Business Analyst

Job summary

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government. We are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.

Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:

1. joining up public sector services
2. harnessing the power of AI for the public good
3. strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
4. elevating leadership and investing in talent
5. funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
6. committing to transparency and driving accountability

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.

We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.

The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.

Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You'll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need

Job description

You will be a Business Analyst for the National Data Library team.

The National Data Library (NDL) will be a core part of the Government’s programme to transform how public sector data is managed as a national strategic resource, and, specifically, to unlock better data sharing across government and into the economy. This is an opportunity to help shape the high profile and ambitious manifesto commitment to establish a National Data Library (NDL).

We are looking for an enthusiastic business analyst to join a product team within the wider NDL programme. The team is responsible for defining and delivering our trusted authoritative public sector data assets. You will work within a multi-disciplinary product team and contribute to and lead sessions with public sector organisations to analyse data systems and sources, map organisational processes, and shape requirements for data services and assets that underpin the NDL.

You will bring structure and clarity to complex challenges, helping uncover the changes needed to enable cross-governmental data discoverability, accessibility and reusability.

Reporting to the senior business analyst, you will initially work on one of the priority foundational data themes (FNDAs), engaging with departments across governments to map data sources relevant to the creation of a trusted authoritative asset for that theme, assess data quality, identify limitations that block reuse and define requirements to improve interoperability of government data.

You will contribute to the production of analysis and recommendations that directly feed into the design of these data assets, maps of data sources, processes and quality limitations, and the requirements that enable departments and NDL to resolve blockers, making data ready for reuse within the NDL objectives.

As a Business Analyst you’ll:

• build relationships with key stakeholders in Other Government Departments, and subject matter experts to capture varying requirements and support the development of effective data services
• develop understanding of and partnerships with other government departments and support analysis of impacts of proposed NDL data service changes on their business
• identify and elaborate user and business needs to enable effective design, development and testing of proposed services
• be able to identify what good looks like in the context of NDL data transformation outcomes and the methodologies to enable the assessment of the status of ongoing work
• undertake workshops and 1:1 meetings with a wide range of stakeholders and build an evidence-based cohesive narrative for what next steps should be taken next
• contribute to the successful running and improvement of the National Data Library services team. Promote awareness of the government data strategy in all external engagements and interactions

Person specification

We're interested in people who demonstrate:

• experience with identifying, investigating, analysing and communicating business and data processes and problems, and opportunities from a variety of people and organisations into actionable requirements to define solutions and achieve service outcomes
• experience of engaging with stakeholders and supporting senior stakeholders in influencing discussions outside of your team/function
• experience of being self-driven, able to determine the approach in the team's delivery methodology, define and agree the scope of business analysis within a multidisciplinary team and clearly communicate the value of iterative delivery
• experience of using a variety of investigative methods to gather evidence, generate deep insights and make well-supported recommendations
• an understanding of digital service delivery, including agile and service design, and the cultural, organisational, functional and process change required to achieve it
• domain-specific knowledge in data management, discovery and access

Benefits

There are many benefits of working at GDS, including:

• flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
• a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days
• an extra day off for the King’s birthday
• an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
• career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
• a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
• advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
• death in service benefits
• cycle to work scheme and facilities
• access to an employee discounts scheme
• 10 learning days per year
• volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year)
• access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning

Any move to Government Digital Service from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.
DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

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

The standard selection process for roles at GDS consists of:

• a simple application screening process - We only ask for a CV and cover letter of up to 500 words and for you to answer an application question. Important tip - please ensure that your cover letter includes how you meet the skills and experience listed in the “person specification” section above
• a 60 minute video interview. As part of the interview process there will be a presentation task. Details around the presentation task will be provided to shortlisted candidates.

Depending on how many applications we get, there might also be an extra stage before the video interview, for example a phone interview or a technical exercise.

In the event we receive a high volume of applications, we will conduct the initial sift against the lead criteria which is:

• Describe a recent relevant project or piece of work you are proud of.

  In your answer, please tell us:
  - what the project was and your role in it
  - what went well
  - what didn’t go as planned or could have been improved
  - what you learned from the experience, and how it influenced your approach to later work

In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We’ll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.

For this role we’ll be assessing you against the following Civil Service Behaviours:

• working together
• making effective decisions
• changing and improving

We’ll also be assessing your experience and specialist technical skills against the following skills defined in the Government Digital and Data Capability Framework for the Business Analyst role:

• stakeholder relationship management
• context problem and option analysis
• defining and managing business needs, user needs and requirements
• digital and data systems analysis

Want to know more about who Government Digital and Data are? Click Here

Recruitment Timeline

Sift completion: Friday 17th April 2026

Panel interviews: Starting from Friday 24th April

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

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

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 D&I Strategy.

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For meaningful checks to be carried out, you will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time, to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. Whilst a lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance, and expectation of UK residency may range from 3 to 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements needed for the role may result in the withdrawal of provisional jobs offers.

Sponsorship

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).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

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.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 : gdsrecruitment@dsit.gov.uk
• Email : gdsrecruitment@dsit.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : gdsrecruitment@dsit.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact gds-complaints@dsit.gov.uk in the first instance.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission by email: info@csc.gov.uk Or in writing: Civil Service Commission, Room G/8 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ.