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

Prison Statistics Analyst, Prison Statistics Team, Analysis Directorate Ministry of Justice

1. Overview

The advertised role sits within the Prison Statistics team - a team which are responsible for processing, analysing and publishing data based on our key prison datasets, as well as offering key analytical insight to support / challenge policy initiatives. 

Recent (and ongoing) work includes supporting the Department’s response to prison capacity pressures (including bespoke analysis on the early release of prisoners from some determinate sentences [SDS40] and work at pace in response to the Independent Sentencing Review). This work has included producing fast-paced analysis on prisoner cohorts to inform Ministerial policy options. 

Other recent high-profile work has included exploratory analysis into the length of time prisoners spend on remand, as well as planned work on maximising the use of existing data to identify the numbers and characteristics of ex-service personnel in the prison population to support long-standing ministerial priorities. 

Role is open to:

1. Existing analysts from GORS / GSS either on level transfer or on promotion.

2. Current civil servants that are not members of GSS or GORS 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 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: £1,500 

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 August 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.

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 c.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 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. About the Post

Prison Statistics Analyst 

This high profile and exciting role will expand capacity within the team to work on analytical projects relating to prisons. In particular, this post will be drawn extensively into continued high-profile project work relating to prison capacity, as well as longer term projects, such as switching to a new source of data on veterans in prison. 

The role will also involve supporting the team (as required) on more routine data asks (in the form of Freedom of Information requests, Parliamentary Questions and statistical publications) as well as urgent Ministerial asks. The role will also likely include the Line Management of a Higher Executive Officer (HEO) member of staff. The postholder will develop deep subject matter expertise and advise analysts and policy leads across MoJ on the effective use of prison data, as well as leading analysis directly. 

This is a challenging post in a high-profile area where high-quality analytical work has the chance to make real impact and shape decision making at the highest levels of the Department. It requires working with policy, analytical and operational customers to elicit and refine their data requirements, then take responsibility for delivering analysis that has impact. 

Key Responsibilities of the Role  

1. Leading discussions with senior colleagues to assess their analytical requirements and taking responsibility to deliver data projects that have real impact. 

2. Develop an expert understanding of different policy/operational areas and aspects of prison data - for example, the characteristics of the prison population - as well as becoming expert on our underlying datasets. 

3. Delivering high-quality analysis at pace to support statutory work (PQs, FOIs and Accredited Official Statistics publications) as well as urgent Ministerial asks. 

4. Line management of an HEO. 

The following experience and skills are essential: 

• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to engage with range of senior stakeholders. 

• The ability to plan, prioritise and lead analytical work at pace. 

• Strong leadership skills, with a focus on getting the best out of your staff. 

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

• The ability to make sound judgments and to present the results of your analysis with impact. 

• The ability to see the big picture and understand implications of decisions. 

The following experience and skills are desirable: 
 

• Experience using R software and GitHub would be desirable but not essential as training will be provided.

4. How to apply

You’ll need to submit an anonymised CV and evidence against the three Civil

Service success profiles behaviours and one technical element listed below. You

will not be considered if you do not provide both a CV and behaviour examples.

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.

You will be assessed against the following behaviours in the Civil service success

profiles framework:

• Leadership (Lead Behaviour)

• Delivering at Pace

• Changing and Improving

There will be a 250-word limit per behaviour answer. Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at the relevant

grades:

Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK

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 GSS candidates, please provide evidence against the professional competency “Data Analysis".

For GORS candidates, please provide evidence against the professional competency “Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques".

For non-GSS / non-GORS 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. 

5a. Selection Process

There will be an initial sift of applicants through comparing submitted evidence against the specified behaviours. This usually takes two weeks, depending on the number of applications. In the event there are a high number of applications, the lead behaviour (leadership) 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.

Those who make it through the full 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:

• Leadership  

• Delivering at Pace  

• Changing & Improving  

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

Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK

For GSS/GORS badged 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 

• GSS - Data Analysis. 

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

• Professional Competency (2) Influence & Impact 

• GSS - Presenting and disseminating data effectively. 

• GORS - Achieving impact with analysis. 

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

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 carry out a 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:

Daniel Hawksworth or Abigael Kirkby, Analytical Team Leads: Prisons Statistics (Daniel.Hawksworth@justice.gov.uk or Abigael.Kirkby1@justice.gov.uk)