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.
1. Overview
Do you have the passion, values, and ability to help us solve the biggest problems of the justice system?
We have a G7 vacancy in Analytical Priority Projects leading on Prison Estate Condition Analytics within the Data & Analysis Directorate.
Roles are open to:
- Existing analysts from all professions (GORS/GSS/GSR/GES) either on level transfer or on promotion, and
- Other candidates that are not members of GSS, GORS, GSR, 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. Please note that depending on your preferred profession, extra assessment may be required at interview stage.
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 in Liverpool, Leeds, South Tyneside, Nottingham, Cardiff, Ipswich and Brighton. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of background checks.
Interviews are likely to take place in late September 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.
2. What you’ll do
As head of the Prison Condition Analytics & Modelling team you’ll lead on engagement with policy and operational leads who are creating the long-term strategy for the existing prison estate, identifying new areas of analysis to support their strategy development and ensuring data and evidence is at the heart of decision making.
Through analysing the existing condition of the estate and modelling its deterioration, you will help prioritise capital investment in the estate and build up the evidence base for future spending reviews. You will lead on developing data science tools support efficient planning and management of prison expansion and maintenance activities and find insights from data on critical maintenance and refurbishment projects.
The team sits within the Prison Estate Analysis Programme, a G6-led programme of 5 G7 teams all focussed on the Ministerial priority of prison capacity, including forecasting prison supply, prison expansion appraisal and prison expansion evaluation. This is a supportive and knowledgeable programme made up of analysts from a range of professions and backgrounds.
The team are currently working on some exciting projects including:
- A prison estate web app, using R Shiny, which brings together estate project data from across the business and uses mapping packages to understand land ownership and usage
- Working with MoJ ecologists to make better use of geospatial data when setting out our estate strategy including data on flooding risk and biodiversity
- Analysing results from a new prison condition survey and planning how to best use the outputs to shape future capital investment
- Developing a prison condition deterioration model, using life cycle and cost data to explore investment levels needed in the existing estate over the coming decade
- Improving an existing prison estate capacity loss model which simulates permanent cell loss over time due to estate deterioration
- Improving existing reporting on prison maintenance spend through dashboard development and deep-dive analysis on existing project data
- A tool that uses relative scoring to help prioritise expansion and maintenance at existing prisons and uses linear modelling to forecast the future value of prison sites
The post holder will have line management responsibility for two junior analysts and contribute to the leadership of the Prison Estate Analysis programme. Subject to skills and interest, the post holder may also lead on promoting and developing data science capability within the wider programme.
3. About Data & Analysis
We are passionate about improving justice outcomes through innovative research, data and analysis.
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 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 Data and 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 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.
4. Who you are
The following experience and skills will be required:
- An inspirational and compelling future leader with experience of overseeing virtual and/or actual teams in applying wide ranging analytical techniques to solve complex real-world problems
- A credible analyst who is able to work across boundaries to prioritise analytical effort and focus delivery on high-impact analysis that directly enables operational and/or strategic decision-making
- A collaborative individual who thrives on bringing people together to solve problems, drive change and deliver impact
- An excellent communicator who can translate complex technical challenges and opportunities in a transparent and compelling way, building support and momentum
- A user and customer focused analyst who values and works hard to understand the complexity and diversity of customer needs and expectations
- An adaptable individual who can drive transformation through new technologies as we move huge swathes of our analytical work from traditional tools like SAS and Excel to our AWS analytical platform (using R, SQL and Python).
The following experience and skills are desirable:
- Existing coding skills (particularly in R) to help develop teams existing R-based models and web apps Experience in developing bespoke models from scratch such as simulation or regression models
- Experience in using R Shiny or developing web apps
- Experience in analysing geospatial data and / or using ArcGIS software
5. 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 an example for each bullet point, in the skills requirements ‘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
- Seeing the Bigger Picture
- Delivering at Pace
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
As well as the three civil service behaviours stated above, you will be assessed on two sets of professional competence at interview.
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 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:
GSS Competency Framework 2021
Government Social Research Service (GSR): Further information can be found within the link below:
GSR Competency Framework 2022
Government Operational Research Service (GORS): Further information can be found within the link below:
GORS Competencies
Government Economic Service (GES): Further information can be found within the link below:
GES Professional Standards 2022
6. 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.
7. Further Information
If you require any additional information about the role, please contact:
Kim Bishop and Natasha Trasi (jobshare) Bishop-Trasi.jobshare@justice.gov.uk
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