Probation and Reduced Reoffending Analysis Analysts (Ref: 22430)

Job summary

This position is based Nationally

Job description

Do you have the passion, values, and ability to help us solve the biggest problems of the justice system?

6x HEO Analytical roles in Probation and Reduced Reoffending Analysis (Ministry of Justice)

1. Overview

We have up to six permanent HEO roles in Probation and Reduced Reoffending Analysis, an embedded analytical function within the Probation and Reduced Reoffending policy Directorate. This is an exciting time to join the team in a fast-paced and fascinating policy area that regularly attracts public, Parliamentary, and Ministerial interest. Our work both for offenders in the community and within prison, is critical to improving rehabilitation and reducing the chances of reoffending.

As a Directorate, we make a real difference: our policy has a tangible impact on the services provided for people who come into contact with the criminal justice system, whether that’s at court, in custody or in the community. This is a big part of why we’re so engaged in the work we do.

Reoffending is one of the big social policy challenges of our time. 80% of offenders are reoffenders and reoffending is estimated to cost society £23 billion a year (adjusted to 24/25 prices). The Reducing Reoffending Policy division leads work across Government to address the factors that can help to rehabilitate and improve outcomes for people in the criminal justice system, for example through providing access to mental health support and substance misuse treatment; securing accommodation; and helping them find employment.

Roles are open to:

1. Existing badged analysts from all professions (GORS/GSS/GSR/GES) either on level transfer or on promotion.
   
   
2. Other candidates that are not members of GSS, GORS, GSR, professions but possess and can demonstrate similar experience at the appropriate level. Badging opportunities will be available once in post for those who wish to apply.

Specialist allowance

Due to the role(s) being analytical, those successful in recruitment will be eligible for a specialist allowance following an analytical interview based on the following values:

• HEO London: £1000
• HEO National: £1500

Minimum requirements to apply:

Candidates must be able to show the relevant experience and skills and must meet the criteria for entry:

HEO grade – must meet at least one of the following:

1. You possess a numerate degree or a degree that has an analytical, statistical or research element, with a 2:2 or above, or as a higher degree (e.g. MSc, PhD).
   
   
2. Alternatively, you have significant experience evidencing use of data and/or analytical skills (outside of a part-completed Civil Service degree apprenticeship).

We welcome applications from candidates based across the UK. Candidates will have the option of being based in the Leeds or London HQ offices (with flexible working arrangements available) or your nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office: see this map for more details.

Alternative locations may be available and will be discussed and agreed on the completion of background checks.

Interviews are likely to take place in October 2026 and will be held via MS Teams. We will keep a merit list for a year for those who successfully pass the interview board but who are not offered a post.

1. About Probation and Reduced Reoffending Analysis

Probation and Reducing Reoffending Analysis (PRRA) is an analytical function within the Probation and Reducing Reoffending Directorate. PRRA provides high-quality evidence, research, evaluation, data and analysis to support policy, operational and strategic decision-making across probation services and reducing reoffending interventions. The team's work helps the department understand what works to reduce reoffending, improve rehabilitation outcomes and deliver effective services for people in contact with the criminal justice system.

PRRA is a multidisciplinary analytical community comprising over 80 analysts including social researchers, statisticians, operational researchers, economists, data scientists and data engineers. The function is organised across five analytical areas: Probation Analysis, Health Employment Drugs Research and Analysis, Accommodation and Justice Data Lab Analysis, and Offending Behaviour Interventions Evidence. Together, these teams deliver a broad programme of monitoring, performance reporting, economic analysis, research and evaluation, supporting priorities such as probation delivery, accommodation, health and substance misuse, employment and education, accredited programmes, and wider reducing reoffending policy.

Our work is highly visible and frequently informs decisions made by ministers, senior leaders and operational partners across the Ministry of Justice, HMPPS and wider government. We work in a fast-paced environment where robust evidence, analytical innovation and collaboration are at the heart of improving outcomes and reducing crime

1. What you’ll do

Health Employment Drugs Research and Analysis x 2

The postholder will sit within the G7 led Drugs and Offender Health Research team and support the development of evidence on substance misuse and offender health interventions. The postholder will lead and contribute to research and evaluation projects across a varied portfolio, including drug testing in prisons, wastewater monitoring, recovery-focused prison environments, medication to manage problematic sexual arousal, and the department’s contribution to the cross-government Drug Strategy. Working closely with policy, operational and external stakeholders, the role involves commissioning and managing research, undertaking analysis, providing evidence-based advice, and communicating findings to support decision-making across MoJ and partner organisations.

The postholder will sit within the G7 led Employment Research team, supporting the development of evidence on offender employment outcomes and evaluation of ongoing interventions to support offenders into employment post release from custody. Analytical work includes conducting qualitative interviews with senior stakeholders, HMPPS staff, prisoners, and people on probation, alongside analysis and synthesis of different evidence types (e.g. administrative, survey, quantitative data). Working closely with policy, operational and external stakeholders, the role involves commissioning and managing research, undertaking analysis, providing evidence-based advice, and communicating findings to support decision-making across MoJ and partner organisations.

Reducing Reoffending Priority Projects Analysis (HEO)

The postholder will sit within the G7 led Reoffending, Evidence, Coordination and Analysis Project (RECAP) team and will support on cross cutting and priority projects building our evidence base on what works to reduce reoffending. Main activities will involve: supporting on the scoping planning, and delivering a mixture of short and long-term commissioned analytical projects in-house, developing and maintaining productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders including analytical, policy and operational colleagues to advise on robust and proportionate approaches to using data and analysis, and effectively communicating complex analysis to technical and non-technical stakeholders. Example areas that the role could include are cross-government reoffending strategy, family relationships and reoffending, and innovative approaches to measure an individual's desistance.

Probation Interventions Analyst

The postholder will sit within the G7 led Community Research & Analytical Projects team and will support on cross cutting and priority projects to support policy and operational leads to improve delivery of community interventions. Main activities will involve: support for scoping planning, and delivering a mixture of short and long-term commissioned projects in-house, developing and maintaining productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders including analytical, policy and operational colleagues to advise on robust and proportionate approaches to using data and analysis, and effectively communicating complex analysis to technical and non-technical stakeholders. Example areas that the role could include are targeting of interventions within revised community operating models and analysis to monitor and assess utilisation of intervention capacity for prison leavers and those on community sentences.

Community Support Analyst

The postholder will sit within the G7 led Community Support Analysis & Research team and will support quantitative analysis as part of a multi-year evaluation of new Community Support contracts, which represent a significant redesign of probation rehabilitation services. Main activities will include analysis and synthesis of different evidence types (e.g. administrative, survey, quantitative data), using coding skills to produce output and dashboards from large and complex datasets and effectively communicating complex analysis to support and improve service delivery across MoJ and partner organisations. Example areas that the role could include are cluster analysis of treatment pathways, assessing early reoffending impacts and supporting development of an innovative new measure of desistance.

Prison Education Analyst

The postholder will sit within the G7 led Analysis & Data of Education in Prisons Team and will support quantitative analysis to support management of multi-year contracts.

Education is a key part of rehabilitating prisoners to be able to turn their lives around. You will be working to improve the effectiveness of the education we deliver in prisons by using digital and performance data to analyse the impacts of investment across the country and understand what good looks like. Within a multidisciplinary team, you will use these insights with our operational and programme colleagues to help drive improvements to the current generation of education provision and to design the next generation of education provision. Example areas that the role could include are analysis of digital tools to improve education delivery within prisons in both current and future generation of education systems, using data to understand and improve utilisation of education contracts and investigation and reporting on KPIs and Benefits to understand current performance.

Why work as an Analyst at the MOJ?

We want all our people to feel valued for who they are and for the work they do. We provide a warm, inclusive place to work and offer a wide range of flexibilities and benefits as part of our people offer to reward our staff.

What we offer

• Flexible working arrangements and a focus on equality of opportunity – including welcoming part-time and/or job-share arrangements, compressed hours, working from home or your nearest Justice Collaboration Centres or Justice Satellite Office.
• Career development – regular development and promotion opportunities across a wide range of roles, career development support, with a generous individual learning and development budget.
• Range of new areas of work and new tools and techniques – we pride ourselves on our excellent deployment of well-established analytical methods, but also our progress to date. Progress such as our ambitious and innovative transformation programme to leverage departmental data and drive evidence-based decision-making using cutting-edge tools and techniques (for example: experimentation, personalisation, artificial intelligence).
• Analysis is at the centre of the Department’s decision making – our transformation programme is focused on maximising our impact on departmental outcomes. The Ministry of Justice’s Senior Team and our Ministerial Team want all decisions to be evidence driven – your analysis will be key in influencing decisions and real-world impact.
• Vibrant community – part of a multidisciplinary team that has a supportive culture and is looking to further develop the community with the help of everyone.
• See the frontline and what your work is influencing – regular opportunities to visit our front-line service providers, including courts, prisons, and probation to better understand the areas your analysis is affecting.

