25842 - GES, GORS, GSS & GSR Analyst Vacancies In the Data & Analytical Services Directorate within MoJ (incl Merit List)
Overview
The Ministry of Justice Data and Analytical Directorate is seeking a number of analysts to fill our current and future vacancies. Candidates must be a member of a Government analytical profession (Government Social Research, Government Statistical Service, Government Operational Research Service, Government Economics Service) to be eligible to apply
Location:
Successful applicants can choose to be based at 10 South Colonnade, London or 5 Wellington Place Leeds. In addition, flexible working arrangements are available between 102 Petty France, MoJ Hubs and home. Those opting to be based in Leeds will be expected to travel to London as required.
Interviews are likely to take place Mid to late May 2019 and will be held in London.
We will keep a merit list for a year for those who successfully pass the interview board but who are not offered a post.
Background
We are seeking to recruit high quality skilled and motivated individuals to join our Data & Analytical Services Directorate (DASD) which sits at the heart of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) providing analytical support across a diverse, high profile and exciting agenda. We work in a dynamic and fast paced context and our skills are in heavy demand across the MoJ. We are a cross-disciplinary directorate with a mixture of social researchers, operational researchers, statisticians and economists structured in five units facing customers across the whole of the MoJ.
About MoJ
The Ministry of Justice is one of the largest government departments, employing around 76,000 people, with a budget of approximately £7.4 billion. The justice system is a vital public service that changes people’s lives and our work spans criminal, civil, administrative and family justice. Each year millions of people across the UK use our services - including courts, tribunals, probation and prisons in England and Wales. We are all likely to encounter the justice system at some point in our lives, either because we have been a witness to or victim of a crime, to protect and enforce our rights, or to settle disputes.
Analysts play a crucial role in the achievement of the Ministry’s goals. We provide the data, insight and evidence to inform good policy, operational and investment choices, monitor and evaluate progress and performance, and demonstrate outcomes. There is a huge appetite within the Ministry for more, better and innovative analysis, which is driving us to recruit.
Why work for the Ministry of Justice?
- Flexible working arrangements – including compressed hours, flexi-time, working for home or commuter hubs outside of London
- Regular job rotations to broaden experience – there are regular optional rotations for analysts of all levels to expand experience and opportunities
- Analysis is at the centre of the Department’s decision making – with the move to a ‘Data Driver Department’ and a Secretary of State keen for all decisions to be evidence driven, your analysis will be key in influencing decisions
- See the frontline and what your work is influencing – regular opportunities to visit prisons and courts to better understand the areas your analysis is affecting
- Range of new areas of work and software – with the move to a more ‘Data Driven Department’ there will be many new areas of analysis to develop and a better range of analytical software to gain experience with
About the Data & Analytical Services Directorate (DASD)
MoJ provides an exciting and dynamic environment for analysts with considerable opportunity to make a difference. DASD comprises over 200 analysts working in all the main analytical professionals providing support, challenge and advice to policy and operational colleagues and Ministers right across MoJ and beyond. We are looking for experienced analysts who can work flexibly and take personal responsibility for the work they lead on. This work will be challenging and offers a wide range of opportunities to develop your skills and careers and make a difference. To respond well to the wide range of analytical needs across MoJ and to provide a greater range of career development opportunities, all analysts within DASD work flexibility across a wide variety of tasks in different subject areas across the range of Ministry’s interests.
What Types of Roles Are There in the Ministry of Justice?
Three typical DASD Band Ab/Grade 7 analyst roles are described below. These are current Grade 7 analyst posts and give a flavour of the type of work that successful candidates could be asked to undertake. The vacant analytical roles available change rapidly in MoJ as we need to respond rapidly to emerging priorities and needs. Successful candidates will be given details of the specific current vacancies available at the completion of this recruitment process.
