Analyst, Release Analysis - Youth Justice & Offender Policy

We are advertising for this permanent SEO analyst role within the Ministry of Justice. This is an exciting time to join the team in a fast‑paced and fascinating policy area which has recently attracted significant public, parliamentary, and ministerial interest through the implementation of the Sentencing Act, and in particular the Progression "early release scheme" policy. The postholder will become part of the Recall, Release, Parole & Prisoners (R2P2) team, part of Sentencing and Offender Management Analysis (SOMA). There are currently four G7 led teams in the R2P2 team providing analytical support to the recall, release, parole and other policy teams. We are a multi‑disciplinary team of statisticians, operational researchers and social researchers and provide data and analysis to support policy development. This role sits within the Release Analysis G7 team. The team develops analysis of policies to reduce prison demand to tackle the ongoing prison capacity crisis, to inform and support the Capacity Strategic Forum, as well as providing insight on the types of offenders being managed in custody. The team is very reactive to new and urgent pieces of work, and act as liaisons to our policy colleagues. Roles are open to: Existing analysts from professions (GORS/GSS/GSR) either on level transfer or on promotion.

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 from October 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 the Sentencing and Offender Management Analysis Team

In SOMA, we provide high quality analysis to support policy and operational colleagues, ensuring that our seniors and ministers are able to make robust and evidenced decisions affecting offenders, victims, HMPPS, and the public. We are a multi‑disciplinary team of around 50 staff that sit with the YJOP directorate, allowing close and collaborative working with our policy colleagues on areas with high ministerial interest. We work in a dynamic and fast‑paced context, and have directly influenced and supported some of the most impactful changes to the Criminal Justice System within the past few decades. Our community is made up of analysts and specialists including: Social Researchers, Economists, Operational Researchers, and Statisticians.

Why work in our team?

In SOMA, 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 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.
• 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.

What you'll do

The role holder will be responsible for providing analytical advice on how proposed policy measures affect prison capacity, to enable ministers to make business critical decisions and help to shape policies pre‑implementation. In the immediate term, the team are focused on the Sentencing Act and are responsible for analysis supporting the progression model measure.

• Modelling the impact of the Progression model changes.
• Working with colleagues in other analytical teams to support their analysis of other Sentencing Act measures and interactions between measures.
• Working closely with policy and operational colleagues to provide analytical support for implementation.
• Providing analysis to support ministers and senior stakeholder in making key decisions.

Looking past the Sentencing Act, the team provides analysis for other key release measures. For example, the team has previously worked on End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL), SDS40, and Home Detention Curfew (HDC365). These are very high‑profile work areas with significant ministerial and No.10 interest. The role will involve the following:

• You will be responsible for building and maintaining strong, productive working relationships with a range of HMPPS and MoJ Policy colleagues.
• You will collaborate across wider analytical teams to deliver a range of analytical products, often at pace.
• You will produce high profile analysis for Ministers, the LC, No.10, and senior MoJ stakeholders.
• Your analysis will inform critical decisions on managing prison capacity.
• You will effectively communicate complex analysis to a range of both technical and non‑technical colleagues in order to highlight key messages and ensure limitations and uncertainty are clear.
• You will produce high quality quantitative analysis using a range of analytical tools, particularly R and Python, 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.

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 role. The whole process can take up to a month.

Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

Professional Competency (1) Knowledge & Skills

• GSS - Data Analysis.
• GORS - Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques.
• GSR - Knowledge and application of GSR technical skills.

Professional Competency (2) Influence & Impact

• GSS - Presenting and disseminating data effectively.
• GORS - Achieving impact with analysis.
• GSR - using and promoting social research.

Desirable

• Previous experience working across the criminal justice system.
• Understanding of the criminal justice system, particularly sentence calculation and post‑sentencing offender management.

Salary and allowance

The national salary range is £42,914 - £46,182, London salary range is £49,325 - £53,081. Your salary will be dependent on your base location, 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

Benefits

• Annual Leave: Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years' service. There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part‑time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro‑rated basis.
• Pension: The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
• Training: The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
• Networks: The opportunity to join employee‑run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
• Family Friendly policies: opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Flexible benefits: voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• Maternity/Paternity/Adoption leave: paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Other information

We are a hybrid working environment with a requirement of at least 60% office presence, subject to local estate capacity. Legal and securing status: Security clearance (SC). The role requires a background check and may be suitable for UK residents only. 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. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and support those meeting eligibility criteria for recruitment, including a range of visa and sponsorship arrangements.