Economist Leads (2 roles available) BOLD Programme, Data Directorate, Ministry of Justice (Ref: 90113 )

Job summary

This position is National

Job description

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

Economist Leads (Better Outcomes through Linked Data) - BOLD Programme,�Data Directorate, Ministry of Justice

1. Overview

We have two G7 Economist roles in the BOLD programme, within the Data & Analysis Directorate.

Roles are open to:�

Existing analysts�from the GES profession�either on level transfer or on promotion.Other candidates�that are not members of the GES profession but possess and can demonstrate similar experience at the appropriate level. Badging opportunities will be available.

Minimum requirements to apply:

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

Grade 7 � must meet�all�of the following:

You have significant work experience (usually a minimum of four years) evidencing use of data and/or analytical skills. Time spent on an analytical PhD can count towards this. You have significant experience of managing projects You have experience of leading or managing a team

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. These are based at the following JCCs: Cardiff, Leeds, Nottingham, South Tyneside, Brighton, Ipswich and Liverpool, and the following JSOs: Ashford, Beverley, Haverfordwest, Hull, Merthyr Tydfil, Manchester, Newport, Birmingham, Sheffield, North Shields, Bristol, Wolverhampton, Weston-Super-Mare, Stafford, Truro, Winchester and Leeds.

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 2024�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.

2. About Data & Analysis

We are passionate about improving justice outcomes through innovative research, data and analysis. In Data and Analysis, we provide high quality data and analysis helping to ensure strategic, policy, finance, corporate and operational decisions are based on robust evidence.

We create a culture in which people are empowered with the data and information to make excellent decisions; using cutting edge tools, techniques and collaboration; putting evidence at the heart of the justice system.

We are a multi-disciplinary team of around 650 staff that sits at the heart of the Ministry of Justice providing analytical support across a diverse and exciting agenda. We work in a dynamic and fast-paced context and our skills are in heavy demand across the Ministry of Justice. Our collaborations beyond government are seen as ground-breaking. The Data and Analysis community is made up of analysts and specialists including: Social Researchers, Economists, Operational Researchers, Statisticians, Data Engineers, Data Scientists and other data specialists (such as data strategists, data dissemination, generalists and assurance experts).

Why work in Data and Analysis?
In Data and Analysis, 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.

The BOLD programme

The Better Outcomes through Linked Data (BOLD) programme is a cross-government initiative delivered in partnership between the MoJ, the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC), Public Health Wales (PHW)/Welsh Government (WG) and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) and this role offers the opportunity to deliver impact across a broad range of public services.

Public services collect a large amount of data which is used to improve the quality of services offered to the public, but it is often not shared between organisations, making it difficult to understand whether certain services have been effective.

The BOLD Programme, backed by investment from HM Treasury, will improve the connectedness of government data so that policymakers and those working on the frontline of UK public services have better quality evidence on what works in supporting victims, reducing homelessness and substance misuse and helping offenders turn their backs on crime. Understanding what services best help prison leavers into work could help to prevent thousands of people becoming victims each year and save some of the �18 billion annual cost of repeat crimes.

The programme has four demonstrator pilot projects focusing on substance misuse, homelessness, victims of crime and reducing reoffending. The demonstrator projects are so named because they are pilots for the ethos behind BOLD, striving to demonstrate the value of linking data across departmental boundaries, in this first iteration, to support adults who interact in different ways with the Criminal Justice System.

The post being offered sits within the Evaluation team of the BOLD programme. The evaluation aims to gather evidence to assess and understand the implementation of BOLD, as well as examine the impact of its activities and outputs. The evaluation of BOLD will be conducted under parallel work packages:

The first involves delivering the programme level evaluation, aiming to understand BOLD as a �service� of sharing and linking data and identify commonalities across the programme (including the pilots) to inform its conclusions and recommendations for future programmes involving data sharing and linking. The second involves conducting evaluations for each demonstrator pilot to examine the processes involved in delivering novel insights and linked data, as well as the possible impacts of these.

Following the end of the BOLD programme at the end of March 2025, the successful applicant will have the opportunity to move to an analyst role within Data and Analysis in the MoJ.��

3. What you�ll do

The postholders will be responsible for:

Developing and delivering the Value for Money (VfM) assessment of the BOLD programme. This will focus on two key levels of assessment: Impact at programme-level activities and outputs, examining the return on investment in relation to improvements in data sharing (as well as usage capability across government through dissemination of best practice and collaborative engagement) and the production of a robust resource of linked data that enhances evidence used across government.� Impact at demonstrator pilot-level, quantifying efficiencies based on outcomes across the substance misuse, homelessness, victims of crime and reducing reoffending pilots. Developing a longer-term economic capability for the data function beyond 2024/25, focussing on the broader societal impact of any shifts in policy and operational delivery cross-Government. Developing the economic case for the Spending Review.

4. Who you are

The job holders will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

Act as the economic leads for the BOLD programme, and support the MoJ�s Data Improvement Programme where necessary. Develop and deliver the VfM assessment of BOLD, both at programme-level and demonstrator pilot-level. Work closely within our cross-disciplinary teams of policy, operational and data science colleagues. Develop the economic case for the Spending Review, working with strategy colleagues. Build relationships with a range of stakeholders to develop a longer-term economic capability for the data function beyond 2024/25. Work collaboratively across MoJ and other departments to explore new and innovative ways of assessing VfM of data linking programmes/value of linked data. Work flexibly to support the wider analytical team within BOLD: promote and champion BOLD at conferences and stakeholder events.

The following experience and skills will be required:

An excellent leader with experience of delivering cost benefit/Value for Money analyses. A credible economist who is able to work across boundaries to prioritise analytical effort and focus delivery on high-impact economic analysis that directly informs operational and/or strategic decision-making.� Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with a broad range of partners, stakeholders and fellow analysts. A strong communicator who can translate complex economic analysis in a transparent and compelling way, building support and momentum.� Strong organisational skills with the ability to plan and prioritise your own workload when faced with competing priorities. An adaptable individual when faced with changing priorities and team needs. A user and customer focused economist who values and works hard to understand the complexity and diversity of customer needs and expectations.� Strong ability to identify areas of improvement and create innovative approaches to delivering economic analysis.

The following experience and skills are desirable:

Experience with R, Python, SQL, git.

5. How to apply

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

Your CV should be no more than 2 pages long and should show us your work history and previous experience. It should be 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. 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.

Behaviours

You will be assessed against the��at interview stage:

Working Together Changing and Improving� Seeing the Bigger Picture

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

�

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

Professional Competencies�

Professional Competency (1) Knowledge & SkillsGES - Analysis of Data.�Professional Competency (2) Influence & ImpactGES - Effective communication.�

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

6. 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.

7. Further Information

If you require any additional information about the role, please contact:

�and/or Nisha de Silva�

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

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

Working Together Changing and Improving Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

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

Professional Competencies� Professional Competency (1) Knowledge & Skillso GES - Analysis of Data. Professional Competencies� Professional Competency (2) Influence & Impacto GES - Effective communication.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of �54,358, Ministry of Justice contributes �15,747 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Access to learning and developmentA working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balanceA working culture which encourages inclusion and diversityA with an average employer contribution of 27%Annual LeavePublic HolidaysSeason 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: