Ministry of Justice

Senior Research Officer in Probation and Reoffending Analysis 

1.     Overview  

We have one role in Probation and Reoffending Analysis, within Probation and Reoffending Directorate.  

Roles are open to: 

1. Existing badged analysts from GSR either on level transfer or on promotion. 
2. Other candidates that are not a members of the GSR profession but are a members of GORS or GSS and can demonstrate similar experience at the appropriate level. Badging opportunities will be available once in post for GORS or GSS professionals 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:   

SEO grade: 

• 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 August 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. 

1.  About the Analysis Directorate 

We are passionate about improving justice outcomes through innovative research, data and analysis. In the Analysis Directorate, 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 the Analysis Directorate?

In the Analysis Directorate, 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. 

2.  What you’ll do

SEO role in Probation and Reoffending Analysis -- Probation and Reoffending Analysis exists to provide high-quality, robust and timely evidence on policies to drive down crime and protect the public. We are a multi-disciplinary unit with a wide variety of analytical skills that are embedded, working directly alongside policy colleagues to ensure evidence is well placed to inform decisions related to the critical cross-government reducing reoffending strategy. 

This team is responsible for all evidence, monitoring, analysis and evaluation of Intensive Supervision Courts (ISCs). ISCs are specialist courts which divert repeat offenders with multiple and complex needs from custody into rehabilitative community sentences, with multi-agency support and judicial supervision. ISCs have a strong evidence base internationally and have attracted significant Ministerial, Parliamentary and public interest as an alternative route to addressing recidivism and preventing the cycle of crime that prison often creates. The job holder would be responsible for delivering the Intensive Supervision Court evaluation strategy using the full range of their social research skills to design and implement evaluations. This post is an opportunity to work in a highly influential policy space, providing evidence that could shape the future of community sentences and court interventions. The team work in a vibrant area, with strong relationships with policy, operational and frontline staff and judiciary, and frequent interaction with senior colleagues and Ministers interested in the ISCs success. As policies emerge, the post will have opportunities to research other court-based interventions beyond ISCs. 

The job holder will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

• Design and deliver in-house evaluations, including impact and economic evaluations for the ISC evaluation strategy.
• Scope out and conduct bespoke research and analysis to inform future decisions on ISCs and wider court-based interventions using qualitative and quantitative research skills.
• Conducting desk-based research of existing literature to expand the evidence base for ISCs and other court-based interventions.
• Communicate crucial evidence to policy and operational colleagues to inform decision making.
• Preparing reports, evidence reviews and findings of new and existing evidence.
• Deliver short-term ad-hoc quantitative analysis to advise policy and operational colleagues on ongoing delivery of ISCs.
• Draft evidence summaries for Ministerial submissions, briefings and public-facing communication.
• Line management of one HEO data analyst, including pastoral and task management. 

3.      Who you are 

The following experience and skills will be required:

• Strong analytical skills - in particular robust data skills and good working knowledge of the main quantitative, qualitative and evaluative research methodologies.
• Strong written and oral communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to explain complex technical data and analytical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Manage stakeholders’ expectations, dealing constructively with challenges and where appropriate adapting the analytical programme when requirements and circumstances change.
• Strong ability to plan, prioritise and lead an analytical project with challenging and competing timelines.
• Good problem-solving skills and the ability to act on own initiative.
• Ability to code in R that extracts and manipulates data to answer research questions, or willingness to learn R code. 

The following experience and skills are desirable:

• Experience of conducting qualitative analysis in NVivo or alternative software
• Experience of using data from administrative systems (e.g. nDelius, NOMIS, OneCrown).
• Previous line management experience 

4.     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. Selection Process 

There will be an initial sift of applicants through comparing submitted evidence against the ‘Who you are’ bullets. This usually takes two weeks, depending on the number of applications. 

Those who make it through the initial sift will be invited to a Civil Service Success Profile interview. In the Civil Service we use Success Profiles to help us find the right person for the job. We will be using a mixture of methods to assess your abilities, strengths, experience, technical skills, and behaviours. We highly recommend learning about Success Profiles and using the Situation, Task, Action, Result and Reflection (STARR) framework when structuring your answers. 

The highest scoring candidates that pass the interview will be offered the roles. The whole process can take up to a month. 

5b. Interview Process 

Behaviours 

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

• Communicating and Influencing  
• Managing a Quality Service 
• Delivering at Pace 

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 

• GSR - Knowledge and application of GSR technical skills  

Professional Competency (2) Influence & Impact 

• GSR - using and promoting social research 

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 Social Research Service (GSR): Further information can be found within the link below: 

GSR Competency Framework 2022 

6. 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.  

7. Further Information 

If you require any additional information about the role, please contact: Barnaby.Elwes@justice.gov.uk