HMPPS Disparities Analyst, Analysis Directorate, Ministry of JusticeMinistry of Justice

23172

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

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

Role name: HMPPS Disparities Analyst

Analysis team: Workforce and Equalities Statistics Team

Activity managed by: HMPPS Disparities Unit

1.Overview

We have 1 role in the Workforce and Equalities Statistics Team, within the Analysis Directorate.

Roles are open to: Either:

Existing badged analysts from all professions (GORS/GSS/GSR).

Or

Non-badged applicants with requisite skills and experience either on level transfer or on promotion.

Please note: this opportunity is only open to individuals currently employed within the Civil Service.

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:

SEO London: £500

SEO National: £1500

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).

Alternatively, you have significant experience evidencing use of data and/or analytical skills (outside of a part-completed Civil Service degree apprenticeship).

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 November 2026  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.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 300 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.

3.What you’ll do

The post holder will report to and work closely with the G7 HMPPS Disparities Analysis Lead. They will support the delivery of a high-quality analytical service to the HMPPS Disparities Unit and the wider Performance, Standards and Behaviours Group.

Working under the direction of the G7, the post holder will help improve the recording, analysis and reporting of equalities data relating to HMPPS staff and people in prison and on probation. They will produce clear, quality-assured analysis that helps senior leaders, operational colleagues and policy teams understand disparities, identify their potential drivers and assess where further action may be required.

The role provides an opportunity to take ownership of defined analytical projects, develop technical and stakeholder-management skills, and contribute ideas for new work. The post holder will work collaboratively with the G7, the wider analytical team and the HMPPS Disparities Unit.

This varied role offers a creative analyst opportunity to:

Undertake and improve analysis relating to protected characteristics for HMPPS staff and people in our care.

Develop, maintain and quality-assure dashboards and regular reporting on equality, diversity and inclusion measures.

Prepare datasets, analytical products and briefings that help senior leaders understand disparities across prison groups and probation regions.

Identify data-quality issues and gaps in the available evidence, working with colleagues to develop practical solutions.

Support further development of the drivers of disparity model for racial disparity and explore its potential application to other protected characteristics.

Support regional and local colleagues to interpret disparity data and consider the factors that may be contributing to different outcomes.

Help establishments and probation regions learn from evidence-informed approaches to addressing disparities and assess their impact.

Respond to analytical commissions from the HMPPS Disparities Unit, producing timely, accessible and robust advice.

Build effective working relationships with analytical, policy and operational colleagues and other stakeholders working on equalities issues across HMPPS.

Deliver defined analytical projects and contribute to wider strategic work supporting fairness and equality across the justice system.

4.Who you are

The following experience and skills will be required:

Strong analytical skills and evidence of taking ownership of analytical tasks or defined projects.

The ability to select and apply appropriate analytical approaches and contribute creative ideas to solving problems.

The ability to understand, bring together and analyse complex datasets and systems.

The ability to explain complex information clearly to analytical and non-analytical audiences.

Good organisational and project-management skills, including an understanding of Analytical Quality Assurance principles and statistical best practice.

Experience of working collaboratively with customers and colleagues to understand their requirements and deliver useful analytical products.

Experience of using R, GitHub and Excel, or evidence of the ability to develop proficiency quickly.

The following experience and skills are desirable:

Previous experience working with prisons and/ or probation data.

Experience with statistical techniques

5.How to apply

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

Your work history should meet the following criteria: 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. Application Process (Work History and Statement of Suitability)

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.

5b. Interview Process

You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework at interview stage:

Communicating and Influencing

Managing a Quality Service

Seeing the Bigger Picture

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.

Professional Competencies

Professional Competency (1) Knowledge & Skills

o   GSS - Data Analysis.

o   GORS - Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques.

o   GSR - Knowledge and application of GSR technical skills

Professional Competency (2) Influence & Impact

o   GSS - Presenting and disseminating data effectively.

o   GORS - Achieving impact with analysis.

o   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:

GSG-competency-framework-2021-reviewed-february-2023

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

6.Applicants invited for Interview

You will be required to give a 5-minute presentation at interview, which will be used to score the knowledge and skills element of the professional competency. 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:

Andrew Wilson ([email protected]) or Tony Mansour ([email protected])