Job Role 1:
This role involves working closely with colleagues from both the prison reform and vulnerable offenders’ policy teams to provide evidence and analysis across a range of priority projects. Key priority areas currently include: female offenders; reforming offenders by providing better rehabilitation, and supporting a Cabinet Office led cross-government taskforce on reducing reoffending.
The role often involves working collaboratively with other analysts on joint projects to bring mixed professional skills to a wide range of policy strategies linked to ministerial priorities. The role is high profile and provides opportunities for interaction with senior policy customers, as well as cross-government working and involvement in a wide range of ministerial briefing.
Future work is likely to include:
- Leading the development of a monitoring and evaluation programme for the female offenders’ strategy.
- Leading the development of a monitoring and evaluation programme for the prison education and employment strategy.
- Leading the analytical contribution to a cross-government taskforce on reducing reoffending.
Key Requirements of the role
The team leader is responsible for leading a team to deliver a wide-ranging portfolio of work, at pace in response to ongoing and emerging priorities. The post holder will need to be able to build good working relationships with policy colleagues to ensure evidence and analysis inform policy design, and to ensure robust evaluation to improve the evidence base longer term. The work will require a strong grounding in a range of analytical and evaluation methodologies as the post holder will need to design and deliver research and analytical projects to address evidence gaps. Excellent communication skills are essential, plus the ability to work well with stakeholders at all levels.
Job Role 2:
Proven reoffending is a key outcome indicator for the department and as such requires the post holder to work closely with a range of internal and external users to produce high quality National Statistics. Key internal users include, analytical colleagues working on the cost of reoffending, prison reform and policy colleagues working to deliver recommendations from the Lammy Review and MoJ’s wider devolution agenda. The team are responsible for answering many requests via FOI/PQS and provide briefing and analysis across a range of priority projects such as the short sentencing review, probation reform and the current contracts for Community Rehabilitation Centres (CRCs) managed by HMPPS.
The role is high profile and requires working collaboratively with other analysts and policy colleagues to deliver insightful analysis to help inform key policy strategies linked to ministerial priorities. There are opportunities for interaction with senior stakeholders, as well as cross-government working to share essential MI which will feed into different reporting systems and a range of ministerial briefing.
Future work is likely to include:
Providing the analysis and different performance metrics to support a cross-government taskforce on reducing reoffending – led by the Cabinet Office.
- Supporting work to assess the performance of the probation system in reducing reoffending following agreed probation reforms.
- Review of the probation caseload/start statistics and formally consult users on proposed changes to the scope and depth of the statistics we publish.
- Improving the coverage and presentation of our statistics to address user interest such as reoffending of MAPPA offenders and prolific offenders.
- Subject to sufficient time/resource pursue a longer-term research agenda to update analysis published in the Compendium of Reoffending Statistics.
Key Requirements of the role
- Manage a portfolio of analytical products that help the department understand what drives reoffending through linking multiple data sources that include prison, probation and PNC data.
- Build and manage effective relationships with other analysts, senior policy colleagues in MoJ and OGDs to ensure our analysis meets the need of our business.
- Develop our analytical capability within the team. Specifically ensuring where possible our data is accessible via the analytical platform and using the R, GitHub and RAP techniques to help deliver our statistics in the most efficient way.
- Managing a team comprised of specialists and generalists to enable effective delivery of analytical products including data supplied to other government departments and ALBs while maintaining high quality data assurance processes.
- There are significant demands on the team due to its coverage of three key business areas so effective prioritising of work across these competing areas will be crucial, particularly when demand led pressures arise, such as the tabling of PQs. This will involve setting clear direction, motivating the team to deliver high quality products that are critical to the work of the department.
Job Role 3:
The post holder will provide analysis and advice to support the department in making sure our estate offers decent accommodation, is located and organised suitably to meet demand for services, offers value for money and is used efficiently. Analysis produced by the team uses a range of techniques including simulation modelling and optimisation to help ministers and senior officials make decisions and to inform implementation of changes to the prison system.
