Senior Data Analyst (Economist)

As a Senior Data Analyst (Economist), you will lead economic analysis to support key priorities. This includes developing business cases for Spending Reviews and responding to emerging challenges, such as major policy or delivery changes.

You will work closely with digital product teams, providing hands-on analytical support across the organisation. This includes assessing new ideas, modelling costs and benefits, and evaluating how well programmes are delivering value. You may also contribute to high-profile programmes within the Government Major Projects Portfolio.

1. In the GOV.UK programme within GDS, embedded in the GOV.UK Policy & Strategy team

We are a multidisciplinary team responsible for strategy, engagement, policy and evaluation for GOV.UK channels and capabilities. We are a friendly team that prioritises kindness, openness and collaboration

Reporting to the Evaluation Lead, as the Senior Data Analyst (Economist) you will develop a common set of standards, guidance and products for the various GOV.UK teams to implement into product management ensuring best practice in relation to evaluating and evidencing the value delivered by their products for users and government. The role also includes supporting the delivery of planning projects that can emerge such as business cases for Spending Review bids

As a Senior Data Analyst (Economist) in the Economic analysis team, you will:

• lead the technical modelling of a strong economic case for digital investment - Apply appraisal methods and the best available evidence to develop and deliver clear, compelling business cases. Clearly articulate to senior leaders the economic case for how GDS work delivers value for money and benefits for the public and for government
• embed effective monitoring and evaluation - Use Magenta Book principles to design proportionate evaluation plans, including clear theories of change. Make sure evidence and learning are built in from the start
• test and improve through pilots and experiments - Identify opportunities to run pilots with robust evaluation. Collaborate with digital product teams to generate evidence on what works and use it to improve services and spending proposals
• assure quality of analysis and modelling - Review data, assumptions and methods to ensure analysis is credible and transparent. Strengthen the evidence base in line with Green Book and Aqua Book guidance
• work across teams to influence decisions - Build strong relationships with product, strategy and finance teams. Help teams understand problems, assess risks, and align work with GDS priorities, The standard selection process for roles at GDS consists of:
• a simple application screening process - we only ask for a CV, responses to 2 knockout questions and a security check question Important tip - please ensure that your responses include how you meet the skills and experience listed in the “person specification” section above
• panel interview stage: 60 minute video interview, We will use this to understand your work, experience, and assess in terms of competency, technical and behaviours. You will receive a brief beforehand if preparation is needed. This will be conducted over video conferencing

Depending on how many applications we get, there might also be an extra stage before the video interview, for example a phone interview or a technical exercise.

In the event we receive a high volume of applications, we will conduct the initial sift against the lead criteria which is:

• experience of the applying the economics principles such as those set out in the HMT Green Book, with particular knowledge of economics business cases, economic appraisal and ROAMEF cycle

In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We’ll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.

For this role we’ll be assessing you against the following Civil Service Behaviours:

• communicating and influencing
• working together
• seeing the big picture, * 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)
• 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

• experience of the applying the economics principles such as those set out in the HMT Green Book, with particular knowledge of economics business cases, economic appraisal and ROAMEF cycle.
• experience with technical modelling in Microsoft Excel
• experience providing quality assurance and rigorously interrogating unfamiliar models and analyses
• experience communicating economic analysis to non-analytical audiences
• experience of working collaboratively across teams, with excellent interpersonal skills
• experience of independently leading and delivering analytical cross cutting projects with varying teams and stakeholders.
• experience of thinking independently and show initiative on how to approach a project
• experience of delivering at pace and under challenging time constraints when necessary
• experience with Magenta book methods and techniques such as process evaluation, impact evaluation, ‘theory of change’, and/or value for money evaluation, We’ll also be assessing your experience and specialist technical skills against the following skills defined in the Government Digital and Data Capability Framework for the Data Analyst role:
• applying statistical and analytical tools and techniques
• communicating between the technical and non-technical
• data management
• data preparation and linkage
• data visualisation
• delivering business impact through data
• managing a data project, 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 .

Pulled from the full job description

• Childcare
• Annual leave
• Employee discount
• Employee assistance programme
• Company pension
• Paid volunteer time
• Cycle to work scheme, There are many benefits of working at GDS, including:
• flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
• a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days
• an extra day off for the King’s birthday
• an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
• career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
• a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
• advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
• death in service benefits
• cycle to work scheme and facilities
• access to an employee discounts scheme
• 10 learning days per year
• volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year)
• access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning

Any move to Government Digital Service 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

Office attendance The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period. DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home)., Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

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

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 and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

Security:

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

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 meaningful checks to be carried out, you will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time, to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. Whilst a lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance, and expectation of UK residency may range from 3 to 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements needed for the role may result in the withdrawal of provisional jobs offers.

Sponsorship

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government. We are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.

Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:

• joining up public sector services
• harnessing the power of AI for the public good
• strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
• elevating leadership and investing in talent
• funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
• committing to transparency and driving accountability

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.

We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.

The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.

Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You’ll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need, 1. In the Economic Analysis Team within GDS, a central team that works across all product groups including GOV.UK. This team is part of the Product Strategy, Planning and Portfolio directorate.

Our team works as a trusted partner across GDS. We help teams use evidence and analysis to plan effectively, manage performance, and achieve better outcomes for users. Our goal is simple: to make sure GDS delivers its objectives efficiently and makes the best use of public money.