Senior Data Analyst

Liverpool Regional Centre, India Buildings, 31 Water Street, L2 0RD

We operate hybrid working, giving you the flexibility to work up to two days a week from home.

About The Job

Job summary

We want self-starting and self-confident people to join the Preventive Risking Exploration, Insight & Advancement Team to help us exploit and build upon our current capability, in order to identify new and emerging fraud in as close to real time as possible.

As a Senior Data Analyst (SDA) you’ll have a genuine passion for analytics, an innovative mind-set, and the ability to lead and communicate effectively while actively seeking to build capability across our network. We’re looking for people that will question our current methods, and offer unique solutions to emerging challenges.

See what it’s like to work at HMRC : find out more about us or ask our colleagues a question . Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

Our Senior Data Analysts (SDAs) demonstrate high levels of experience, skills and ability when using a range of cutting-edge analytical tools and software, manipulating complex datasets to develop insight and identify risk.

SDAs lead on maintaining and developing our technical standards of analysis, are responsible for the quality of our analytical products, and also ensuring that standards are upheld and improved. They provide leadership and guidance on ‘big ticket’ projects and support our data analysts on complex profiles, encouraging delivery through others and actively seeking new and innovative ways of working.

Person specification

You will be expected to;

• Employ advanced analytical skills to design and deliver products that identify individuals, businesses and customer behaviours of the greatest risk to the UK economy.
• Use new tools and techniques to develop your expertise for manipulating large datasets, including a range of taxpayer, government, public and commercially available information.
• Initiate and undertake complex and accurate analysis.
• Train and mentor our data analysts, building their confidence and capability.
• Be responsible for building the overall skills of our analytical community.
• Build capability within our analytical community, developing effective and efficient working processes which encourages our people to thrive.
• Ensure products meet our quality standards.

• Proven relevant experience of working in an analytical role, where the skills you have developed can be transferred to this Senior Data Analyst role.
• Effective verbal, written communication and presentation skills.
• Experience of working with ambitious, non-analytical stakeholders, often across multiple lines of business.
• Proven track record of flexibility, with the ability to adapt quickly and re-prioritise work when required.
• High levels of experience and technical ability when using bulk data analysis tools or languages, such as SAS Enterprise Guide (or similar).
• Experience of analysing data to spot trends and anomalies, and work with technical experts to identify and plug vulnerabilities.
• Work with business stakeholders to capture their requirements to develop and deliver analytical projects, and demonstrate a capability of effectively. communicating project changes, progress issues and results to stakeholders.

• Previous experience of working in an analytical role.
• Be proficient in the use of analytical software such as SAS, R, SQL or another package to manipulate complex and large data sets. Full training will be given to use all HMRC tools.
• A tax background / knowledge.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement.

Stage 1: Initial Sift – Personal Statement and CV

CV

A CV should demonstrate your proven relevant experience that meets the essential criteria, and how/where the skills you have developed could be transferred to this Senior Data Analyst role.

Personal Statement

A 1000-word personal statement which should explain how you meet the remaining essential criteria and key responsibilities.

It is important you write about how you meet all the required elements of the essential criteria and key responsibilities within the personal statement, not just some of the elements.

Using the STAR format will help you to structure your examples.

Personal Statements and CVs will be sifted before candidates are progressed to the next stage of the recruitment process. Candidates will not be invited to the next stage of the recruitment process where the sifting panel deems the requirements of the personal statement and CV have not been met.

We reserve the right to raise the score required at any stage of the process in order to manage numbers.

Applicants who are successful at the sift will be invited to a Blended Interview.

Stage 2 - Blended Interview – Experience, Technical Skill, Behaviour and Strengths

The face-to-face interview is in two parts;

Part 1

You will be asked to deliver a 20-minute PowerPoint presentation, to demonstrate a significant piece of analysis you have undertaken which developed insight and delivered a real business benefit.

Your interview panel will be both technical and business colleagues who will test both the techniques used to develop insight and your ability to engage and explain your analysis to business experts.

Part 2

You will be asked questions to test Experience, Behaviour and Strengths most closely matched with the role expectations.

