Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Circular Economy Indicators and Targets Analyst
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Bristol, London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, York
Job Summary
In Defra, we address a vast range of issues that profoundly impact on people’s lives. We are responsible for England’s environment, our countryside and rural economy, the food and farming sectors, and lead responsibility for protection from natural threats and hazards.
The role sits within the Circular Economy Policy and Targets Analysis team, which forms part of the Evidence and Analysis division in the Circular Economy directorate in Defra.
Circular Economy goes to the heart of how society interacts with goods and services, from material extraction and industrial production, through to how materials are ultimately managed as waste. Material resource use is fundamental to how our society functions, and is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions as well as other environmental impacts such as biodiversity loss. Government is committed to transitioning the UK to a circular economy, moving away from the take-make-waste system of a linear economy to a system that keeps products and resources in use for as long as possible. This is an ambitious goal, requiring major changes throughout the economy.
The Circular Economy Policy and Targets Analysis team is a friendly, multidisciplinary team of economists, statisticians, and operational researchers working together to provide analytical advice and support for current and future policy making.
Job Description
As a SEO statistician, you will join a small team largely made up of statistics professionals. You will take on an essential role in delivering key analytical outputs in support of the Circular Economy Growth Plan for England.
Core aspects of the role include developing an adaptable indicator framework for measuring circularity. This framework will form the foundation of how we measure our progress towards circularity, and how we monitor and evaluate the impacts of policies. This involves engagement with senior officials and representatives from the 4 Nations, carrying out trend analysis, developing metrics where necessary--including identifying and filling data and evidence gaps--and exploring options for dissemination.
You will provide analytical support for our existing legally binding Environment Act target to reduce residual waste. This may include overseeing updates of the underlying model, drawing outputs from the model at pace, and updating our modelled forecasts of residual waste with the estimated impacts of policies identified through the Growth Plan and wider programme.
In addition, you will be involved with elements of broader analytical work and/or working with other disciplines within the wider Circular Economy Evidence and Analysis team. The team works closely with policy colleagues. The role may also include commissioning and managing research projects to fill identified data and evidence gaps.
The role comes with line management responsibilities for a HEO statistician.
The successful candidate will need to be flexible in light of changing Ministerial priorities. In addition, the post holder may be asked to provide support on wider Departmental/Directorate priorities as needed.
Person Specification
We are looking for a substantive SEO statistician or an experienced HEO statistician on promotion. This role requires applicants to be GSG (Government Statistician Group) badged.
Essential Criteria
- Experience working in fast-paced environments.
- Experience communicating statistics and supporting data to steer effective decision marking, presenting analytical advice to a diverse audience of specialists and non-specialists.
- Experience collaborating with a wide range of colleagues (e.g., policy, other specialists, other departments, external experts) to help deliver shared goals.
- Demonstrated leadership within a team to deliver high quality outputs, occasionally to tight deadlines.
- Experience with forecasting models or willingness to learn.
- Knowledge and experience of R coding or willingness to learn.
- Badged as a GSG (Government Statistician Group) member with ability to demonstrate you meet the technical standards at SEO level.
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Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Acquiring data and understanding customer needs
- Data Analysis
- Presenting and disseminating data effectively
Salary
Alongside your salary of £42,665, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £12,360 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Other Information
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Artificial intelligence
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.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a 750 word personal statement demonstrating how you meet the essential skills detailed in the Person Specification.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Behaviours and Technical skills.
As part of the interview, we will ask for a presentation. Details of this will be provided in the interview invitation.
Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Location
As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).
Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.
The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.
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Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.
The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.
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.
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.
Diversity and 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.
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.
Visa Sponsorship Statement
Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
Criminal Record Check
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Internal Fraud Database Check
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
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)
- 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
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