Data Gaps Lead (Ref: 21786)

Job summary

This position is based Nationally

Job description

Data Gaps Lead

Location: National*

Closing Date: 17th September 2026

Interviews: week commencing 28th September 2026 (subject to change)

Grade: Grade 7

(MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain this grade on lateral transfer)

Salary: National: £58,511 – £65,329
London: £63,343 – £70,725

Working pattern: full-time, part-time, flexible working,

Contract Type: Permanent

*We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your local office. Office locations can be found ON THIS MAP

Please note that unless you are an existing member of staff at Justice Digital, Data and Science, the only London location being recruited to is 10 South Colonnade, E14 4PU. We are no longer recruiting to 102 Petty France, SW1H 9AJ.

The Role

We’re recruiting for a Prisons Data Gaps Leadhere at the Ministry of Justice, to be part of our warm and collaborative Prisons Data Transformation team. This role will lead our work to identify, prioritise and respond to priority gaps in prison data, helping ensure that operational, analytical, policy and digital partners have the right data to support better decisions and outcomes. The role is pivotal in translating business and user needs into clear data requirements, shaping how Digital products and services can improve data quality, accessibility and use across HMPPS and the wider MoJ. As priorities evolve, the postholder may also be required to pivot to support other data transformation priorities across the team.

You’ll receive a range of excellent benefits when you join our department, including:

• A generous employer pension contribution of 28.97% through the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
• 25 days of annual leave, (increasing to 30 days once you have reached 5 years of service),plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday.
• Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working, working part time or compressed hours. Designed to support a positive work–life balance.
• Employees are allocated 10% of their working time for personal and professional development.
• A £1k per person learning budget is in place to support all our people, with access to best-in-class conferences and seminars, accreditation with professional bodies, fully funded vocational programmes and e-learning platforms.
• Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too!

You can find more details of the Benefits we offer here. To help picture your life at MoJ Justice Digital, Data and Science please take a look at our blog.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership and Team Management: Lead a team to understand and manage data requirements for a range of products and services across the business – including via Digital, Data, Analysis, Policy, and HMPPS operations.
• Engagement and Communication: Engage with, and influence, senior partners across the MoJ and beyond to promote the value and use of data, using influence to ensure prioritisation, progress and delivery.
• Relationship Building: Establish strong relationships with colleagues in Digital, Data, Analysis, Policy, and HMPPS spheres to build and maintain a collaborative environment that prioritises delivering high quality outcomes whilst promoting and representing the needs of our users.
• Data Requirements Understanding: Collaborate with Analysis, Strategy, and Policy teams to understand their data requirements. Shape how Digital teams can address these needs through new digital services and enhancements to existing services, thereby filling key evidence gaps
• Technical Collaboration: Work with technical partners in Data Science, Engineering, and Digital/IT teams to identify and deliver the right data solutions.
• Focus on HMPPS:Support initiatives aimed at improving HMPPS data, with opportunities to contribute to broader business engagement as required.
• Focus on prison data gaps:Identify, prioritise and help address priority gaps in prison data, working with operational, analytical, digital and policy partners to ensure data improvements are targeted at the areas of greatest business need.

Person Specification

Essential

• Inclusive Leadership: Demonstrate inclusive and emotionally intelligent leadership through which you have developed a highly functional and collaborative team.
• Resilience and Prioritisation: Show high resilience and the ability to prioritise efforts to deliver maximum impact, maintaining enthusiasm and momentum in shifting or uncertain landscapes. Give equal focus to both short-term and long-term priorities, pivoting in response to external impacts.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Engage credibly with analytical, technical, operational, and policy teams, consequently aligning needs and services for all data users. Have the ability to influence senior leaders effectively.
• Data Improvement Recognition: Acknowledge the value of data and identify data improvement opportunities to transform outcomes for downstream data users.
• Experience with Multidisciplinary Teams: Demonstrate experience in working with multidisciplinary teams, particularly in translating between technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Willingness to be assessed against the requirements for BPSS clearance.

We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring and do not discriminate based on culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor.

Our values are Purpose, Humanity Openness and Together. Find out more here about how we celebrate diversity and an inclusive culture in our workplace.

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.

