85830 - Head of Prison Estate Programmes (2 roles available), Data and Analysis Directorate, Ministry of Justice
Overview
Do you have the passion, values, and ability to help us tackle one of the biggest challenges of the justice system?
We have two G6 vacancies in Analytical Priority Projects (APP) within the Data & Analysis (D&A) Directorate at MoJ:
- Head of Prison Estate Analysis Programme
- Head of Prison Estate Evaluation and Evidence Programme
Both roles are open to badged analysts from all professions (GORS/GSS/GSR/GES) either on level transfer or on promotion.
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. These are based at the following JCCs: Cardiff, Leeds, Nottingham, South Tyneside, Brighton, Ipswich, Jarrow and Liverpool, and the following JSOs: Ashford, Beverley, Caernarfon, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Coventry, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Haverfordwest, Hull, Merthyr Tydfil, Manchester, Newport, Northampton, Plymouth, Birmingham, Sheffield, North Shields, Bristol, Wolverhampton, Weston-Super-Mare, Weymouth Law Courts, Wrexham, Stafford, Truro, Winchester and Leeds.
Alternative locations may be available and will be discussed and agreed on the completion of background checks.
Interviews are likely to take place in end of April/beginning of May 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.
What you’ll do
Overview
Both G6 roles (the ‘Head of Prison Estate Analysis Programme’ and the ‘Head of Prison Estate Evaluation and Evidence’ positions are senior leadership roles within the Analytical Priority Projects (APP) Unit.
Both roles provide analysis and evidence to support strategic and operational development of a fit-for-purpose prison estate. Prison capacity is a top priority for the department; as the impact of investment in additional police officers flows through the criminal justice system, there is increased focus on ensuring the prison estate has sufficient capacity, is well-maintained, and contributes to improved sustainability. One of the key prison capacity expansion initiatives that both G6 areas support is the ‘Prison Capacity Sub Portfolio’. This is a £4bn portfolio responsible for delivering 20,000 additional, modern prison places. The portfolio is large and complex, including the construction of new prisons as well as additional houseblocks and refurbishments at a range of existing sites.
We are looking for motivated and proactive individuals to lead a high-performing, teams of analysts in delivering high quality quantitative and qualitative analytical projects. You will need to have strong leadership and management skills and will have line management responsibility for several Grade 7s.
You will be the key point of contact for maintaining the excellent relationships we have built with senior policy and operational colleagues, ensuring good communication throughout projects and alignment on scope and deliverables. You will provide strategic direction and oversight of the projects within your programme, ensuring excellence in the quality of analysis we deliver as well as maintaining a strong focus on the wellbeing and development of everyone in the team.
The work is integral to the department and Government meeting some of its key priorities, and will require excellent stakeholder management skills and the ability to articulate analysis in a clear and impactful way. You will play a key role in working with stakeholders to shape priorities for the team, and will allocate resources according to these priorities.
You will need to have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and you will also need to be confident working independently and with ambiguity.
These roles has significant leadership responsibility in shaping the culture of the Unit and the work we deliver that leads to continuous improvement, innovation and diversity and inclusion in the way we do analysis. You will be expected to use your knowledge and experience to raise overall capability in the Unit, contribute to building an inclusive culture and living our values of purpose, humanity, openness and togetherness.
Both post holders will report to Panos Zerdevas, DD Head of APP.
Role 1: Head of Prison Estate Analysis Programme
This programme covers analysis of the provision of new prison capacity, analysis to support prison operator competitions, and analysis of prison maintenance needs. We also contribute evidence to inform the long-term prison estate strategy, determining the ideal shape of the prison estate beyond 2030. This is a supportive and knowledgeable programme made up of analysts from a range of professions and backgrounds.
The post holder will work to build a strong analytical offer for stakeholders and customers. This includes delivering business cases, producing interactive tools to inform investment decisions, and enhancing our value-for-money evidence base using innovative analytical approaches. The role includes a mixture of fast-paced, reactive work and longer-term strategic projects. Projects receive high levels of Director, DG, and Ministerial interest.
The role has line management responsibility, with the post holder providing leadership in developing a positive team culture and strong team performance. The post holder will take on oversight of three Grade 7 teams:
- Prison Estate Economic Analysis – You will lead this team to support prison capacity expansion, exploring the value for money of short-term and both long-term solutions and providing evidence crucial to funding prioritisation decisions.
- Prison Operator Competitions Analysis – You will lead this team to help make sure prison places are operated effectively. Although HMPPS runs the majority of prisons, some are operated by private providers. PEAP undertakes cost analysis to ensure the best operator is awarded the contract and that operator decisions are made at the right time to ensure continued provision of crucial prison capacity.
- Prison Estate Maintenance and Long-Term Strategy Analysis – You will lead this team to explores the current condition of prison places, their anticipated deterioration rates, and the level of maintenance spend required to keep these places in use and in a good condition. Given current prison capacity pressures, this analysis will be an important consideration in the next Spending Review, helping to prioritise capital investment in the estate.
Examples of work you will lead on include:
- The business cases for prison estate expansion to meet the increase in the expected rise in prison population during the 2020s. This includes a mixture of longer-term programme business cases for the 20k portfolio, as well as faster-paced work to secure funding for medium-term capacity needed to ease immediate capacity pressures.
- The business cases for operation of prisons, as well as investigative analysis to check the quality and viability of potential operators.
- Innovative economic projects such estimating the value of a prison place to ensure our significant investment in prison places is good value for money, and an assessment of the benefits associated with public and private prisons to help set the strategic direction in this area.
- Analysis of data from the newly complete Prison Estate Condition Survey, which provides a wealth of information about the investment needed in our existing estate to ensure we do not lose prison capacity.
- Engagement with a wide range of analysts and stakeholders to drive evidence-based decision-making on prison estate strategy. This includes further development of an existing tools such as the Prison Estate Mapping Tool and the Prison Estate Investment Prioritisation Tool.
Role 2: Head of Prison Estate Evaluation and Evidence Programme
This is a new G6 role created in response to the recent development of an Evaluation Strategy for the Prison Capacity Sub Portfolio which requires senior oversight. Given the large investment in prison expansion, it is critical that the department has a robust plan in place to evaluate the Portfolio and ensure that any benefits and outcomes from prison expansion are fully captured. The MoJ has not conducted a large-scale evaluation of the effectiveness of its prison estate before, and so this Evaluation Strategy, which is set to run over five years, will fill evidence gaps around the effect of different prison design features on prisoner and staff outcomes.
Due to the complex nature of the Evaluation Strategy which has many interrelated strands, the post holder will need to be able to manage and oversee multiple evaluation programmes with differing timescales through to completion and feed findings into key decision points. The post holder will need to ensure co-ordination between each programme evaluation and ensure that there is effective communication, reporting and aggregation between all the programmes within the Evaluation Strategy. The evaluation will feature a mixture of externally commissioned and in-house evaluation work. The post holder will be required to scrutinise analytical products produced by their teams and contractors and explain the progress, early findings and implications of the Evaluation Strategy to senior stakeholders and customers, both internal and external to MoJ, throughout its lifecycle.
The role will have line management responsibility, with the post holder providing leadership in developing a positive team culture and strong team performance. The post holder will take on oversight of three G7 teams, Each G7 team leads a subset of the evaluation programmes within the Evaluation Strategy, and each of the teams will have similar procurement, project management and analytical quality assurance responsibilities. The distinct nature of the three Grade 7 teams is likely to be as follows:
- The New Prisons Evaluation Team – You will lead this team to produce the evaluation programme for the new prisons within scope of the Evaluation Strategy. This team is already established.
- The Refurbishments & Rapid Deployment Cells (RDCs) Team – You will lead this team to produce the evaluation programmes for the prisons within scope that have received refurbishments and Rapid Deployment Cells.
- The Category D & Houseblocks Team – You will lead this team to produce the evaluation programmes for the prisons within scope that have received new Category D spaces, new T60 houseblocks and new Small Secure Houseblocks.
Examples of work you will lead on include:
- Overseeing the Evaluation Strategy for the Prison Capacity Portfolio, including co-ordinating, managing and providing analytical expertise for each strand of the Evaluation Strategy.
- Collaborating with operational and policy colleagues on the Evaluation Strategy, providing updates, advice and incorporating stakeholder views to continually shape the Evaluation Strategy.
- Collaborating with analytical colleagues within and outside MoJ to feed into wider departmental strategic priorities and ensure adherence to cross-government evaluation reporting requirements.
- Leading the dissemination of research findings and products to the department and OGDs, ensuring the correct information is shared with each audience and that caveats, uncertainties, and risks are well-understood.
- Ensuring the programme is sufficiently resourced to meet essential demands, finding flexible solutions when needed.
