17739 - Head of Analytics Engineering - 17739 - Ministry of Justice

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Job title: Head of Analytics Engineering

Directorate: Strategy & Analysis

Workstream: Data

Government Digital and Data (GDD) will be used to determine if you will be paid an additional allowance, on top of your basic salary. This assessment is reviewed annually with moderation across Ministry of Justice staff.  This role is within the Data job family and is an Analytics Engineer role at Head of Analytics Engineering level.

About us

His Majesty’s Court and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is an agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and provides the supporting administration for the judiciary across England and Wales.  It delivers services to the public directly in court and tribunal buildings, remotely via business centres and some services via the internet.

HMCTS has a vision to modernise and upgrade our justice system so that it works even better for everyone, from judges and legal professionals, to witnesses, litigants, and the vulnerable victims of crime. This will help consolidate the UK’s position at the forefront of an increasingly competitive international legal market as well as ensuring access to justice for all. This is an exciting time to join the organisation and be part of work to make a real difference.

As part of this transformation, in 2021 HMCTS published its Data Strategy, setting out its ambitions to become a truly data-driven organisation. The Strategy and Analysis (S&A) Directorate supports this strategy by enabling senior leaders to make strategic, data driven business decisions.

The Data division is based in S&A and plays a leading part in delivering the Data Strategy, and in supporting HMCTS’s overall service provision. We provide HMCTS, the MoJ and the Judiciary with timely, accurate and accessible data that supports delivery of operational management information and performance analysis that underpins strategic and operational decisions. We work on a cloud-based Strategic Data Platform using the Microsoft Azure technology stack, coding in Python and SQL.

About the role

We have an exciting Grade 6 opportunity within our Data team. The Head of Analytics Engineering is a key role leading the function responsible for transforming extracted court and tribunal data into trusted, high-quality data products. These data products are used by analysts, modellers, machine learning engineers, management information reporting teams and approved external users to support operational delivery, performance improvement and strategic decision‑making across HMCTS and the Ministry of Justice.

The postholder will work at the heart of HMCTS data, providing technical and delivery leadership for analytics‑focused data engineering. You will ensure that analytical datasets are well modelled, quality assured, reusable and clearly documented and play a critical part in enabling HMCTS to make confident use of its data.

This is a fast‑paced and high‑profile environment, requiring the ability to balance multiple priorities, lead work across teams, and engage confidently with senior stakeholders. Work areas are subject to change in line with HMCTS priorities, and the postholder will need to be flexible and adaptable to evolving business needs.

Your role as the Head of Analytics Engineering encompasses several key aspects (but not limited to):

Lead and develop the Analytics Engineering function, setting a clear direction for analytics‑focused data engineering across HMCTS.
Own the delivery of analytical data products used by analysts, modellers, machine learning engineers, management information teams and approved researchers.
Lead innovation in analytics engineering, ensuring the team explores and adopts new tools and capabilities, including AI and emerging platform features, in a way that improves quality, efficiency and reuse.
Lead the development and adoption of shared analytics engineering standards, building collective ownership and consistency across the team.
Act as the senior technical leader and head of profession for analytics engineering in HMCTS.
Lead the adoption and embedding of agile delivery methodologies within the analytics engineering team, shaping ways of working that support iterative delivery, clear prioritisation and continuous user feedback.
Define, implement and enforce the use of data contracts to clearly specify the structure, quality, timeliness and ownership expectations for data used for analytical data products, working with Digital and Technology Services and data producers.
Act as the primary interface for machine learning and data science, ensuring that analytics engineering provides stable, well governed and model ready datasets to support safe model deployment and monitoring.
Provide consistent leadership to your area of the business and define and implement objectives, aligned with HMCTS and Civil Service priorities.
Identify trends and remove performance barriers and make strategic people decisions.
Promote an inclusive culture that supports diversity and creates a safe working environment that delivers the organisation’s objectives

Please refer to the attached role profile for a comprehensive overview of the role.

Who are we looking for? (Person Specification)

The ideal candidate for this position should demonstrate:

Essential Skills

Capability aligned to the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework for Head of Analytics Engineering.
Significant experience in analytics engineering or analytics‑focused data engineering, delivering data products for analysis, modelling and management information.
Strong expertise in designing analytical data models, use of dimensional modelling techniques and structuring data to support reuse, performance reporting and advanced analytics.
Proven experience setting, maintaining and assuring technical standards across analytics engineering teams, rather than relying on individual delivery.
Strong practical expertise in the Microsoft Azure data and analytics technology stack, experience using Python for data transformation and analytical workflows and strong SQL skills for querying, transforming and validating large analytical datasets.
Experience using GitHub (or equivalent) for version control, peer review and collaborative development within analytics or data engineering teams.
Strong understanding of data quality, testing, validation and controlled release practices.
Experience leading and developing multidisciplinary technical teams, including capability development and performance management.
Ability to explain complex data and technical concepts clearly to non‑technical audiences.
Experience working in complex organisational environments with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
Strategic leadership and people management skills to coach and empower managers to resolve complex people issues and build high performing teams.

The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates

Desirable Skills

Knowledge of the justice system and the work of HMCTS.
Experience delivering data products using agile delivery methodologies, including working in multidisciplinary teams, managing backlogs and iterating based on user needs.
Experience designing or working with data contracts, or similar mechanisms to manage expectations between data producers and consumers.
Experience working with large and complex operational or administrative datasets.
Familiarity with data governance, master data and reference data concepts.

How to apply

This role will be recruited using a combination of Government Digital and Data (GDD) Profession Capability Framework and Success Profiles Frameworks during the sift and interview process.

Application Stage

Experience - Please submit:

An anonymised CV. Please ensure your CV is uploaded in a simple format to prevent any formatting issues when it's downloaded or reviewed.

Your CV should:

Be succinct and clear.
Be factually accurate – You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, is truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Include your qualifications, highlighting any modules or accreditation relevant to the role.
Include your relevant experience, providing dates.
Provide detail – we are interested in how your knowledge, skills, and experience demonstrate the capabilities we are looking for in this role.

Statement of suitability demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria (up to 750 words).

Your Statement of Suitability should be no more than 750 words and should give us real life examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role. Consider addressing particular points in the person specification requirements and key responsibilities. We recommend following the STAR format.

You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

Interview Stage

If successful at sift, you will be invited to attend a remote interview, via Microsoft teams.

Behaviours – You will be required to provide evidence of the following key behaviours at G6 Level.

Changing & Improving
Leadership
Working Together
Delivering at Pace

Technical – During the interview, you will be assessed against the Government Digital and Data (GDD) Capability Framework: Analytics engineer - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework.

Capability skills you can expect to be assessed against are:

Data modelling, cleansing and enrichment
Turning business problems into data design

Working pattern

Due to the nature of the role, the minimum working hours are 30 hours over 4 days a week.

Travel requirements

There will be a requirement to travel occasionally to any HMCTS site in line with business needs.

About our benefits

We reward our people for their hard work and commitment. We have a number of family friendly and flexible working polices that will help you achieve a healthy work-life balance. In addition, we offer a range of employee benefits which include generous annual leave, a highly competitive contributory pension scheme, childcare benefits, season ticket and bicycle loans.

Proud to Serve. Proud to keep justice going.

Additional Information

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). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

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: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

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.

Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.

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 www.www.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 Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk);
To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

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 TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

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

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Contact Information

MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference - 17739

HMPPS

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference

Allowance

Ministry of Justice

17739 - Head of Analytics Engineering

General Information

Descriptions & requirements

Job Description Attachment

Select new file

Application form stage assessments

Interview stage assessments