Sift and Interview dates to be confirmed.

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles – if this applies to you, we’ll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

Behaviours

Well assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions

Alongside your salary of £42,618, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £11,506 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The calculation above is HMRCs annual contribution to your pension, based on the national salary.

We offer a huge range of other benefits including:

• Hybrid home/office working pattern with flexibility to work up to two days a week from home
• A flexi-time scheme allowing you to vary your start, finish, and break times as long as you work your total hours
• Generous paid parental and adoption leave
• Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle
• Colleagues joining HMRC with no continuous period of employment (that is, qualifying service) will receive 185 hours (25 days) Annual Leave which will increase by one day for each year’s qualifying service up to a maximum of 222 hours (30 days). On top of bank holiday leave, youll also enjoy an extra day off to mark the Kings birthday

Find more about HMRC benefits in Your little extras and big benefits handbook for further information or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Please note that if you are subject to managing poor performance and/or attendance procedures or debarred from promotion following a conduct and discipline offence, you are not eligible to apply.(Internal candidates only).

You are expected to serve a minimum 2 years in the role.

Security Update

For more information on the level of security checks we will carry out, review this information on security checks

Additional Security Information

Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

If you do not already hold SC, your security check will be in progress when you start in this role, and your formal offer will be conditional on subsequently passing. If you do not pass SC, you will not be able to remain in this role and HMRC will attempt to find an alternative role for you.

This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. 

External candidates who are successful will be appointed on a provisional basis until security clearance has been approved, failure to meet the required standard will lead to dismissal from HMRC.

Internal candidates who are successful will be appointed on a provisional basis until security clearance has been approved, failure to meet the required standard will result in the candidate being returned to their original directorate/grade .

Successful candidates could be offered a post in any of the head of duty specific operational functions or EIA within Preventive Risking.

Eligibility

To check that you are eligible to apply, review this eligibility information

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers:

In line with the rest of CCG, RIS Preventive Risking are an office-based organisation, and we do expect all of our full time staff to work on average 3 days per week in an HMRC office location (pro rata for part time or special working arrangement). Please note, this role is unsuitable for contractual homeworkers due to the nature and/or requirements of the role.

Reasonable Adjustments

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition, or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a reasonable adjustment or a change to be made so that you can make your application, review this information on reasonable adjustments , and contact hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible.

Diversity and Inclusion

At HMRC we are committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues and creating an inclusive and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society we serve.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role. We’re committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues here at HMRC. We want everyone to feel valued and supported to achieve their potential at HMRC.

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible after considering operational and customer service needs. We can’t guarantee that we can meet all requests to work flexibly, as agreement will be subject to business ability to accommodate, and any request to work a more flexible arrangement should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer.

Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.

The Civil Service runs a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Locations

HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations .

Further Information

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.

Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application/s will be withdrawn from the process.

Duplicate applications for the same vacancy will also be withdrawn.

Transferring into HMRC from Civil Service If you are currently working for an ‘Other Government Department’ (OGD) and would like to consider the impact on your pay when joining HMRC, please see the attached document "Combined T&C and OGD Pay English”, found at the bottom of this advert. Further information on staff transfers can be found on gov.uk

Problems during the application process

If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the Contact point for applicants section.

If you think you’ve made a mistake on a short application form (e.g. you’ve ticked the incorrect eligibility box), please contact hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk at least two working days before the vacancy closes. After this, we won’t be able to reopen your application.

Please use the subject line to insert appropriate wording e.g. Please re-open my application - 321225 - and vacancy closing date 13/11/2023 . Please note that we cannot amend or re-open your application if you have submitted your full application in the interests of fair and open recruitment.

For reasonable adjustments queries or requests, please see details within reasonable adjustments section above.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window) . See our vetting charter (opens in a new window) .

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality Requirements

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)
• 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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 Commissions recruitment principles (opens in a new window) .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Specialist Recruitment Team
• Email : risai.specialistrecruitment@hmrc.gov.uk

• Email : hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly with the department concerned via complaints.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here