SEO analyst

Ministry of Justice; United States; Hybrid; USD 53,000 - 86,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Career development budget

Hybrid working with US offices

Job summary

The Ministry of Justice is advertising a permanent SEO analyst role within the Recall, Release, Parole & Prisoners (R2P2) team, part of SOMA, to support policy development with data-driven analysis on prison capacity and related measures.

The postholder will join a multidisciplinary team of statisticians, operational researchers and social researchers, working across Leeds or London offices with flexible and hybrid arrangements.

Qualifications

• Significant data analysis experience, including statistical methods and reporting.
• Ability to translate policy needs into analytical insights for decision-makers.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Model the impact of policy measures on prison capacity.
• Collaborate with cross-functional analytical teams to support analyses of policy measures.
• Provide analytical support to ministers and senior stakeholders.
• Communicate limitations and uncertainty clearly in findings.
• Produce high-quality quantitative analyses using R and Python.

Skills

Data analysis

Policy analysis

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in a quantitative field

Tools

R

Python

Excel

Job description

We are advertising for this permanent SEO analyst role within the Ministry of Justice. This is an exciting time to join the team in a fast-paced and fascinating policy area which has recently attracted significant public, parliamentary, and ministerial interest through the implementation of the Sentencing Act, and in particular the Progression "early release scheme" policy. The postholder will become part of the Recall, Release, Parole & Prisoners (R2P2) team, part of Sentencing and Offender Management Analysis (SOMA). There are currently four G7 led teams in the R2P2 team providing analytical support to the recall, release, parole and other policy teams. We are a multi-disciplinary team of statisticians, operational researchers and social researchers and provide data and analysis to support policy development. This role sits within the Release Analysis G7 team. The team develops analysis of policies to reduce prison demand to tackle the ongoing prison capacity crisis, to inform and support the Capacity Strategic Forum, as well as providing insight on the types of offenders being managed in custody. The team is very reactive to new and urgent pieces of work, and act as liaisons to our policy colleagues. Roles are open to: 1. Existing analysts from professions (GORS/GSS/GSR) either on level transfer or on promotion. 2. Other candidates that are not members of GSS, GORS, GSR professions but possess and can demonstrate similar experience at the appropriate level. Badging opportunities will be available once in post for those who wish to apply to become GSS, GORS, GSR badged professionals.

• You have significant work experience evidencing use of data and/or analytical skills. Time spent on an analytical PhD can count towards this.

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 from October 2026 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.

About the Sentencing and Offender Management Analysis Team

In SOMA, we provide high quality analysis to support policy and operational colleagues, ensuring that our seniors and ministers are able to make robust and evidenced decisions affecting offenders, victims, HMPPS, and the public. We are a multi-disciplinary team of around 50 staff that sit with the YJOP directorate, allowing close and collaborative working with our policy colleagues on areas with high ministerial interest. We work in a dynamic and fast-paced context, and have directly influenced and supported some of the most impactful changes to the Criminal Justice System within the past few decades. Our community is made up of analysts and specialists including: Social Researchers, Economists, Operational Researchers, and Statisticians.

Why work in our team?

In SOMA, 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 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.
• 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.

What you'll do

The role holder will be responsible for providing analytical advice on how proposed policy measures affect prison capacity, to enable ministers to make business critical decisions and help to shape policies pre-implementation. In the immediate term, the team are focused on the Sentencing Act and are responsible for analysis supporting the progression model measure. This involves:

• Modelling the impact of the Progression model changes.
• Working with colleagues in other analytical teams to support their analysis of other Sentencing Act measures and interactions between measures.
• Working closely with policy and operational colleagues to provide analytical support for implementation.
• Providing analysis to support ministers and senior stakeholder in making key decisions.

Looking past the Sentencing Act, the team provides analysis for other key release measures. For example, the team has previously worked on End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL), SDS40, and Home Detention Curfew (HDC365). These are very high-profile work areas with significant ministerial and No.10 interest. The role will involve the following:

• You will be responsible for building and maintaining strong, productive working relationships with a range of HMPPS and MoJ Policy colleagues.
• You will collaborate across wider analytical teams to deliver a range of analytical products, often at pace.
• You will produce high profile analysis for Ministers, the LC, No.10, and senior MoJ stakeholders.
• Your analysis will inform critical decisions on managing prison capacity.
• You will effectively communicate complex analysis to a range of both technical and non-technical colleagues in order to highlight key messages and ensure limitations and uncertainty are clear.
• You will produce high quality quantitative analysis using a range of analytical tools, particularly R and Python.

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.

Selection Process