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

Senior Social Research Officer, Education, Employment & Reoffending Insights & Evidence Team

1. Overview 

We have one role in the Education, Employment & Reoffending Insights & Evidence Team, within the Analysis Directorate. 

Roles are open to:

1. Existing analysts from GSR either on level transfer or on promotion. 

2. Other candidates that are not members of the GSR 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. 

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:  

SEO grade: 

• You have significant work experience 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: 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 Mid-August/Early September 2025 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.

1. 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 650 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.

2. What you’ll do

This is a social researcher role, focused on the evaluation of interventions aiming to support prison leavers moving into employment. Main activities will include:

• Leading data collection activities, e.g. selection of suitable of metrics, survey design, conducting interviews with senior stakeholders and staff, people in prison, people on probation. Observations and/or informal interviews with staff and/or participants engaging in employment interventions.

• Developing an expert understanding of the available datasets.

• Contributing to the analysis and synthesis of different evidence types (e.g. administrative, survey, qualitative data, document analysis of programme material).

• Producing research reports/ other outputs to support dissemination.

• Engaging with operational, programme, and analytical colleagues as required to ensure findings are relevant and timely, and communicated clearly and concisely.

3. Who you are

The following experience and skills will be required:

• 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. 

• 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, including senior leaders and ministers.

• Manage partners’ expectations over time, dealing constructively with challenges and where appropriate adapting the analytical programme when requirements and circumstances change.

• Strong ability to plan, prioritise and lead an analytical project with challenging and competing timelines.

• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to act on own initiative.

The following experience and skills are desirable:

• Experience of conducting analysis in NVivo and R.

4. 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.

Behaviours 

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

• Communicating and Influencing (Lead Behaviour)

• Delivering at Pace

• Working Together

As well as the three civil service behaviours stated above, you are also asked to

provide evidence of suitability for one technical element. There will be a 250-word limit.

For GSR candidates, please provide evidence against the professional competency “Using and Promoting Social Research".

For non-GSR candidates within the Civil Service, please provide evidence of leading a piece of analytical work: you will be assessed on your analytical knowledge, experience and abilities, and the impact of your analytical work. 

In the event there are a high number of applications, the lead behaviour, Communicating & Influencing may be used to conduct an initial sift and applications that do not meet the minimum requirement for this criterion will not progress to a full sift. 

Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade. 

Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK  

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.

5b. Interview Process

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing  

• Delivering at Pace

• Working Together

Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade.

Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK  

Technical

For existing analysts from GSR, as well as the three civil service behaviours stated above, you will be assessed on two sets of professional competencies at interview.

For non-GSR 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 

• GSR - Knowledge and application of GSR technical skills 

• Professional Competency (2) Influence & Impact 

• GSR - using and promoting social research

For more information regarding Professional Competency (2) please refer to the analytical profession internet link 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 Social Research Service (GSR): Further information can be found within the link below: 

GSR Competency Framework 2022

6. 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. 

7. Further Information 

If you require any additional information about the role, please contact:

Rachel.cordle@justice.gov.uk