are open to:
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:
Minimum requirements to apply:
Candidates must be able to show the relevant experience and skills and must meet the criteria for entry:
SEO grade:
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) or your nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office: see this map for more details.
Alternative locations may be available and will be discussed and agreed on the completion of background checks.
Interviews are likely to take place in March 2025 and will be held via MS Teams. We will keep a merit list for a year for those who successfully pass the interview board but who are not offered a post.
We are passionate about improving justice outcomes through innovative research, data and analysis. In the Analysis Directorate, we provide high quality data and analysis helping 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 team of around c.500 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 Ministry of Justice. Our collaborations beyond government are seen as ground-breaking. The Analysis community is made up of 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).
Why work in the Analysis Directorate?
In the Analysis Directorate, 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
Prison Statistics Analyst
This high profile and exciting role will expand capacity within the team to work on analytical projects relating to prisons. In particular, this post will be drawn extensively into continued high-profile project work relating to prison capacity, as well as longer term projects, such as switching to a new source of data on veterans in prison.
The role will also involve supporting the team (as required) on more routine data asks (in the form of Freedom of Information requests, Parliamentary Questions and statistical publications) as well as urgent Ministerial asks. The role will also likely include the Line Management of a Higher Executive Officer (HEO) member of staff. The postholder will develop deep subject matter expertise and advise analysts and policy leads across MoJ on the effective use of prison data, as well as leading analysis directly.
This is a challenging post in a high-profile area where high-quality analytical work has the chance to make real impact and shape decision making at the highest levels of the Department. It requires working with policy, analytical and operational customers to elicit and refine their data requirements, then take responsibility for delivering analysis that has impact.
Key Responsibilities of the Role
The following experience and skills are essential:
The following experience and skills are desirable:
This is a new post within the Prison Statistics team, with a focus on leadership of the continuous improvement of our data pipelines, processes and outputs.
This role will involve leading interactions with senior stakeholders to identify and define priority analytical projects, before driving their delivery: for example, work to codify data to help understand and monitor the impact of prison capacity alleviation mechanisms. The post-holder will also lead on data development within the team, exploring new data sources whilst ensuring that consistency and comparability with our existing data are not compromised – one specific project will involve switching aspects of our data supply from the National Applications Reporting Team to one that draws directly from the MoJ’s Analytical Platform feeds, thereby strengthening our data resilience by removing external team dependencies.
Additionally, the post holder will be expected to work with other members of the wider team to identify and implement data improvements and increasing levels of process automation in line with MoJ’s Data Strategy. This will also include training and coaching team members to build the team’s technical resilience.
The role will also involve supporting the team (as required) on more routine data asks (in the form of Freedom of Information requests, Parliamentary Questions and statistical publications) as well as urgent Ministerial asks. The role will also likely include the Line Management of a Higher Executive Officer (HEO) member of staff.
Key Responsibilities of the Role
The following experience and skills are essential:
The following experience and skills are desirable:
You’ll need to submit an anonymised CV and evidence against the three Civil
Service success profiles behaviours and one technical element listed below. You
will not be considered if you do not provide both a CV and behaviour examples.
Your CV should be no more than 2 pages long and should show us your work history and previous experience. It should be well structured, succinct, and written in clear language.
You will be assessed against the following behaviours in the Civil service success
profiles framework:
There will be a 250-word limit per behaviour answer. Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at the relevant
grades:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf
As well as the three civil service behaviours stated above, you are also asked to
provide evidence of suitability for one technical element.
For GSS candidates, please provide evidence against the professional competency “Data Analysis”.
For GORS candidates, please provide evidence against the professional competency “Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques”.
For external (non-Civil Service) candidates and non-GSS / non-GORS candidates within the Civil Service, please provide evidence of leading a piece of analytical work: you will be assessed on your analytical knowledge, experience and abilities, and the impact of your analytical work.
5a. Selection Process
There will be an initial sift of applicants through comparing submitted evidence against the specified behaviours. This usually takes two weeks, depending on the number of applications. In the event there are a high number of applications, the lead behaviour (leadership) may be used to conduct an initial sift and applications that do not meet the minimum requirement for this criterion will not progress to a full sift.
Those who make it through the full 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 will be using a mixture of methods to assess your abilities, strengths, experience, technical skills, and behaviours. We highly recommend learning about Success Profiles and using the Situation, Task, Action, Result and Reflection (STARR) framework when structuring your answers.
The highest scoring candidates that pass the interview will be offered the roles. The whole process can take up to a month.
Behaviours
You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework at interview stage:
Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf
For existing analysts from all professions, as well as the three civil service behaviours stated above, you will be assessed on two sets of professional competencies at interview.
For external (non-Civil Service), GES/GSR badged candidates (and unbadged candidates within the Civil Service), 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.
Professional Competencies
o GSS - Data Analysis.
o GORS - Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques.
o GSS - Presenting and disseminating data effectively.
o GORS - Achieving impact with analysis.
For more information regarding Professional Competency (2) please refer to the analytical profession internet links below. Please note that some aspect of the professional competency may overlap with the MoJ competencies 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 MoJ competencies 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 Operational Research Service (GORS): Further information can be found within the link below:
GORS Competencies
You will be required to carry out an analytical skills test at interview. Details of this will be sent to those candidates who are invited for interview.
If you require any additional information about the role, please contact:
Daniel Hawksworth, Analytical Team Lead: Prisons Statistics (Daniel.Hawksworth@justice.gov.uk)
Technical Skills
Technical 1
As well as the three civil service behaviours stated above, you are also asked to provide evidence of suitability for one technical element. There will be a 250-word limit for this technical answer.
For GSS candidates, please provide evidence against the professional competency “Data Analysis”.
For GORS candidates, please provide evidence against the professional competency “Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques”.
For external (non-Civil Service) candidates and non-GSS / non-GORS candidates within the Civil Service, please provide evidence of leading a piece of analytical work: you will be assessed on your analytical knowledge, experience and abilities, and the impact of your analytical work.
Technical 2
Professional Competency (1) Knowledge & Skills
GSS - Data Analysis.
GORS - Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques.
For external (non-Civil Service), GES/GSR badged candidates (and unbadged candidates within the Civil Service), 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.
Technical 3
Professional Competency (2) Influence & Impact
GSS - Presenting and disseminating data effectively.
GORS - Achieving impact with analysis.
For external (non-Civil Service), GES/GSR badged candidates (and unbadged candidates within the Civil Service), 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.
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
Alongside your salary of £41,463, Ministry of Justice contributes £12,011 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.
Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ
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Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. I you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints/
https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/2650?entityId=2650
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