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.
Do you have the passion, values, and ability to help us solve the biggest problems of the justice system?
Prison Safety Analyst (HEO), Data & Analysis, Ministry of Justice
- Overview
We have a Higher Executive Officer analyst role within the Prison, Probation and Reoffending division, within the Data & Analysis Directorate.
The role is open to:
- Existing analysts from all professions (GORS/GSS/GSR/GES) either on level transfer or on promotion.
- Other candidates that are not members of GSS, GORS, GSR, GES professions 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.
Minimum requirements to apply:
Candidates must be able to show the relevant experience and skills and must meet the criteria for entry:
- You possess a numerate degree or a degree that has an analytical, statistical or research element, with a 2:2 or above, or as a higher degree (e.g. MSc, PhD)
and/or
- You have significant work experience (usually a minimum of three years) 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. These are in Liverpool, Leeds, South Tyneside, Manchester, Bristol, Nottingham, Cardiff, Brighton, Stafford, Ipswich, Wolverhampton and Sheffield. Alternative locations may be available and will be discussed and agreed on the completion of background checks.
Interviews are likely to take place in late October/early November 2022 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.
About Data & Analysis
We are passionate about improving justice outcomes through innovative research, data and analysis.
In 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.
What you’ll do
HEO analyst role
Our safety analysts lead the production of high-quality data, statistics, and insight. The post-holder will lead on the processing, analysis, and publication of prison safety data to inform Ministers, justice system users and the public.
This includes leading high priority analytical projects to investigate and address real problems within our prison system. These projects will be agreed with stakeholders to develop insight into areas of need and will involve cross team working with other analytical colleagues.
Alongside this, there will be the opportunity to be involved with the publication of official statistics and providing authoritative data, management information, topic expertise and insight for analytical, policy and operational teams.
This role requires balancing fast-paced requests from policy and operational colleagues with longer term projects and scheduled outputs.
Within this role, there will be the opportunity to work on transferring some of the team’s key outputs and producing new ones in R. No experience of this is necessary as the post-holder will be given the training and support to develop the skills needed to carry out this task.
Who you are
The following experience and skills will be required:
- Have strong written and oral communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to explain complex technical data and analytical concepts and practices to non-technical stakeholders.
- Strong analytical ability - in particular robust data skills and good working knowledge of the main quantitative, qualitative and/or evaluative research methodologies of relevance in their field of expertise.
- Experience of leading work and prioritising tasks in line with organisational objectives.
- Representing your team in discussions with partners, managing partners’ expectations and where appropriate adapting the analytical or data programme when requirements and circumstances change.
- Strong ability to plan, prioritise and lead an analytical project with challenging and competing timelines.
- Develop an expert understanding of an area of focus and share insight with others
The following experience and skills are desirable:
- Experience using R software would be desirable but not essential as training will be provided
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 1000 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.
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:
- Changing and Improving
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
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 (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 through a test. Details of this will be provided before the 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
Applicants invited for Interview
You may 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.
Further Information
If you require any additional information about the role, please contact:
Jon Mitchell, Head of Prison Safety Statistics and Analysis on jon.mitchell@justice.gov.uk
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