The national salary range is £41,463 - £45,276 London salary range is £47,657 - £52,040 Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
Cross Government
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
31-Jul-2025
Post Type
Permanent
SEO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
7873
Do you have the passion, values, and ability to help us solve the biggest problems of the justice system?
Prison Statistics Analyst, Prison Statistics Team, Analysis Directorate Ministry of Justice
The advertised role sits within the Prison Statistics team – a team which are responsible for processing, analysing and publishing data based on our key prison datasets, as well as offering key analytical insight to support / challenge policy initiatives.
Recent (and ongoing) work includes supporting the Department’s response to prison capacity pressures (including bespoke analysis on the early release of prisoners from some determinate sentences [SDS40] and work at pace in response to the Independent Sentencing Review). This work has included producing fast-paced analysis on prisoner cohorts to inform Ministerial policy options.
Other recent high-profile work has included exploratory analysis into the length of time prisoners spend on remand, as well as planned work on maximising the use of existing data to identify the numbers and characteristics of ex-service personnel in the prison population to support long-standing ministerial priorities.
Role is open to:
Due to the role being analytical, those successful in recruitment will be eligible for a specialist allowance following an analytical interview based on the following values:
Minimum requirements to apply:
Candidates must be able to show the relevant experience and skills and must meet the criteria for entry:
SEO grade:
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 August 2025 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.
We are passionate about improving justice outcomes through innovative research, data and analysis. In the Analysis Directorate, 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 c.500 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 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 the Analysis Directorate?
In the Analysis Directorate, 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
Prison Statistics Analyst
This high profile and exciting role will expand capacity within the team to work on analytical projects relating to prisons. In particular, this post will be drawn extensively into continued high-profile project work relating to prison capacity, as well as longer term projects, such as switching to a new source of data on veterans in prison.
The role will also involve supporting the team (as required) on more routine data asks (in the form of Freedom of Information requests, Parliamentary Questions and statistical publications) as well as urgent Ministerial asks. The role will also likely include the Line Management of a Higher Executive Officer (HEO) member of staff. The postholder will develop deep subject matter expertise and advise analysts and policy leads across MoJ on the effective use of prison data, as well as leading analysis directly.
This is a challenging post in a high-profile area where high-quality analytical work has the chance to make real impact and shape decision making at the highest levels of the Department. It requires working with policy, analytical and operational customers to elicit and refine their data requirements, then take responsibility for delivering analysis that has impact.
Key Responsibilities of the Role
The following experience and skills are essential:
The following experience and skills are desirable:
You’ll need to submit an anonymised CV and evidence against the three Civil
Service success profiles behaviours and one technical element listed below. You
will not be considered if you do not provide both a CV and behaviour examples.
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.
You will be assessed against the following behaviours in the Civil service success
There will be a 250-word limit per behaviour answer. Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at the relevant
As well as the three civil service behaviours stated above, you are also asked to
provide evidence of suitability for one technical element. There will be a 250-word limit.
For GSS candidates, please provide evidence against the professional competency “Data Analysis”.
For GORS candidates, please provide evidence against the professional competency “Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques”.
For non-GSS / non-GORS candidates within the Civil Service, please provide evidence of leading a piece of analytical work: you will be assessed on your analytical knowledge, experience and abilities, and the impact of your analytical work.
5a. Selection Process
There will be an initial sift of applicants through comparing submitted evidence against the specified behaviours. This usually takes two weeks, depending on the number of applications. In the event there are a high number of applications, the lead behaviour (leadership) may be used to conduct an initial sift and applications that do not meet the minimum requirement for this criterion will not progress to a full sift.
Those who make it through the full 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.
Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade.
For GSS/GORS badged candidates and 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.
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:
Government Operational Research Service (GORS): Further information can be found within the link below:
You will be required to carry out a presentation at interview. Details of this will be sent to those candidates who are invited for interview.
If you require any additional information about the role, please contact:
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.
Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
For nationally advertised roles: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map . All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).
For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.
All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.
There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Pension
The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
Training
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Networks
The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.
Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.
Support
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.
You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.
For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos .
Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.
MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
Civil Service Nationality Rules
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.
Contact Information
MoJ:
If you require any additional information about the role, please contact:
Due to the role being analytical, those successful in recruitment will be eligible for a specialist allowance following an analytical interview based on the following values:
Analysis - Job Description - Prison Stats SEO REVISED 030725.docx(Job Description Attachment)
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Leadership, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.
250
Leadership
Delivering at Pace
Changing and Improving
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Experience Questions
Experience Questions Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Experience Questions
Technical
Technical Questions Application Form Question Word Limit
250
As well as the three civil service behaviours stated above, you are also asked to
provide evidence of suitability for one technical element. There will be a 250-word limit.
For GSS candidates, please provide evidence against the professional competency “Data Analysis”.
For GORS candidates, please provide evidence against the professional competency “Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques”.
For non-GSS / non-GORS candidates within the Civil Service, please provide evidence of leading a piece of analytical work: you will be assessed on your analytical knowledge, experience and abilities, and the impact of your analytical work.
Interview Dates
Expected August 2025
Behaviours
Leadership
Delivering at Pace
Changing and Improving
Technical
• Professional Competency (1) Knowledge & Skills
o GSS - Data Analysis.
o GORS - Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques.
• Professional Competency (2) Influence & Impact
o GSS - Presenting and disseminating data effectively.
o GORS - Achieving impact with analysis.
Which assessment methods will be used?
Presentation
Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
* The salary benchmark is based on the target salaries of market leaders in their relevant sectors. It is intended to serve as a guide to help Premium Members assess open positions and to help in salary negotiations. The salary benchmark is not provided directly by the company, which could be significantly higher or lower.