Performance Analyst

Job summary

Do you thrive on turning complex user‑journey data into clear, actionable insight, and want the chance to shape how more than 20 million people experience vital UK public services?

Do you want to work in a place where your dashboards, KPIs and data storytelling don’t just inform decisions, but directly improve outcomes for citizens at the moments they need support most?

At DWP Digital, we design and develop user-friendly digital services that enable millions of people to access the help, advice, and financial support they need. Almost everyone in the UK relies on our digital services at some point in their lives.

Our digital performance analyst community works across DWP to gain insight on how our services are used and how well our systems perform.

The primary focus of this role is to implement and optimise tagging strategies to enhance the visibility of service interactions and user journeys, as well as to understand how data is being captured and utilised across service lines to measure performance.

As a Performance Analyst, in Digital Channels you will design, implement and optimise tagging strategies that improve the visibility of service interactions and user journeys. You will work closely with product teams to enabling accurate performance measurement and generate actionable insights, that will improve outcomes for end users.

Digital Channels drives and enables the modernisation of DWP’s customer contact, helping customers communicate with our Department via the most appropriate channel. We design, deliver and support shared digital capabilities that improve how customers and colleagues interact with DWP services. We focus on creating consistent, modern, joined‑up digital experiences. We run some of the UK’s largest 'Live Services' including the telephony, bulk printing and the scanning and indexing of all incoming letters and forms. It is hugely impactful role, which touches nearly every point of contact we have for over 20 million customers.

Job description

Performance Analysts in DWP Digital support iterative design of services by analysing of a wide range of datasets and collaborating with User Researchers, Business Analysts and Data Scientists to create a holistic understanding of our systems, business and users.

You will be responsible for carrying out analysis and providing insights against the measures you have developed. Encouraging digital teams to always design and build with measurement and the value to the citizen in mind. Nurturing a user needs measurement culture in the teams you work with.

You will need to:

• Conduct analysis by developing and working with performance measurement frameworks, KPIs, goals, user needs and benefits.
• Collaborate closely with digital teams that build services for our citizens. You will develop measures from a variety of data sources that support teams to prove the value they add and ensure they meet the Government’s Digital by Default Service Standard.
• Create dashboards for stakeholders using Looker Studio and PowerBI.
• Regularly use SQL in Google BigQuery (including writing custom code to do calculations and join multiple datasets for analysis and to feed dashboards) to deliver analysis back to teams.
• Help create a thriving community of performance analysts, by working with the team to create common standards and ways of working.

This is a key role, where a variety of stakeholders will depend on you to deliver accurate and actionable insights, to drive the focus and centralise the user in everything that we do.

Person specification

When giving details in your employment history you should highlight your experience in line with essential criteria below:

• Technical Requirements: proficiency in Google Analytics, Looker Studio and Google Big Query. Proficiency in SQL (including writing custom code to do calculations and join multiple datasets for analysis and to feed dashboards).
• Performance Measurement: lead the development of performance measurement frameworks including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Demonstrate a deep understanding of business goals and can turn these into tangible performance measures.
• Communicating Analysis and Insight: choose the appropriate medium to communicate findings. Shape and share communications relevant to the audience. Present analysis and visualisations in clear ways to both specialist and non-specialist audiences, with support. Give tactical recommendations based on your analysis and insight to inform decision making.
• Working Together: encourages joined up team work within own team and across other groups. Establish professional relationships with a range of stakeholders. Collaborate with these to share information, resources and support. Invest time to develop a common focus and genuine positive team spirit where colleagues feel valued and respect one another.
• User Centred Analysis: uses quantitative and qualitative data about users to turn user focus into outcomes. Delivers analysis and information that addresses stakeholder needs and provides recommendations. Effectively collaborate with user researchers and other user-focused professions. Guides others on approaches to understand user stories.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact mark.harbottle@dwp.gov.uk.

Technical skills

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

• Performance Measurement
• Communicating Analysis and Insight
• SQL Tooling
• User Centred Analysis
• Working Together

We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:

• Performance Measurement
• Communicating Analysis and Insight
• SQL Tooling

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,447, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £12,876 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 25 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Hybrid Working

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work.

If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office.

If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.

Salary Information

Pay for this role is from £44,447 to £51,762.

The maximum salary for the grade is £46,547, however a Digital Allowance of up to £5,215 per annum is available for exceptional candidates. Digital Allowance is non-salary, and non-pensionable, and is classed as a temporary allowance. It is reviewed annually where it could be retained, amended, or removed.

Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview.

Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer will maintain their current salary.

Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion will move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or receive a 10% increase in salary, whichever is greater.

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 Experience and Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application

Your application will consist of three parts:

1. A Personal Details application form.

2. Your employment history detailing your responsibilities, skills, accomplishments, plus your qualifications and relevant training. Please copy this information into the box field provided. When giving details in your employment history you should highlight your experience relevant to this role.

3. Technical statements (up to 250 words each). These include:

• [Lead technical statement] Performance Management - Please tell us about a time where you have worked with a team creating a service or product. What methods did you use to create KPIs to measure success?
• Communicating Analysis and Insight - Please tell us about a time where you have produced a complex piece of analysis. What question did it answer, and how did you ensure your stakeholders understood?
• SQL Tooling - The coding software we use involves a processing cost to the department. Can you tell us what steps can be taken to make SQL queries more efficient and/or run at a lower cost?

Ensure that all examples provided in your statements are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. If you choose to use gen-AI to support your statements, you must follow the guidelines outlined in the Artificial intelligence and recruitment guide.

The sift panel will use the information in your employment history and technical statements to assess your experience, skills and knowledge against the essential criteria above.

An initial sift will be conducted using the lead technical statement stated above. Candidates who pass the initial sift will progress to a full sift.

For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.

Applications will be sifted at regular intervals from the date the posts are advertised. Please apply as soon as you can, do not wait until the end of the campaign.

Important information

• You will be asked to complete your employment history. Any information that you would customarily share on a CV should therefore be entered onto the application form.
• Personal details that could be used to identify you including your name, contact details and address must be removed for your application to be considered.
• If your employment history or technical statements contains any personal details your application will be withdrawn.

Stage 2: Face to Face Interview

If you’re successful at sift stage you will be invited to an in-person interview at either the Leeds, Manchester or Sheffield Digital hub offices. There, you will be assessed against the following Technical Skills:

• Performance Measurement - lead the development of performance measurement frameworks including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Demonstrate a deep understanding of business goals and can turn these into tangible performance measures
• User Centred Analysis - uses quantitative and qualitative data about users to turn user focus into outcomes. Delivers analysis and information that addresses stakeholder needs and provides recommendations. Effectively collaborate with user researchers and other user-focused professions. Guides others on approaches to understand user stories
• Communicating Analysis and Insight - chooses the appropriate medium to communicate findings. Shape and share communications relevant to the audience. Present analysis and visualisations in clear ways to both specialist and non-specialist audiences, with support. Gives tactical recommendations based on your analysis and insight to inform decision making
• Working Together - Encourages joined up team work within own team and across other groups. Establishes professional relationships with a range of stakeholders. Collaborates with these to share information, resources and support. Invests time to develop a common focus and genuine positive team spirit where colleagues feel valued and respect one another.

You will be asked to do a 10-minute presentation on Communicating Analysis and Insight. For the presentation, we will be sending out an example iteration for the candidate to measure and present back to the panel. We will be giving 3 example changes the service team have made, and tables of data to measure the changes against. The candidate will need to:

• choose the right success measures for each iteration,
• analyse from the data provided,
• present back recommendations, and
• Suggest any improvements or missing data.

The use of visual aids such as PowerPoint is encouraged. Further details will be provided to candidates invited to interview.

Interviews will take place from mid March 2026. The interview dates are confirmed as follows:

• Tuesday 17th March - Leeds
• Wednesday 18th March - Sheffield
• Monday 23rd March - Manchester

Further Information:

Find out more about Working for DWP

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

All successful candidates and those placed on reserve will be posted in merit list order by location.

For these vacancies, we strongly recommend that applicants consult with an immigration specialist or qualified advisor to assess their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship before deciding to apply. Please note that while we consider sponsorship requests in accordance with current DWP guidance and Home Office policy, sponsorship cannot be guaranteed.

Reasonable Adjustment

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: Contact Government Recruitment Service via DigitalRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” 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.

For further information on reasonable adjustments, terms and conditions and how we recruit visit the How we recruit page.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a 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

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 : Mark Harbottle
• Email : mark.harbottle@dwp.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles. If you wish to make a complaint, please find further details here: https://careers.dwp.gov.uk/how-we-recruit/.

Attachments

DWP Terms and Conditions January 2024 (3) Opens in new window (docx, 17kB)Success-Profiles-Candidate-Overview (18) Opens in new window (pdf, 635kB)