Salary Information**

Base salary for this role is from £58,511 – £65,329 (National) to £63,343 – £70,725 (London)

• New entrants to the Civil Service joining the MoJ are expected to start at the minimum of the pay band.
• Existing Civil Servants moving on a level transfer will retain their current base salary or move to the minimum of the pay band for the role, whichever is higher.
• Existing Civil Servants who are promoted will either move to the bottom of the new grade’s pay band or receive a 10% uplift, whichever provides the greater increase.

How to Apply

In Justice Digital, Data and Science, we recruit using theSuccess Profiles Framework. We shall assess a combination of your Experience and Behaviours during the assessment process.

Stage 1 - Application and sift:

To apply for this position, you must submit the following as part of your application

Please submit:

• an anonymised CV, maximum 2 pages at font size 12, including career history, responsibilities, and achievements (including any relevant qualifications).
• A Personal Statement (no more than 1000 words) which should outline your experience and skills, giving clear examples of work undertaken. It should specifically address the following criteria listed below
• Resilience and Prioritisation: Show high resilience and the ability to prioritise efforts to deliver maximum impact, maintaining enthusiasm and momentum in shifting or uncertain landscapes. Give equal focus to both short-term and long-term priorities, pivoting in response to external impacts.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Engage credibly with analytical, technical, operational, and policy teams, consequently aligning needs and services for all data users. Have the ability to influence senior leaders effectively.
• Data Improvement Recognition: Acknowledge the value of data and identify data improvement opportunities to transform outcomes for downstream data users.

A diverse sift panel will review the information in your CV and Personal Statement to assess the sift criteria specified above. We operate an anonymous shortlisting process. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement do not include your name or any other identifying details.

Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift based on your experience of Data Improvement Recognition: Acknowledge the value of data and identify data improvement opportunities to transform outcomes for downstream data users will be conducted before the sift.

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply - Application Guidance

Stage 2 - Interviews:

Successful candidates who meet the required standard will then be invited to a panel interview held via Microsoft Teams. At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements – Experience and the following Behaviours:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a 5 minute presentation that assesses your experience. Further details will be provided if successful at sift.

Appointments are made strictly in merit order. In the event that two or more candidates receive identical interview scores, Data Improvement Recognition: Acknowledge the value of data and identify data improvement opportunities to transform outcomes for downstream data users will be applied as the primary lead criterion to determine the final merit order.

Should you be unsuccessful in the role that you have applied for but demonstrate the capability for a role at a lower level, we reserve the right to discuss this opportunity with you and offer you the position without needing a further application.

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, from which further appointments may be made.

Use of 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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Terms & Conditions

Please review our Terms and Conditions which set out how we recruit and provide further information related to the role and salary arrangements.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact digitalanddatarecruitment@justice.gov.uk

Person specification

Please refer to the attached Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,511, Ministry of Justice contributes £16,950 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).

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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

How to Apply

In Justice Digital, Data and Science, we recruit using the Success Profiles Framework. We shall assess a combination of your Experience and Behaviours during the assessment process.

Stage 1 - Application and sift:

To apply for this position, you must submit the following as part of your application

Please submit:

• an anonymised CV, maximum 2 pages at font size 12, including career history, responsibilities, and achievements (including any relevant qualifications).
• A Personal Statement (no more than 1000 words) which should outline your experience and skills, giving clear examples of work undertaken. It should specifically address the following criteria listed below
• Resilience and Prioritisation: Show high resilience and the ability to prioritise efforts to deliver maximum impact, maintaining enthusiasm and momentum in shifting or uncertain landscapes. Give equal focus to both short-term and long-term priorities, pivoting in response to external impacts.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Engage credibly with analytical, technical, operational, and policy teams, consequently aligning needs and services for all data users. Have the ability to influence senior leaders effectively.
• Data Improvement Recognition: Acknowledge the value of data and identify data improvement opportunities to transform outcomes for downstream data users.

A diverse sift panel will review the information in your CV and Personal Statement to assess the sift criteria specified above. We operate an anonymous shortlisting process. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement do not include your name or any other identifying details.

Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift based on your experience of Data Improvement Recognition: Acknowledge the value of data and identify data improvement opportunities to transform outcomes for downstream data users will be conducted before the sift.

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply - Application Guidance

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.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

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 : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
• Telephone : 0345 241 5359

Recruitment team

• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

https://www.jobtrain.co.uk/justicedigital/Job/JobDetail?JobId=1204

Attachments

Prisons Data Gaps Lead JD Aug26 Opens in new window (docx, 37kB)