1. Who you are

The following experience and skills will be required:

• Be adept at identifying and utilising appropriate methodologies in projects, delivering quality outcomes to deadline and identifying risks.
• Working with partners around analytical options and to evaluate their relative merit, dealing constructively with challenge.
• Experience of working with colleagues to adapt the analytical programme when requirements and circumstances change.
• Be skilled in maintaining effective relationships with diverse stakeholder groups.
• Have good written and oral communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to explain data and analytical concepts and practices to non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong analytical ability - in particular robust data skills and good working knowledge of the main quantitative, qualitative and/or evaluative research methodologies of relevance in their field of expertise.

The following experience and skills are desirable:

• Quantitative analytical skills including working level use of R and Github

1. How to apply

You’ll need to submit an anonymised work history and Statement of Suitability as part of your application. You will not be considered if you do not provide both.

Your work history should meet the following criteria: well structured, succinct, and written in clear language.

Your Statement of Suitability should be no more than 750 words and should give us examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role. In your statement, please indicate the role(s) you wish to be considered for. Consider giving examples that cover all the requirements in the ‘Who you are’ section and use work you have completed to demonstrate how you meet each one.

5a. Selection Process

There will be an initial sift of applicants through comparing submitted evidence against the ‘Who you are’ bullets. This usually takes two weeks, depending on the number of applications.

Those who make it through the initial sift will be invited to a Civil Service Success Profile interview. In the Civil Service we use Success Profiles to help us find the right person for the job. We will be using a mixture of methods to assess your abilities, strengths, experience, technical skills, and behaviours. We highly recommend learning about Success Profiles and using the Situation, Task, Action, Result and Reflection (STARR) framework when structuring your answers.

The highest scoring candidates that pass the interview will be offered the roles. The whole process can take up to a month.

5b. Interview Process

Behaviours

You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework at interview stage:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together

Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf

For existing analysts from all professions, as well as the three civil service behaviours stated above, you will be assessed on two sets of professional competencies at interview.

For unbadged candidates within the Civil Service, as well as the three civil service behaviours stated above, you will be assessed on your analytical knowledge, experience and abilities, and the impact of your analytical work.

Professional Competencies

• Professional Competency (1) Knowledge & Skills
• GSS - Data Analysis.
• GORS - Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques.
• GES - Analysis of Data.
• GSR - Knowledge and application of GSR technical skills
• Professional Competency (2) Influence & Impact
• GSS - Presenting and disseminating data effectively.
• GORS - Achieving impact with analysis.
• GES - Effective communication.
• GSR - using and promoting social research

For more information regarding Professional Competency (2) please refer to the analytical profession internet links below. Please note that some aspect of the professional competency may overlap with the MoJ competencies listed above. We therefore recommend that in providing evidence for the professional competency, candidates focus on the technical and methodology aspects of the competencies that are specific to the profession. We will use evidence presented for the MoJ competencies in assessing the wider skills candidates have.

Government Statistician Group (GSG): Further information, including a user guide, can be found within the link below:

GSG-competency-framework-2021-reviewed-february-2023

Government Social Research Service (GSR): Further information can be found within the link below:

GSR Competency Framework 2022

Government Operational Research Service (GORS): Further information can be found within the link below:

GORS Competencies

Government Economic Service (GES): Further information can be found within the link below:

GES Professional Standards 2022

1. Applicants invited for Interview

You will be required to give a 5-minute presentation at interview. Details of this will be sent to those candidates who are invited for interview.

1. Further Information

If you require any additional information about these roles, please contact:

Nita.bhupal1@justice.gov.uk or Joe.Longman1@justice.gov.uk or Lisa.Robinson@justice.gov.uk

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Knowledge & Skills oGSS - Data Analysis. oGORS - Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques. oGES - Analysis of Data. oGSR - Knowledge and application of GSR technical skills
• Influence & Impact oGSS - Presenting and disseminating data effectively. oGORS - Achieving impact with analysis. oGES - Effective communication. oGSR - using and promoting social research

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,335, Ministry of Justice contributes £10,236 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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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 : 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://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/22430?entityId=22430