Business Analyst
Job summary
Summary
The Cabinet Office is the corporate headquarters for the government, employing over 6,000 people in a variety of roles across the UK. In partnership with HM Treasury, we take the lead in certain critical policy areas and support the Prime Minister to ensure the effective running of government.
The Cabinet Office Digital directorate has a crucial role to play in modernising the Cabinet Office through digital transformation. The directorate has approximately 350 staff and is growing in order to meet the demands of the department, and to provide a wider and more mature range of digital, data, technology and security services.
As a Business Analyst you will play a crucial role in helping our teams analyse and understand business problems and opportunities bridging the gap between user needs and organisational goals. You will lead small to medium-sized projects independently while providing vital support on larger, more complex initiatives.
You will dive deep into how our business areas operate to identify areas for improvement and guide evidence-based decision-making.
Government Skills
Over your tenure in post, you will contribute to a range of policy objectives. Your focus initially will be on Government Skills, which was created to accelerate the quality of learning and development in government through better training, knowledge and networks for around 550,000 Civil Servants across Government, delivering government priorities now and for the future.
As part of its development, it has been announced that Government Skills will become the National School of Government and Public Services. This change enhances its profile and visibility across government, offering better public services for citizens and confirming the government’s commitment to our vision of delivering world-class training in areas such as AI, digital, and leadership. This is an exciting time of growth, with new positions being created to support the future operating model.
Digital, Data, Innovation and AI (DDI & AI) Team
Digital transformation, including AI, is both a defining challenge for our generation and a vital opportunity for the state. DDI & AI capabilities underpin much of the government’s wider transformation, and the DDI & AI team drives the strategic vision to embed these critical skills across government. We are a small, dynamic and fast-growing team with a remit to improve DDI&AI capability in non-digital specialists across all government departments. This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of the team that is delivering at pace on top government priorities.
Job description
As a Business Analyst you will:
- Holistically investigate business problems, explore feasible options, analyse the effects of change, and define clear success measures.
- Identify, document, and prioritise user and business need to enable effective design, development, and testing of services.
- Make confident decisions regarding prioritisation and Minimum Viable Product (MVP) using analysis-led insights.
- Strive to ensure that products and services meet user needs, align with overarching organisational goals, and adhere to business and policy constraints.
- Actively develop the business analysis community by sharing best practices and mentoring others.
Person specification
It is essential that you have:
- Adapting to delivery methodologies: Proven ability to adapt working styles, outputs, and collaboration methods within multidisciplinary teams to effectively deliver value across various delivery methodologies.
- Business modelling: Capable of selecting appropriate analysis techniques and eliciting information to create effective models and diagrams that accurately represent organisational processes, data, relationships, and interactions.
- Business process improvement: Experience in analysing and evaluating business processes to identify opportunities, alongside designing, prioritising, and testing process improvements.
- Context, problem and option analysis: Proficient in utilising analytical techniques to define root causes and problem statements, evaluate strategic options, and formulate evidence-based recommendations considering feasibility and impact.
- Defining and managing business needs, user needs and requirements: Skilled in eliciting, challenging, and prioritising needs, with hands-on experience defining, managing, and ensuring traceability of artifacts such as epics, user stories, and acceptance criteria.
- Digital and data systems analysis: Practical ability to analyse system functionality, create system and data models, and collaborate to identify and assess the impact of gaps in functionality or user experience.
- Stakeholder relationship management: Adept at identifying key stakeholders, tailoring communication to build consensus, and using evidence to explain decisions and improve relationships.
- Testing (business analysis): Solid understanding of testing stages and tools, with the ability to define business scenarios, develop traceable acceptance criteria, and review test plans and prototypes.
- User experience analysis: Competent in applying analysis techniques to validate and prioritise UX needs, and presenting research findings clearly to drive data-informed decision-making.
This role is aligned to the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework. You can view the full Business Analyst role definition here.
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
- Changing and Improving
- Communicating and Influencing
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Business Modelling
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £43,760, Cabinet Office contributes £12,677 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).- 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
During the application process, you will be requested to provide the following:
- CV (Fill details regarding your CV)
- Statement of Suitability
- Behaviours (Provide answers to behavioural questions asked)
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
In your Statement of Suitability, using the behaviours and technical skill outlined in this vacancy advertisement, please explain how you past experience and skills fit in this role.
The panel will sift on behaviours, CV and statement of suitability.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the lead Behaviour, Making Effective Decisions.
Selection process
During the selection process, you will be assessed on the following:
- Behaviours
- Technical skill
- Presentation (See below regarding the presentation)
Presentation
Presentation. The candidate will be asked to deliver a short five minute presentation summarising a recent project where they utilised their business analysis expertise. This will be followed by up to five minutes of questions from the panel. The candidate may present prepared material such as a slide deck if they wish. The presentation will be evaluated by the panel on the basis of both content and delivery.
Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – 03/08/2026
Expected interview date/s – 10/08/2026
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 adjustments
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:
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.
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.
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.
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
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
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
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 : CO Digital Recruitment Team
- Email : codigitalrecruitment@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
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.ukIf 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)Salary range
- £43,760 - £51,690 per year