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Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
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Social Research
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About the job
Job summary
The Social Mobility Commission (SMC) is seeking a Head of Analysis to cover the Nurturing Talent work stream. The successful candidate will join our successful secretariat team on a permanent basis as soon as possible.
The Social Mobility Commission is a non-departmental public body that is sponsored by the Cabinet Office. We have a responsibility to monitor the Government’s progress on social mobility, to improve and advocate social mobility.
The Head of Analysis reports to the G6 Deputy Director – Evidence & Analysis and will oversee the development of the Commissions evidence programme, with a particular focus on aspects of early years, child development, families and schools.
The secretariat is made up of four teams: Senior Leadership, Evidence & Analysis, Policy, Government & Parliament, Stakeholder Management and External Affairs and Operations, Coordination & Governance. This role sits within the Evidence & Analysis team.
As an experienced data analyst, you will oversee the scoping, commissioning, management and delivery of a research programme, including quality-assuring technical analysis and mixed methodologies.
You will need to be able to undertake quantitative evaluation of existing datasets. These analyses will help understand patterns of social mobility across the UK and drivers of poor mobility, alongside helping to shape messaging for the Commission.
You will have a proven track-record of published reports, analysis and/or evidence-based briefings.
You will be able to synthesise information at pace, and often on short deadlines, to brief Commissioners for interviews and senior meetings.
Job description
As Head of Analysis your role is likely to require you to:
- Translating our research into robust, evidence-based messaging for our stakeholders. These include policymakers in Whitehall, local government, employers, and other advisory bodies, to name a few. A significant part of the job is using evidence to shape messaging for these diverse audiences, in close collaboration with policy and communications colleagues, to drive action on social mobility.
- Contributing and delivering on the Commissions analytical programme, including overseeing its annual statutory report and other evidence work as needed. This could include oversight of external suppliers, conducting original analysis, writing chapters and/or overseeing the end-to-end delivery of reports.
- Designing, commissioning and delivering a programme of mixed-methods research, and conducting in-house analysis for the Commissions advocacy work and policy recommendations.
- Working with other Secretariat members to shape and quality-assure the Commissions messaging where necessary, ensuring it is evidence-based.
- Line manage other analysts.
Person specification
Essential Skills
The following skills are essential, however the Social Mobility Commission is an open and inclusive team that seeks to reflect the society we live in. We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds. Diversity is a strength, and we seek to work as inclusively as we can to harness it. In our team, your potential matters more than your qualifications.
- A proven analytical background with a track record of leading and authoring high impact publications inside or outside of government. This would include analysis and writing of reports, rapid evidence reviews, and research reports.
- Scoping and managing commissioned research, related to early years or families, an/or education.
- In-depth knowledge of main qualitative and quantitative research methods, with a demonstrable track record of high-profile and published analysis, preferably related to issues of social mobility.
- Experience conducting secondary data analysis, on datasets such as the Labour Force Survey and Understanding Society. Ability to apply these techniques to monitor and assess outcomes.
- A demonstrable understanding of descriptive statistics, regression analysis techniques and causal inference (or econometrics) and be able to implement these and /or critique literature using these methods.
- Proficiency with data analysis software, (preferably R, but any including Python, STATA etc).
- Experience quality assuring analytical outputs, such as analytical scripts and/or charts, figures, tables in reports.
- Communicating technical concepts to a wide range of technical and non-technical audiences, including senior staff.
- Ability to work at pace across simultaneous work areas, and adapt as needed to meet changing demands.
- Applicants should be a badged member of one of Government Analytical Professions (Government Economic Service, Government Social Research, Government Operational Research Service, Government Statistical Group, DataScience.) If you are currently an unbadged analyst, this selection process is not a badging assessment for membership to one of the analytical professions. You will therefore need to meet the membership requirements for one of the analytical professions to apply for badging once in post.
Desirable Skills
- Line management experience.
- Demonstrable understanding of the interplay between research and policy interventions, and the ability to apply evidence and policy to programme delivery.
- Experience in contracting and contract management with academic suppliers, where youve worked closely with them to deliver a large and diverse number of deliverables.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Analytical skills
- Analytical leadership skills
Benefits
£14,418 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 which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and average employer contributions of 27%.
- A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application process
Applicants are required to complete a CV and 750 word personal statement demonstrating their evidence against the person specification outlined above.
Please ensure you are clear in the personal statement on if your experience and knowledge is in Nurturing Talent.
Selection process
Applications will be sifted on CV and personal statement.
Desirable criteria will only be used in the event of a tie break between candidates scores.
If successful at the interview stage, the candidates will be asked to give a presentation, and assessed based on their technical skills and behaviours.
The interview will consist of:
- A presentation to be prepared in advance, further details of which will be sent to those invited to interview.
- Interview questions using the behaviour success profiles.
Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date w/c 27 November 2023 and w/c 4 December 2023
Expected interview date/s w/c 11 December 2023 and w/c 18 December 2023
Interview location – remote
Further information
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘contact point for applicants’ section.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Any move to Cabinet Office 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.
A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.
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 /Disclosure Scotland 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.
For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
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 applicants 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.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
Reasonable adjustments
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 at: cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
- Complete the assistance required section in the personal information page of your application form to provide information we should be aware of that will enable us to support you further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Susan Power
- Email : susan.power@socialmobilitycommission.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk. For further information on the Recruitment Principles. and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.
