Senior Safety Analyst in the Prisons Safety and Security TeamMinistry of Justice

23307

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

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

Senior Safety Analyst in the Prisons Safety and Security Team

Overview

We have 2 roles in the Prison Safety Analysis Team, within the MoJ Prisons Policy Directorate.

Roles are open to:

Existing badged analysts from GORS/GSS/GES either on level transfer or on promotion.

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.

Please note: this opportunity is only open to individuals currently employed within the Civil Service.

Specialist allowance

Due to the role(s) being analytical, those successful in recruitment will be eligible for a specialist allowance following an analytical interview based on the following values:

SEO London: £500

SEO National: £1500

Minimum requirements to apply:

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

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 in November 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 Analysis in MoJ

We are passionate about improving justice outcomes through innovative research, 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 300 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 Analysis at the MoJ?

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.

What you’ll do

Senior Analysts in the Prison Safety Team play a pivotal role in improving safety across prisons in England and Wales. Working at the heart of a high-profile and fast-paced policy area, you will provide analytical and research expertise to Ministry of Justice policy teams and the HMPPS National Safety Team, helping to shape decisions that directly affect the safety of staff and prisoners.

You will work closely with operational and policy colleagues to generate new insights, apply evidence to complex challenges, and drive continuous improvement across the prison estate. The team supports the National Safety Team in monitoring safety performance, tracking interventions in prisons, and developing innovative tools to strengthen quality assurance and safety case management.

A key part of the role is producing regular strategic safety reports, including Urgent Notification risk assessments, which directly inform HMPPS senior leaders decision-making. You will also respond to emerging safety issues and ministerial commissions, using innovative analytical techniques to answer complex questions and provide evidence-based advice to ministers, policymakers and operational leaders.

The work is varied, impactful and highly visible. One day you could be assessing the effectiveness of safety initiatives in the Long-Term High Security Estate; the next, you could be providing analysis that informs national policy or supports operational interventions in prisons facing significant safety challenges.

This is an excellent opportunity for analysts who want to see their work make a tangible difference. You will gain exposure to senior stakeholders, develop expertise in a nationally important policy area, and have extensive opportunities to broaden your analytical, operational and leadership skills as part of a supportive and collaborative team.

Who you are

The following experience and skills will be required:

Experience of using statistical techniques and conducting statistical analysis using R - in particular robust data skills and good working knowledge of handling and interpreting large, complex datasets.

Experience of using a range of analytical techniques to support decision making.

The ability to work on multiple projects at the same time and flexibly move between them.

Good written and oral communication skills to communicate evidence, data and analytical concepts and practices and key messages to a range of stakeholders, ensuring information is clear.

Ability to manage stakeholder needs, and deliver an organised programme of analysis/modelling, e.g., ensuring changes are documented and best practice AQA followed.

The following experience and skills are desirable:

Knowledge of, or experience in prison related analysis and prison datasets

Experience of working with PowerBi to produce insights and create dashboards

Experience of working with PowerApps to produce tools for our operational colleagues

Knowledge of, or experience of operational research techniques such as system dynamics, soft systems methodology, and MCDA

How to apply

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

Your work history should meet the following criteria: 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. Application Process (Behaviours)

You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework at application stage:

Communicating and Influencing

Managing a Quality Service

Working Together

In the event there are a high number of applications, the lead behaviour, Managing a Quality Service 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.

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

Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK

5b. Interview Process

You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework at interview stage:

Communicating and Influencing

Managing a Quality Service

Working Together

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

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf

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

For external (non-Civil Service) 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.

Professional Competencies

Professional Competency (1) Knowledge & Skills

GSS - Data Analysis.

GORS - Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques.

GES - Analysis of Data.

Professional Competency (2) Influence & Impact

GSS - Presenting and disseminating data effectively.

GORS - Achieving impact with analysis.

GES - 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 Statistician Group (GSG): Further information, including a user guide, can be found within the link below:

GSG-competency-framework-2021-reviewed-february-2023

Government Operational Research Service (GORS): Further information can be found within the link below:

GORS Competencies

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

GES Professional Standards 2022

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.

Further Information

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

[email protected].