Analyst (Early Careers)

Job summary

Start building your analytical career while helping solve real-world problems across government.

The Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) is at the centre of actuarial expertise within government. We provide advice with strong analytical foundations to government across a range of significant policy areas. We enable government to better understand and quantify risk and uncertainty and in turn help shape better outcomes for the UK public. Our analysis is pivotal to the government across a number of areas such as:

• the management of costs and risks across the public service workforce, including the design and operation of public service pension schemes.
• understanding insurance risks and costs affecting government, including clinical negligence in the NHS.
• bespoke advice on financial and demographic risks facing government, including social security benefits.

We are an inclusive organisation that values the unique perspectives and strengths of a diverse team, supported through our staff networks and active Diversity and Inclusion strategy, we ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

This is an entry-level opportunity. It would suit someone who is completing, or has recently completed, a degree with a high numerical or analytical focus, or someone in the early stages (within first 18 months) of their analytical career looking for their next challenge. If you are a motivated individual and wish to join our analytical team we would welcome your application.

Job description

As an Analyst at the Government Actuary's Department (GAD), you'll join a multidisciplinary team delivering practical solutions across a wide range of business areas. Our early-career role will help you build the skills, knowledge and experience to succeed as an analyst, while developing transferable analytical skills that support your long-term career. You’ll gain exposure to:

• Business understanding: learning how our work helps government make better decisions.
• Core technical skills: building practical skills in data analysis, coding, modelling and problem-solving.
• Hands-on project experience: working on real projects alongside experienced colleagues and apply your learning in practice.

Your work will span the full analytical lifecycle, from gathering and preparing data, identifying patterns and trends, and developing models, through to communicating insights and presenting findings. We are also exploring how AI can help analysts deliver their best work. Together, the analytical tools and techniques you learn will allow you to produce high-quality work efficiently, providing evidence that supports decision-making and expert advice for our clients.

Analysts play an important role across several specialist teams, each with its own focus and opportunities to develop expertise (a summary of the teams is provided below). While the work varies and involves different business domain areas, all teams draw on a common set of analytical skills.

When you join, you’ll receive targeted training to help you build the core skills needed for your analyst role, tailored to the team you’re placed in. This ensures you quickly get up to speed with the specific tools, methods, and business areas relevant to your team.

Reproducible Analytical Pipeline Team: Enhancing efficiency and reliability in analytical production processes

• Use programming (with R, Python and similar) and version control to clean, analyse, and visualise data.
• Build smart data flows for tools like Power BI.
• Work with large datasets to uncover insights.
• Improve and maintain code to make analysis faster and more reliable.
• Automate tasks to cut out manual work and boost reproducibility.
• Find creative ways to share results beyond traditional presentations.

Data Insights Team: Turning data into decisions, insights into impact

• Use programming (with R, Python and similar) and statistical methods to spot trends and give evidence-based recommendations for financial modelling.
• Dive into policy data to support key projects and initiatives.
• Create clear visuals and use smart techniques to make findings easy to understand.
• Keep up with the latest modelling methods to deliver strong, reliable analysis.
• Read, write, and talk about data clearly: understand sources, pick the right methods, and show how data adds value.

Model Solutions and Assurance Team: Delivering excellence in model and system development

• Contribute towards building models and systems, across a range of analytical tools (with Excel, Python and more), that work well and are easy to use.
• Scope out new tools with users to understand what they need.
• Check analytical models to make sure they meet high standards.
• Team up with others to deliver joined-up quality assurance.
• Use your critical thinking to check models; make sure they meet requirements and actually work.

Insurance Provisioning Calculations Team: Strengthening liability assessments through expert and efficient analytical support

• Use data, modelling and analytical techniques (with Excel, R and similar) to estimate the future cost of insurance-related liabilities across government.
• Analyse large datasets to identify trends, assumptions and key drivers of long-term costs.
• Develop and maintain calculation models that support financial reporting, budgeting and decision-making.
• Work with actuaries to develop and apply modelling assumptions.
• Help improve and automate calculation processes to make them more efficient, transparent and reliable.

