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Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
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Architecture and Data
Digital
Information Technology
Operational Research
Science
Statistics
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About the job
Job summary
HMRC’s Risk and Intelligence Service (RIS) are looking for people with the experience and skills to join us as a Principal Data Analyst. You can look forward to a training programme tailored to your needs, the support of a mentor and excellent potential for career development.
See what its like to work at HMRC: find out more about us or ask our colleagues a question. Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.
Job description
As a Principal Data Analyst in RIS, youll be at the heart of innovation and development, leading and supporting on key project areas including Specialist Data Insight & Exploitation – developing rich data insight for partners, challenging current methods, and conveying the art of the possible. Youll be collaborating across HMRC to deliver clear, quantifiable outcomes through data exploitation.
Youll need a passion for analysis and innovation to support the Deployment of New Analytical Methods to support advancements in risk-targeting, population insight, and the utilisation of new sources of data and intelligence.
Youll fully exploit new Analytical Technology, understanding the requirements to protect and improve the technology which facilitates the delivery of an efficient tax risk-assessment service for HMRC.
Key Responsibilities
Youll play a lead role in the way we operate across the entire business area.
This will include:
- Exploring the use of data and analytics to provide innovation-focused solutions to business problems.
- Evaluating the options, impacts and risks of your clearly defined data-led recommendations.
- Ensuring sound working practices which lead to robust, replicable, and resilient outputs where benefits delivered can be tracked and monitored.
- Working with stakeholders to build effective relationships and use agile principles to understand user needs.
- Managing stakeholder expectations and moderate discussions about high-risk and complexity within constrained timescales.
- Articulating and presenting the outcomes of your work to stakeholders at all levels.
- Ensuring that we remain in step with fast-developing standards and best practices in the Data Science field.
- Developing capability and integrity across our data analyst community and challenge current methods of delivery.
Person specification
Data Analysts in the Civil Service are part of the Digital, Data & Technology (DDaT) profession. The essential and desirable criteria below are aligned to the DDaT framework, which you can read more about here.
Essential criteria
Your application must demonstrate:
- Analysis and Synthesis Significant experience and technical ability in the field of Data Analytics and/or Data Science.
- Project Management Demonstrable experience in leading the delivery of tasks and project teams using recognised project management methodologies.
- Communication Proven communication and customer engagement skills, presenting both conclusions/analytical concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.
Desirable criteria
To succeed in this role, the following criteria would be an advantage (desirable criteria will only be assessed in the event of a tie):
- Membership of one of the Analytical Professions (such as DDaT, GES, GSR or GORS) or Statistical Community (such as GSS, GSG).
- Experience of accountable development and deployment of statistical models to deliver operational, tactical, and strategic outcomes.
- Experience of data analysis or data science using a programming language for example, R, Python, SQL, or SAS.
Technical skills
Your CV will need to demonstrate:
- Knowledge and experience of Statistical Modelling and Programming Languages.
- Familiarity with Analytical Software and Tools.
- Ability to extract insights from data.
- Data Visualisation.
Webinars
We will be hosting three 30-minute webinars to let you know more about the Principal Data Analyst role and the different teams within HMRC. These will take place on:
If you would like to attend one of these sessions, please e-mail the Specialist Recruitment Team at risai.specialistrecruitment@hmrc.gov.uk with the slot you wish to attend. You’ll be sent a link to join closer to the time.
How to apply
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.
1. Application stage
Please provide a:
- CV up to 1,250 words. This should cover your job history, qualifications, and technical skills in the area of data analytics and/or data science. Please reference your key achievements and outcomes that relate to this job role. Please use the Previous skills/experience section to provide evidence that demonstrates the Technical skills listed above.
- Personal Statement up to 750 words. This should demonstrate how your experience meets all the essential criteria, and aligns with the key responsibilities and any desirable criteria that apply to you. Using the STAR method will help you to structure your examples.
We will assess your application against the Essential Criteria, key responsibilities and technical skills using the information provided across your CV and Personal Statement. In the event of a large number of applications, an initial shortlisting/sift will be performed on technical skills. A full sift will then take place on Experience.
2. Interview
If your application is shortlisted, you will be invited to an interview. This will be via Microsoft Teams with a panel of up to 3 people and will last around 60 minutes, consisting of:
- Experience questions.
- A Technical presentation on either a single piece of substantial analysis you have undertaken in the last 3 years, or a project involving statistical modelling and/or machine learning. Full details will be provided if you are shortlisted.
See the Success Profiles framework for how we assess Experience and Technical.
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Knowledge and experience of statistical modelling and programming languages. Familiarity with analytical software and tools. Ability to extract insights from data. Data visualisation.
Benefits
£14,201 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
The calculation above is HMRC’s annual contribution to your pension, based on the national salary rate.
We offer a huge range of other benefits including:
- Hybrid home/office working pattern with flexibility to work up to two days a week from home.
- A flexi-time scheme allowing you to vary your start, finish, and break times as long as you work your total hours
- Generous paid parental and adoption leave.
- 25 days annual leave in your first year, increasing by one day for each years qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.
- Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle.
Find more about HMRC benefits in our Your little extras booklet for further information.
About HMRC
HMRC is the UKs tax, payments, and customs authority, and we have a vital purpose: we collect the money that pays for the UKs public services and help families and individuals with targeted financial support. We are one of the UKs largest organisations, with around 66,000 employees, collecting over £605 billion in tax revenue.
About the Risk & Intelligence Service (RIS)
RIS collects, integrates and analyses one of the largest and most diverse range of data and intelligence in the world. This enables HMRC to understand and manage risks associated with non-compliance with the UK tax system.
You will join one of these teams that use data to deepen our understanding of how to ensure the right tax is paid, working with some of the most complex and comprehensive data in the country:
Compliance Operational Insight & Risking (COIR) lead on the design and delivery of high-risk taxpayer profiles and risk packages to meet the needs of our internal customers across HMRC.
Large Business Data Analytics (LBDA) support compliance colleagues working on the 2,000 largest businesses, providing population insight, and surfacing risks that represent some of the biggest financial challenges to the Exchequer.
Data Analytics Team (DAT) inform policy and compliance decisions by analysing large volumes of data, to identify trends, behavioural patterns, and risk populations.
Find more about HMRC benefits in ‘Your little extras and big benefits handbook’ for further information or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Vacancy timeline
Dates are provided as a guide only, and may change:
- Apply by: 23:55 on Sunday 20th August
- Sift/shortlisting: we’ll aim to release the results by Friday 25th August
- Interviews: week commencing 4th September
Security Clearance is required for this role
In addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, you must pass National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level.
You will need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of security vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you do not have a minimum of 5 years consecutive residency in the UK then your application will be rejected.
If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please contact Specialist Recruitment Team.
If you do not already hold SC, your security check will be in progress when you start in this role, and your formal offer will be conditional on subsequently passing. If you do not pass SC, you will not be able to remain in this role and HMRC will attempt to find an alternative role for you.
For more information on the level of security checks we will carry out, review this information on security checks.
Eligibility
This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. To check that you are eligible to apply, review this eligibility information.
Probation
If you join us as a new employee and have not worked in HMRC or the Civil Service, you are required to complete a 6-month probationary period. If youve worked in another part of government or another Government agency, where a probation period has already been successfully completed as a Civil Servant, or you have already completed your probation in HMRC, you might not need to undertake a probationary period, or it might be shorter than 6 months. Usually, where continuity of service is preserved or where you have other eligible periods of service, then any previous period of successfully completed probation will count towards the current period of probation.
Reserve list
After interview, a single merit list will be created and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.
If more candidates meet the required standard at interview than there are posts available, posts will be offered in strict merit order and a reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made (for the same or similar roles). if this applies to you, well let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.
Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers
This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need, so please review the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the location preferences section that you are able to travel to.
Reasonable Adjustments
We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition, or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.
If you need a reasonable adjustment or a change to be made so that you can make your application, review this information on reasonable adjustments, and contact hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible.
Equality and Diversity
Were committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues here at HMRC. We want everyone to feel valued, supported and comfortable being their true self at work.
Were proud to be a diverse and inclusive employer, supporting social mobility by giving opportunities to people from all walks of life, and reflective of the society that we serve. Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success and we welcome applications from people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role.
We want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us and offer a range of flexible working patterns and support. Our aim is to make a fulfilling career at HMRC accessible to you.
For more information on how we make this happen, review this information on our culture and values.
Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.
We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible after considering operational and customer service needs. We cant guarantee that we can meet all requests to work flexibly, as agreement will be subject to business ability to accommodate, and any request to work a more flexible arrangement should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer.
Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.
The Civil Service runs a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Locations
HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.
Further Information
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.
Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application/s will be withdrawn from the process.
Duplicate applications for the same vacancy will also be withdrawn.
Transferring into HMRC from Civil Service If you are currently working for an Other Government Department (OGD) and would like to consider the impact on your pay when joining HMRC, please see the attached document “Combined T&C and OGD Pay English, found at the bottom of this advert. Further information on staff transfers can be found on gov.uk.
Problems during the application process
If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
If you think youve made a mistake on a short application form (e.g. youve ticked the incorrect eligibility box), please contact hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk at least two working days before the vacancy closes. After this, we wont be able to reopen your application.
Please use the subject line to insert appropriate wording e.g. Please re-open my application – 300424 & vacancy closing date 20/08/2023. Please note that we cannot amend or re-open your application if you have submitted your full application in the interests of fair and open recruitment.
For reasonable adjustments queries or requests, please see details within reasonable adjustments section above.
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 : RIS Analysis Specialist Recruitment Team (use this for questions about the role or interview queries)
- Email : risai.specialistrecruitment@hmrc.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
