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This vacancy is only available to existing Civil Servant employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). Please review the "Eligibility" section before you apply.

General Information

Salary
£36,151 - £37,887
Working Pattern
Full Time, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
Cross Government
Location
Warrington
Region
North West
Closing Date
30-Jan-2026
Business Unit
NOMS CFO
Post Type
Loan
Civil Service Grade
HEO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
13414

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Overview of the job

HMPPS Creating Future Opportunities (CFO) is a large-scale national employability programme working across all Prisons and Probation areas. The CFO programme combines activity, funding and governance across all programme delivery areas for HMPPS and as such the post holder requires detailed knowledge of and effective links to the majority of departments across HMPPS and MoJ. The post sits within the CFO’s Research & Statistics team, tasked with the research, evaluation, analysis and reporting of CFO activity.

PLEASE NOTE: This role is office based at Daresbury Park Warrington and cannot be done remotely.  SC Clearance will be required for this role.  Evidence will be required if you already hold SC Clearance.  UK residency for the past 5 years is essential.  

IMPORTANT: Appointments will be on a 2-year loan from your home department. Candidates must obtain their line manager’s /department's approval to be released from their current position for the duration of the loan, a signed loan agreement will also be required. 

The post holder will provide support to the Research Statisticians and Information & Analysis Lead, being required to help conduct both offender facing research activities, such as interviews and surveys, and desk-based activities, such as data collation, analysis and report writing.

There are no line management responsibilities. The post reports to the Research Statistician, and through them to the Research & Statistics Lead Manager. This is a HQ post. The post is non-operational. To work 100% on externally funded projects.

Summary

To support and assist a close-knit team of Social Researchers and Statisticians in the ongoing research and evaluation of the rehabilitative programmes administered by HMPPS CFO throughout England. The applicant will be expected to perform a range of desk-based quantitative and field-based qualitative research techniques; work both collaboratively and independently; adhere to professional standards; help design and plan research projects; write and present reports for an array of audiences, both internal and external; and assist the Research & Statistics team with ad hoc pieces of work as they arise.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties 

The primary duty of the Research Support Officer will be to support the Research Statisticians in their research and evaluation of CFO programmes. The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Work closely and collaboratively with the Research Statisticians.

• Assist the Research Statisticians in conducting qualitative research through offender interviews, discussion groups and surveys. The post holder will provide support through comprehensive and accurate note taking and supporting offenders who have difficulty completing forms or surveys.

• The post holder will be required to deputise the Research Statistician on occasion and conduct the interviews/ surveys themselves.

• Work with large quantities of highly sensitive data including external/ non-MOJ datasets.

• With little or no supervision, be responsible for developing and maintaining data analysis tools to summarise and present complex data in an understandable and usable format for internal and external stakeholders.

• Collate, organise, transcribe and input interview/survey results in an accurate and timely manner in order to facilitate analysis using NVivo and Excel.

• Ensure information security protocols are adhered to at all steps of the research process.

• Conduct descriptive, basic and complex statistical analysis of data held by CFO, using Excel, SPSS and R.

• Produce short-form descriptive reports with little or no supervision. • Responsible for monitoring and responding to all external data requests into the team within the specified timescales.

• Adhere to Analytical Quality Assurance policies and the Code of Practice for Statistics.

• Assist the Research & Statistics team with non-routine and ad-hoc tasks. The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder. 

If you have any questions concerning the role or interview please contact the CFO Admin Team for assistance CFO-Admin@justice.gov.uk 

Additional Information

IMPORTANT: Appointments will be on a 2-year loan from your home department. Candidates must obtain their line manager’s /department's approval to be released from their current position for the duration of the loan, a signed loan agreement will also be required. 
Evidence will be required if you already hold SC Clearance. 

This role is office based at Daresbury Park Warrington and cannot be done remotely.

Working Arrangements & Further Information

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). 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, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

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.

Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS 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 HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.

If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.

The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.

Benefits

Annual Leave

-The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.

Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays

-You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays.

Pension

-The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Work Life Balance

HM Prison & Probation Service  (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ

Season Ticket Advance

-After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work

Childcare Vouchers

For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers

Training

HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes

-There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts

-All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles

Eligibility

-All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post

-All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS

-All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

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.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

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:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve list

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
If you have any questions concerning the role or interview please contact the CFO Admin Team for assistance CFO-Admin@justice.gov.uk

MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 13414

HMPPS

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 13414

Application form stage assessments

Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
To Be Confirmed
Behaviours
Making Effective Decisions
Communicating and Influencing
Managing a Quality Service
Strengths
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.
Level of security checks required
DBS Standard

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.  Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.