Head of Data & Analysis Team Operations

Are you passionate about supporting our food and farming industry, and helping rural communities create a better place to live? Join the Rural Payments agency and be a part of a dynamic team dedicated to administering direct aid and rural development payments of over £2 billion annually to farmers and rural businesses in England. We are committed to world class farming and land management for the environment, food, and rural resilience. Further information can be found on the Rural Payments Agency website here: rpa.gov.uk, With access to big, complex data from across the agricultural sector, this role will lead the operational data teams in RPA to oversee reporting and analysis, servicing both the Agency and wider Defra's data requirements. This is an exciting period of change for RPA's data teams as the Agency moves towards a data-centric approach to delivery. Leading teams of data analysts, MI and assumptions specialists, you will need to work closely with colleagues across RPA, Defra and wider government to ensure RPA is able to provide a high-quality data service. Specifically, the role will: Responsibilities

• Lead RPA's operational data, MI and assumptions teams across RPA's internal and customer facing activities ensuring delivery of timely, high-quality output, including when under significant time pressure

• Be responsible for communicating the complex information produced by RPA's data teams to senior stakeholders in a clear and timely manner whilst providing an accurate assessment of analytical assurance

• Develop and embed efficient and vfm approaches to data provision and analysis

• Ensure alignment with best practice in data provision, reporting and analysis e.g. the AQuA Book and the Macpherson Review of Quality Assurance of Analytical Models in government, + A 1000-word personal statement demonstrating how you meet the person specification and essential criteria detailed in the advert Sift Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview. Interview If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Behaviours, Strengths and Technical Skills. The following Behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Leadership

• Changing & Improving

• Managing a Quality Service

• Delivering at Pace During your interview, Technical Skills will be assessed through a Technical In Tray Exercise which will be sent to you 30 minutes prior to the interview. The exercise will test technical skills in interpreting, critiquing and communicating data. A series of follow up questions may be asked. Interviews will take place via MS Teams. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed. 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 based on your own personal experience. Submitting content that has been generated by AI or copied from others and presented as your own may be considered plagiarism. Applications found to contain such content may be withdrawn, and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please refer to our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. Location As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s) Where the location is 'National' the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both RPA's location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes. Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra Group organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes. The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations. Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time. Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD., Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be appointed in merit order by location. Reserve List A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Childcare Vouchers Any move to Defra 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website. Criminal Record Check 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 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. Internal Fraud Database Check 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. 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 defrarecruitment.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. Accessibility If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section. Visa Sponsorship Statement Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship. 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 the Civil 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.

We are seeking an innovative operational leader with extensive experience in operational delivery, preferably with a data background and a proven ability to embed best practice across teams to improve efficiency and customer delivery. Essential Criteria:

• Exceptional leadership skills to inspire, engage, and motivate multi-location operational teams in fast paced environments, ideally MI and data teams
• Deep knowledge and experience in embedding best practice in data and/or operational activities within teams in an operational environment, alongside evidenced skill in interpreting and critiquing data, analysis and data products
• Ability to communicate complex information and advocate for your team, often in challenging circumstances, to senior stakeholders
• Track record of building effective networks across government departments
• Comfortable working with ambiguity, resilient under pressure, and effective in complex change environments, + Leadership
• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

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

• The exercise will test technical skills in interpreting, critiquing and communicating data, This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Alongside your salary of £67,730, Rural Payments Agency contributes £19,621 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 with an employer contribution of 28.97%