Do you enjoy using coding skills (especially R) to produce and communicate statistics?
We have an exciting role for a statistician with data science and data presentation skills within the Defra’s EU and International Trade Directorate (EUIT).
EUIT is a highly knowledgeable and, above all, friendly directorate. The teams within EUIT take care to create a welcoming, supporting environment for colleagues from a wide range of socioeconomic, professional and educational backgrounds. We put a particular focus on learning and development, supporting each other to overcome challenges, learn new skills and improve policy outcomes.
EUIT represents the UK’s agri-food, fisheries and environment interests in the UK’s new trade agreements, at the World Trade Organization, in implementation of free trade agreements and in driving exports of agri-food and drink products around the world.
This role sits within the Trade Analysis, Project Delivery and Support team (TAPS), which includes a multi-disciplinary analytical team providing evidence and analysis to policy teams across EUIT and the wider Department.
Trade Analysis, Project Delivery and Support is an engaging, knowledgeable and helpful team. The team is a supportive environment for analysts from a wide range of backgrounds. We focus on learning and development, supporting each other to overcome analytical challenges and learn new approaches. The work has impacts on UK consumers, businesses, and the environment. This role offers ample development opportunity.
Job description
The main responsibilities related to this role include:
- Using data science skills (primarily R, Github) to develop and maintain innovative analytical tools. You will improve our access to data, analysis and presentation.
- Communicating analysis and insights to other analysts and policy teams in appropriate, innovative and insightful ways.
- Provide clear analysis, commentary, briefing and fact-checking to support policy making and trade negotiations. You will help to ensure that briefing material contains accurate evidence for senior leaders and Ministers.
- Maintain, develop and share expert knowledge on a wide range of trade data sources, including communicating their similarities and differences, strengths-weaknesses to analysts within the directorate and to wider Defra trade analysts.
- Provide wider statistical support to the Directorate.
- Work closely with other analytical colleagues (e.g. social researchers, economists, and operational researchers) to deliver the team’s goals.
- Participation in the Government Statistical Service (GSS) and wider Defra evidence communities.
- Opportunities to task manage interns
Person specification
The following experience criteria are essential to this post and will be tested at sift and interview:
- Strong R coding skills, especially related to data gathering (e.g. APIs) data visualisation and dissemination. Knowledge of Reproducible Analytical Pipelines.
- A proactive attitude and a track record of identifying, developing and delivering new or innovative solutions to add value, improve efficiency and/or deliver insightful final products for customers.
- Ability to communicate accurate, key analytical messages visually, verbally and in writing, to a non-technical audience, delivering solutions to meet a diverse range of customer needs whilst upholding professional standards as set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics.
- Comfortable working with others in a fast-paced environment.
- You should be an engaged and curious teammate, keen to develop your own skills, give feedback on others' suggested approaches and quality assure others' analysis, alongside leading on your own work areas.
Qualifications
This is a specialist post. Applicants must either be members of the Government Statistician Group (GSG) or be experienced analysts who can demonstrate the relevant technical skills or qualifications for the GSG at HEO level (see GSG competency framework). If you are not a current GSG member you must be able to demonstrate that you satisfy the eligibility criteria, can demonstrate the GSG competences at the HEO grade and be committed to becoming a member of the GSG within a reasonable timeframe. The minimum requirements for the GSG are that you must have at least one of the following:
- A first or second class honours degree in a numerate subject (2:2 minimum for Statistical Officer) containing at least 25% taught statistical content (e.g. Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Sciences, Business Studies, Psychology, Geography, Data Science or similar);
- A higher degree, e.g. an MSc or PhD, in a subject containing formal statistical training (e.g. Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Sciences, Business Studies, Data Science, Psychology, Geography or similar).
- Have worked in a statistical/data science field and are able to demonstrate continuous professional development (via a CPD Log Book) in statistics/data science at the same level as a foundation degree/HND (Level 5)
- Have achieved or on track to achieve a level 4 apprenticeship including at least 2 years in a statistical/data analysis field in government and are able to demonstrate continuous professional development in statistics/data analysis (via a CPD log book signed off by a manager or mentor who are members of the statistical profession).
Please ensure this is fully detailed, including any degree subject and classification, in the CV section of the application. Failure to provide this information will result in your application being sifted out of the process. Badged GSG members must state this in the CV section of their application.
Memberships
Applicants who are not already a member of the Government Statistician Group will be expected to undertake the relevant assessment to join within a reasonable timeframe.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Changing and Improving
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Changing and Improving
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Government Statistician Group (GSG) Competency Framework - Data analysis
- Government Statistician Group (GSG) Competency Framework - Presenting and disseminating data effectively
- Government Statistician Group (GSG) Competency Framework - Acquiring data and understanding customer needs
Apply before 11:55 pm on Thursday 23rd March 2023
