Insight and Analytics Lead – New Media Unit - GCS

Job summary

About the GCS Profession

Our mission is to deliver exceptional public service communication that makes a difference.

People work in government communications because what we do matters. We explain the objectives and policies of the government of the day. We provide clarity and reassurance to the public at times of crisis. We support businesses to grow. We protect our environment. We help those in need to access support.

The Government Communication Service (GCS) is the professional body for all public service communicators working in government. Our GCS membership incorporates marketing, stakeholder engagement, internal communications, media, digital and social, and operational communications professionals. We collaborate across government with 25 ministerial departments, 21 non-ministerial departments and more than 300 agencies in addition to other public bodies.

It's an exciting time to be a communications professional in government.

The Team

The New Media Unit (NMU) is part of the Government Communication Service (GCS) and sits within the Cabinet Office. Established in November 2024, the NMU exists to reach, connect and rebuild trust with audiences in the most effective way possible - delivering communications that are relevant, useful and authentic, when and where people want to receive them.

The NMU's Digital Strategy team uses research, data and behavioural insights to ensure an audience-first approach across all activity. It sets the direction for creative and media outputs, and leads measurement and evaluation across the Unit.

The Role

We are looking for an experienced and technically skilled Insight and Analytics Lead to sit within the NMU's Strategy and Planning team. You will be the analytical engine behind the unit's insight and measurement capability, designing and delivering the data infrastructure, dashboards and analytical frameworks that ensure NMU campaigns are evidence-led, optimised in real time, and rigorously evaluated.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape how the government uses data to communicate.

You will work closely with colleagues across the Strategy and Planning team and wider NMU, as well as across GCS and government departments to embed a culture of data-driven decision-making at the heart of digital communications.

Job description

You will be NMU’s subject-matter expert in digital performance insights, marketing analytics and advertising technology integrations, leading these efforts through forward-thinking innovation.

You will have the opportunity to have a real impact on HMG with outstanding data, analytics and technology solutions. This position reports to the Head of Audience and will join a highly collaborative team of professionals ranging from strategy and insight to campaign delivery and creative and production.

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Lead the design, development and maintenance of campaign performance dashboards and reporting tools, providing timely and accurate data to inform decision-making across the NMU.
• Build and manage data pipelines and analytics infrastructure to support audience segmentation, campaign tracking and evaluation across all digital channels.
• Oversee rigorous analysis of complex datasets: including social media, paid media, web analytics and research data to identify trends, patterns and actionable insights.
• Lead on the design and implementation of measurement and evaluation frameworks for NMU campaigns, including setting KPIs, defining metrics and producing post-campaign analysis.
• Apply advanced statistical techniques (such as regression modelling, key driver analysis and multi-variant testing) to optimise campaign performance and audience targeting.
• Work collaboratively with the Head of Strategy and Planning and the Head of Audience to translate analytical findings into clear, compelling narratives for senior stakeholders, including Ministers and No.10 teams.
• Work closely with agencies and external suppliers to ensure timely delivery of clear, actionable data sharing and insight reporting to inform our campaign analysis.
• Lead on the cross-Government rollout of a single digital data analysis platform, working closely with departments, agencies and No10 to share findings and coordinate insight gathering.
• Producing and presenting reporting and insight presentations to colleagues, senior stakeholders and cross-government to share learnings, inform decision making and optimise performance across government communications.
• Support audience segmentation work, developing data-driven audience personas and profiles that inform creative and media strategy across the NMU.
• Engage with GCS data and analytics colleagues, the government's media buying agency and external tech platforms to drive innovation, share best practice and improve data standards.
• Ensure all data activity is conducted in line with data protection legislation, GDPR principles and GCS data handling guidelines, including completion of Data Protection Impact Assessments where required.
• Proactively horizon scan for new tools, techniques and technologies that could improve the NMU's analytical capability.
• Line manage and develop junior analyst resource within the team, supporting their professional growth and ensuring high-quality analytical output.

Person specification

Experience/Ability

• Proven experience in a data analytics or marketing analytics role, with a strong track record of delivering insight that drives strategic communications decisions.
• Proficiency in data visualisation tools such as R Shiny or equivalent, with experience leading colleagues and suppliers to build and maintain performance dashboards.
• Strong technical skills, including working knowledge and experience in data processing and applying statistical techniques using R or Python.
• Experience designing and implementing measurement and evaluation frameworks for digital campaigns, including setting and tracking KPIs.
• Solid understanding of digital marketing channels, paid media ecosystems and web analytics platforms (e.g. Google Analytics).
• Good understanding of data privacy requirements, including UK GDPR, data protection legislation and ethical considerations for media and marketing data.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex data clearly and compellingly to non-technical senior audiences.
• Experience managing or mentoring junior analysts, with a collaborative and supportive approach to team working.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple workstreams in a fast-paced environment.

It’s desirable but not required that you have:

• Experience working in or with a media agency environment, or within a large organisation running multiple concurrent campaigns.
• Knowledge of audience segmentation methodologies and experience applying them within a communications context.
• Experience in sharing qualitative and quantitative research findings in clear, concise reports with seniors.
• Familiarity with advertising technology (adtech), programmatic media buying and brand safety practices.
• Experience working with or alongside government or public sector data.
• Knowledge of behavioural science principles and their application to communications.
• Coding, InDesign, CRM

Additional information:

Cabinet Office policy is that a minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. For some roles, due to their nature and the business need, this may be up to 100%. Requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Candidates invited to interview will be required to prepare a short presentation, details of which will be sent to candidates before the interview.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,204, Cabinet Office contributes £16,571 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.

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, Experience and Technical skills.

Application process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and a personal statement.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

You will need to provide an up-to-date CV showing all of your work history, skills/experience and qualifications.

Your personal statement of no more than 500 words should explain how your knowledge, skills, and experience (using examples) meet the requirements for this role in line with the Success Profile element(s) being assessed. Using the job advert information, particularly the job description and person specification.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using, your experience from your CV. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection process

If you are successful at the sift and selected for an interview, you will be asked questions based on the following behaviours

• Making Effective Decisions
  
• Communicating and Influencing
  
• Working Together

You will also be assessed on your technical skills (presentation) and asked questions about your personal statement and CV.

You will be asked to prepare a short 5-minute presentation, details of which will be sent to candidates before your interview.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – tbc

Expected interview date/s – tbc

Interview location - Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Further information

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'contact point for applicants' section.

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 further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to Cabinet Office 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.

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

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Feedback

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.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

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 : Gemma Taylor
• Email : gemma.taylor@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact Government Recruitment Service by email at : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk. For further information on the Recruitment Principles and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/.

Attachments

Cabinet Office Employee Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB)Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 Opens in new window (docx, 83kB)