This post provides an opportunity to gain experience of shaping and delivering analysis to support development and implementation of new estate strategies, engaging with senior stakeholders, improving analytical capability and creating cultural change.
Key Responsibilities of the role
- Lead and deliver a portfolio of analytical products to support the development of estate improvement strategies; support the prison estate transformation programme; produce high quality analysis that enables the Department to better understand the demand for prison places, the impact of proposed system changes and the condition of the estate across England and Wales.
- Build and manage effective relationships with other analysts and senior stakeholders to ensure our analysis meets the need of our business. This will involve engaging with others to understand prison estates policy and the bigger picture, scoping out analytical projects that meet the needs of the business, delivering clear analytical narratives and communicating evidence that will have the right impact.
- Develop our analytical capability within the immediate and wider team. Specifically ensuring our estate tools and models are relevant, fit for purpose and future proof. Assess what our modelling needs are and deliver required changes. Advise and apply methodologies on a range of problems, as needed.
- Manage resources and quality across a small team by ensuring effective delivery and design of analytical products and implement appropriate quality assurance processes. The post holder will also need to manage their own time and workload to effectively deliver the requirements of the job.
- Lead a small team of 3 analysts through a period of change. This will involve setting clear direction, ensuring the team continues to perform well, providing coaching and undertaking any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.
Competency Details
You will be assessed against the Civil Service Competencies listed below during the selection process. These competencies are as specified in the Civil Service Competency Framework. This is available online at:
- Seeing the Bigger Picture
- Delivering at Pace
- Leading & Communicating
As well as the three civil service competencies stated above, you are also asked to provide two sets of written evidence of professional competence. See details below:
Professional Competency (1)
Please provide a written example of the following competency:
Applies quantitative analytical methods effectively to drive insights and evidence that influence decision making and add value:
- Identifies, gathers and brings a range of often large data sets together, identifying and resolving quality issues
- Uses appropriate methods and techniques to analyse the data to gain insight and evidence that solves problems or questions
- Presents findings and insights persuasively so customers engage and understand the evidence and use it to influence decisions
- Anticipates potential further uses of data wider than solving initial problem, and can raise awareness and engagement in value of quantitative approaches
Professional Competency (2)
Please state your analytical profession in the first line of this competency as this will help us ensure that the interview panel is appropriate for your profession should you be selected.
Please provide a written example demonstrating the competencies relevant to the GORS, GES, GSG, or GSR analytical profession. Please note that several the analyst competencies may overlap with the MoJ competencies listed above. We therefore recommend that in providing written evidence for the analyst competency, candidates focus on the technical and methodology aspects of the competencies that are specific to the profession noting that these posts require a quantitative analyst. We will use evidence presented for the MoJ competencies in assessing the wider skills candidates have.
For more information regarding Professional Competency 2 please refer to the analytical profession internet links below:
- Government Statistician Group (GSG): Further information, including a user guide, can be found within the link below:
https://gss.civilservice.gov.uk/learning-and-development/statistician-competency-framework-2/
- 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:
http://www.operational-Research.gov.uk/recruitment/competencies/
- Government Economic Service (GES): Further information can be found within the link below:
Details Required in Your Application
To fully complete your online application, in addition to the competency based application form, you must include an up to date CV (this should be a maximum of two sides of A4). Only applicants who submit this document will be considered for an invite to interview. CVs are only issued to the interview panel.
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.
For Further Information:
If you would like to discuss this advert in more detail please feel free to contact:
Mike Marriott – Deputy Director & Head of Profession for GORS
Mike.Marriott@justice.gov.uk or 07973 726363
Alex Wilks – Deputy Director & Chief Economist
Alex.Wilks@justice.gov.uk or 07976 640418
Damon Wingfield – A/Head of Profession for GSS
Damon.Wingfield@justice.gov.uk or 0797 6637734
Alexy Buck or Rachel Dubourg – Head of Profession for GSR
Buck.Dubourg.Jobshare@justice.gov.uk or Rachel Dubourg: 07976 640871/Alexy Buck: 07973 714241
Working Arrangements & Further Information
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.