Policy Solutions Team: Enhancing policy impact through proactive analytical support

• Solve clients’ modelling challenges (with Excel, R, Python and more).
• Review social security systems in the UK and abroad, helping set coverage and contribution levels.
• Support pensions policy work, including modelling for government and regulators.
• Help with investment modelling, especially for pension schemes, and build up skills in using scenario generations.
• Work on climate and disaster risk models, including disclosures and disaster response projects.

Person specification

1. Build an understanding of GAD's clients and the wider context in which your work is used.
2. Use data and analysis to help solve real-world problems and support important decisions across Government.
3. Work with a range of data sources to identify trends, answer questions and provide evidence-based insight.
4. Develop tools and models to make analysis more efficiency and help client understand complex issues.
5. Work as part of a team to deliver high-quality projects for clients, managing your workload and meeting deadlines.
6. Learn new analytical, technical and business skills through training, coaching and hands-on experience.
7. Use tools such as Microsoft Office, Excel, R and Python to analyse data, communicate findings and support client advice.
8. Follow agreed processes, guidance and quality checks to produce work that meets GAD's professional standards.
9. Take ownership of your professional development, completing training and applying new skills in your day-to-day work.
10. Ask questions, seek feedback and use it to continuously improve your work and develop your skills.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Achieved or on target to achieve a 2:2 or above in a degree with a high proportion of mathematical, numerical or analytical content. (Essential)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,543, Government Actuary's Department contributes £10,007 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

As well as competitive salaries, we offer a substantial package of benefits:

• Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day-to-day work.
• 25 days annual leave per year, increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service. In addition, we offer 9 days public and privilege days leave per year (pro rata for part time staff)
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• 5 days of paid volunteering leave
• Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave
• Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year.
• Occupational sick pay
• Family-friendly policies such as help with caring responsibilities, special leave, generous paid maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.
• Access to employee assistance programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice.
• The opportunity to join a trade union.
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
• Salary advances for travel costs, including annual season tickets and cycle-to-work schemes.
• Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice.
• Complimentary BUPA health check.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Technical skills.

Application deadline: 2355 hrs on 08 November 2026

Assessment Centre

Dates: w/c 25 January 2027
Location: Canary Wharf - London

Process

Please apply via the recruitment portal below. The selection process will consist of an online application form, online assessment, video interview and in person assessment centre in London to be held week commencing Monday 25th January 2027.

The closing date for applications is 8th November 2026, so if this role feels like the right fit for you, we invite you to apply now and take advantage of this exciting opportunity to join our team!

Please DO NOT email your CV as shortlisting will be carried out based on information provided in your application form only.

Shortlisting criteria is based on the Person Specification as set out in the Assessment Criteria section of the Job Description. Please ensure you provide examples of how you meet the Assessment Criteria; a strong application will also demonstrate that you meet the required criteria that are identified as key for this role. Applications will be shortlisted in line with the essential criteria for the role. The desirable criteria will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates. Behaviours will be assessed at sift and interview stage. Candidates who are successful at shortlist will be contacted as soon as possible and advised of the interview process and assessment (exact times and dates will also be confirmed).

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Agency Notice: We will not pay agency fees for any candidate submitted in response to this advertisement unless we have explicitly agreed and contracted with an agency to support that specific role prior to advertising. Agency referrals will only be recognised where prior approval has been obtained from the Recruitment Team for the specific vacancy. Any other candidate submissions will be treated as direct applications.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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)
• 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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

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

Apply and further information

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Recruitment Team
• Email : gad@earlytalent.careers

Recruitment team

• Email : gad@earlytalent.careers

Further information

The Government Actuary’s Department’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the recruitment principles of the Civil Service Commissioner, which outline that selection for appointment be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm… If you feel at any time your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, you may make a complaint, by contacting the recruitment team at recruitment@gad.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commissioners.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/government-actuarys-department

Attachments

Analyst JD Opens in new window (pdf, 601kB)