Ministry of Justice

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

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

About the job

Job summary

This position is based nationally

Job description

Do you have the passion, values, and ability to help us solve the biggest problems of the justice system?

SEO Assistant Economist, Strategic Projects Team, Analysis Directorate, Ministry of Justice

1. Overview

We have 1 role in the Economics Hub, within the Analysis Directorate.

The role is open to:

1. Existing analysts who are members of the GES either on level transfer or on promotion.
2. Other candidates that are not members of the GES profession but possess and can demonstrate similar experience at the appropriate level. Badging opportunities will be available once in post for those who wish to apply.

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:

GES-badged economist OR hold an economics degree at 2:1 level or above (at least 50% of the modules must be economics, and cover both micro and macroeconomics), or you must have a postgraduate degree in economics.

SEO grade:

• You have significant work experience evidencing use of data and/or analytical skills. Time spent on an analytical PhD can count towards this.

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.

1. About the Analysis Directorate

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

• Flexible working arrangements and a focus on equality of opportunity – including welcoming part-time and/or job-share arrangements, compressed hours, working from home or your nearest Justice Collaboration Centres or Justice Satellite Office.
• Career development – regular development and promotion opportunities across a wide range of roles, career development support, with a generous individual learning and development budget.
• Range of new areas of work and new tools and techniques – we pride ourselves on our excellent deployment of well-established analytical methods, but also our progress to date. Progress such as our ambitious and innovative transformation programme to leverage departmental data and drive evidence-based decision-making using cutting-edge tools and techniques (for example: experimentation, personalisation, artificial intelligence).
• Analysis is at the centre of the Department’s decision making – our transformation programme is focused on maximising our impact on departmental outcomes. The Ministry of Justice’s Senior Team and our Ministerial Team want all decisions to be evidence driven – your analysis will be key in influencing decisions and real-world impact.
• Vibrant community – part of a multidisciplinary team that has a supportive culture and is looking to further develop the community with the help of everyone.
• See the frontline and what your work is influencing – regular opportunities to visit our front-line service providers, including courts, prisons, and probation to better understand the areas your analysis is affecting.

1. What you’ll do

The Economics Hub is the Ministry of Justice’s central economics team. The Strategic Projects team is one of four Grade 7 teams in the Economics Hub and leads on producing targeted economic analysis to fill evidence gaps, along with supporting senior economists to oversee and sign off high-priority economics projects.

The postholder will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

• Lead analysis for strategic economic projects, depending on current priorities as set out by the Chief Economist and Director of Analysis. These will vary according to project prioritisation, but may include:
• Analysis to understand the productivity of Ministry of Justice services;
• Analysis of the implications of wider economic drivers on MoJ spending over time;
• Improving our evidence on the economic value of the Justice system.
• Participate in the review process for economics work: writing ‘initial reviews’ to support senior economists overseeing sign off for economics projects; supporting or leading keyholder reviews for business cases; reviewing bids/economic analysis for fiscal events.

There will be opportunity to work with other teams in the Economics Hub and support on (for example) providing economic advice to teams across MoJ.

1. Who you are

The following experience and skills will be required:

• Experience working as a government economist and analyst, working with data to answer economics questions and draw robust conclusions;
• Strong written and oral communication skills, to be able to clearly explain economics concepts to non-economists and engage with senior economists in MoJ and other departments;
• Strong ability to plan, prioritise and lead analytical projects with competing timelines;
• The ability to work as part of a team, but also able to work unsupervised and organise own work to meet deadlines.

The following experience and skills are desirable:

• Experience working in R (not currently needed but may be in future – can be developed in role).

1. How to apply

You’ll need to submit an anonymised CV and Statement of Suitability as part of your application. You will not be considered if you do not provide both.

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.

Your Statement of Suitability should be no more than 750 words and should give us examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role. Consider giving examples that cover all the requirements in the ‘Who you are’ section and use work you have completed to demonstrate how you meet each one. 

5a. Selection Process

There will be an initial sift of applicants through comparing submitted evidence against the ‘Who you are’ bullets. This usually takes two weeks, depending on the number of applications.

Those who make it through the initial 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:

• Communicating and Influencing 
• Working Together
• Leadership

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) candidates, civil service candidates that are not GES badged, (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 

• Professional Competency (1) Knowledge & Skills 

o GES - Analysis of Data. 

o GES - Effective communication. 

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 Economic Service (GES): Further information can be found within the link below: 

GES Professional Standards 2022 

1. Applicants invited for Interview 

You will be required to give a 5-minute presentation at interview. Details of this will be sent to those candidates who are invited for interview. 

1. Further Information

If you require any additional information about the role, please contact:

sophie.dangerfield@justice.gov.uk

Technical 1

• Professional Competency (1) Knowledge & Skills 

o GES - Analysis of Data. 

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) candidates, civil service candidates that are not GES badged, (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 2

• Professional Competency (2) Influence & Impact 

o GES - Effective communication. 

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) candidates, civil service candidates that are not GES badged, (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.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Leadership

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Please refer to Job Description
• Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

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.

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

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

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
• Telephone : 0845 241 5359

Recruitment team

• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Further information

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/2706?entityId=2706

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