Flexible working hours
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.
Benefits
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
Annual Leave
Generous allowances for paid holiday starting at 25 days per year, and rising as your service increases. 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.
Support
- A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
- Access to flexible benefits such as salary sacrifice arrangements for childcare vouchers, and voluntary benefits such as retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
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.
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.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.
There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Eligibility
Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.
30/04/2019, 23:55 hours.
If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or email moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk
For Further Information:
If you would like to discuss this advert in more detail please feel free to contact:
Mike Marriott – Deputy Director & Head of Profession for GORS
Mike.Marriott@justice.gov.uk or 07973 726363
Alex Wilks – Deputy Director & Chief Economist
Alex.Wilks@justice.gov.uk or 07976 640418
Damon Wingfield – A/Head of Profession for GSS
Damon.Wingfield@justice.gov.uk or 0797 6637734
Alexy Buck or Rachel Dubourg – Head of Profession for GSR
Buck.Dubourg.Jobshare@justice.gov.uk or Rachel Dubourg: 07976 640871/Alexy Buck: 07973 714241
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.
Candidate Information
You may be required to provide statements describing your skills and experience relevant to each of the selection criteria. We recommend that you structure any examples as Situation, Task, Action and Result. For more information about the recruitment process 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
In the event of a large number of applications, we reserve the right to undertake the following processes:
- An automated online test where a benchmark must be passed to progress;
- A sift on the lead selection criteria. If this happens, the lead criteria will be the first one listed in the advert.
During the selection process, you may be asked to undertake an additional assessment (such as written test). If this is applicable you will be notified of this when you are invited to interview.
Please provide a written example of the following competency:
Applies quantitative analytical methods effectively to drive insights and evidence that influence decision making and add value:
• Identifies, gathers and brings a range of often large data sets together, identifying and resolving quality issues
• Uses appropriate methods and techniques to analyse the data to gain insight and evidence that solves problems or questions
• Presents findings and insights persuasively so customers engage and understand the evidence and use it to influence decisions
• Anticipates potential further uses of data wider than solving initial problem, and can raise awareness and engagement in value of quantitative approaches
Please state your analytical profession in the first line of this competency as this will help us ensure that the interview panel is appropriate for your profession should you be selected.
Please provide a written example demonstrating the competencies relevant to the GORS, GES, GSG, or GSR analytical profession. Please note that several the analyst competencies may overlap with the MoJ competencies listed above. We therefore recommend that in providing written evidence for the analyst competency, candidates focus on the technical and methodology aspects of the competencies that are specific to the profession noting that these posts require a quantitative analyst. We will use evidence presented for the MoJ competencies in assessing the wider skills candidates have.
For more information regarding Professional Competency 2 please refer to the analytical profession internet links below:
• Government Statistician Group (GSG): Further information, including a user guide, can be found within the link below:
https://gss.civilservice.gov.uk/learning-and-development/statistician-competency-framework-2/
• Government Social Research Service (GSR): Further information can be found within the link below:
https://civilservicelearning.civilservice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/GSR%20professional%20competency%20framework.pdf
• Government Operational Research Service (GORs): Further information can be found within the link below:
http://www.operational-Research.gov.uk/recruitment/competencies/
• Government Economic Service (GES): Further information can be found within the link below:
https://files.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/admin/fairs/apptrack/download.cgi?SID=b3duZXI9NTA3MDAwMCZvd25lcnR5cGU9ZmFpciZkb2NfdHlwZT12YWMmZG9jX2lkPTQxOTkyNSZ2ZXJpZnk9NjE3N2NjYmY0MzUwMGEzZjVmMDAxZTM5NzJkYjZlZTI=
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
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.