About Data & Analysis
We are passionate about improving justice outcomes through innovative research, data and analysis. Our work helps 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 650 staff that sit at the heart of 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 Data and Analysis community is made up of analysts and specialists including Social Researchers, Economists, Operational Researchers, Statisticians, Data Engineers, Data Scientists and others such as data strategists, data dissemination and assurance experts, and generalists.
Why work in Data and Analysis?
In Data and Analysis, 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.
Who you are
Essential criteria:
Postholders will need to have the following skills, or be ready to develop them:
- You will be an open and engaging leader, committed to building an inclusive and high-performing culture within the team, setting strategic direction and supporting your direct reports through coaching. You will have a focus on personal development and wellbeing, playing an active leadership and management role across your Unit, directorate and the MoJ.
- You will be an inspirational and highly motivated analyst with a track record of leading teams to successfully deliver high quality projects at pace. You will be able to deliver the required outcomes, ensuring an appropriate governance and assurance process, monitoring progress, managing risks and issues, and showing flexibility to deal with changes in priorities. You will have strong prioritisation skills and the ability to make effective decisions on how to structure projects to make best use of your resources. You will have the ability to impose structure on complex problems, allocate scarce resources, and set-up and lead teams and bring colleagues together to reach your end goal.
- You will be an excellent analyst with a track record in leading virtual and actual teams in applying proactively wide-ranging analytical techniques to solve complex real-world problems. You will be able to communicate analysis in a clear and impactful way and will translate complex technical challenges and opportunities in a transparent and compelling way, building support and momentum.
- You will be a highly collaborative individual with good communication skills who thrives on bringing people together to solve problems, drive change and deliver impact. You will be able to work well with fellow analysts and customers, understanding their needs and prioritising analytical effort to enable strategic decision making. You will create regular opportunities for analysts across Data and Analysis, stakeholders, and customers to help improve the quality of service we provide.
Desirable criteria:
- Experience of conducting economic analysis (i.e., cost-benefit analysis), or managing those who conduct economic analysis.
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 1,000 words and should give us examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role. Consider giving an example for each bullet point in the skills requirements ‘Who you are’ section.
At the start of your Statement of Suitability, please state which of the badged analytical professions you belong to.
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. If large volumes of applications are received, the sift will be conducted focused on the personal statement.
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 6 weeks.
Behaviours
You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework at interview stage:
- Leadership
- Managing a Quality Service
- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Bigger Picture
Please refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade
As well as the three civil service behaviours stated above, you will be assessed on two sets of professional competence at interview.
Professional Competencies
Badged candidates will be tested on the following two professional competencies:
Professional Competency (1) Knowledge & Skills
- GSS - Data Analysis.
- GORS - Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques.
- GES - Analysis of Data.
- GSR - Knowledge and application of GSR technical skills.
Professional Competency (2) Influence & Impact
- GSS - Presenting and disseminating data effectively.
- GORS - Achieving impact with analysis.
- GES - Effective communication.
- GSR - Using and promoting social research.
For more information regarding the Professional Competencies 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:
Government Social Research Service (GSR): Further information can be found within the link below:
Government Operational Research Service (GORS): Further information can be found within the link below:
Government Economic Service (GES): Further information can be found within the link below:
GES Professional Standards 2022
Applicants invited for Interview
You will be required to give a 5-minute presentation/test at interview. Details of this will be sent to those candidates who are invited for interview.
Working Arrangements & Further Information
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.
All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.
Flexible working hours
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.
Benefits
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
Annual Leave
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.
There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Pension
The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
Training
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Networks
The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
Eligibility
Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.
Support
- A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
- Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code 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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
- To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
- To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.
You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.
For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please see our Disability Confident Scheme Frequently Asked Questions webpage.
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.
12/04/2024, 23:55 hours.
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com Please quote the job reference - 85830.
If you require any additional information about the roles, please contact:
Panos Zerdevas Panos.Zerdevas@justice.gov.uk
To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why.
For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (The level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).
If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:
- You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
- You were studying abroad
- You were living overseas with parents
In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account.
Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.
We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.
Application form stage assessments
Interview stage assessments
o GSS - Data Analysis.
o GORS - Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques.
o GES - Analysis of Data.
o GSR - Knowledge and application of GSR technical skills.
o GSS - Presenting and disseminating data effectively.
o GORS - Achieving impact with analysis.
o GES - Effective communication.
o GSR - Using and promoting social research.
A Great Place to Work for Veterans
The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans
Redeployment Interview Scheme
Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.
MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
· 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
This Vacancy is closed to applications.