At DSIT we’re all about improving people’s lives by maximising the potential of science & technology.
We accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science, research and development.
We use technology for good by ensuring new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK, with the benefits more widely shared.
We are driving forward a modern digital government which gives citizens a more satisfying experience and their time back.
We do all this to enable the Government’s 5 national missions: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, taking back our streets, breaking down barriers to opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future.
Above all, we focus on improving people’s lives. Whether it’s researching new treatments for disease, developing better batteries, reducing burdens through better public services, keeping children safe online, and much more, outcomes for citizens are at the heart of what we do.
Our Inclusive Environment
We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.
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Job description
Building Digital UK (BDUK) is helping to bring fast and reliable broadband and mobile coverage to hard-to-reach places across the UK - transforming people’s lives and driving economic growth. The Operational Analysis and Statistics team sits at the heart of BDUK’s delivery of Project Gigabit – the government’s programme to roll out fast, reliable digital connectivity across the UK.
We are a multidisciplinary analytical team, bringing together statisticians, operational researchers, geospatial analysts and data specialists. We provide the analysis, data and insight that underpin BDUK’s major delivery decisions – from designing contracts and assessing supplier proposals, to tracking delivery and reporting progress.
The team plays a key role in:
• supporting operational decision making – including contract design, affordability assessments and delivery assurance
• producing BDUK’s official statistics and management information, ensuring high standards and transparency
• developing and maintaining business critical models, tools and datasets that inform how and where interventions are delivered
• providing clear, actionable insight through an ‘observatory’ approach – turning complex data into evidence for senior leaders and ministers
• supporting BDUK's external engagement through providing data and tailored analysis for FOIs, PQs, press releases
We work closely with colleagues across BDUK – including delivery, commercial and finance teams – as well as wider DSIT analytical teams. Our work directly shapes investment decisions worth billions of pounds and supports the government’s ambition to reach nationwide gigabit coverage.
As a team, we combine fast paced operational support with longer term improvement – continuously strengthening our data, tools and analytical methods to improve how government delivers large scale infrastructure programmes.
Person specification
Key Responsibilities:
- Set strategic direction for two Grade 7-led multidisciplinary teams (GES, GORS, GSG, Geography) spanning statistics, data intelligence and geospatial analysis.
- Contribute to the BDUK and Digital Infrastructure Analysis Senior Management Team, driving innovation, efficiency, and continuous professional development across the analyst community.
- Run an operational place-based analytical service that is responsible for managing the detailed scope of BDUK's flagship Project Gigabit programme and supporting the delivery of a >£1bn+ pipeline of procurements and contract changes required for nationwide coverage.
- Drive continuous improvement in the underpinning data, tools and processes, including the implementation of automated assurance of our interventions.
- Oversee and drive forward the production of BDUK’s official statistics and management information, ensuring compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics and supporting high-quality decision-making, ministerial briefings and responses to parliamentary question.
- Provide an ‘observatory’ function, supporting the team in surfacing information from our large analytical platform effectively and delivering clear, actionable insights to our customers to inform business decisions.
- Understand the market's commercial build plans to inform economic modelling, forecasting and evaluation
As a line manager, you will be responsible for working with your members of staff to define their objectives, as well as managing their development and performance.
Essential Criteria:
- Membership of the GSG, GORS, GES, GSR or suitable qualifications to join one of the analytical professions on appointment
- Proven leadership in complex environments, comfortable working in a high-pressure, fast-moving environment with the ability to set direction, manage ambiguity, and influence senior stakeholders.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams and delivering both business-as-usual services and improvement initiatives.
- Experience of overseeing complex analysis developed at pace in a coding environment using large datasets, automated pipelines, and version control (git, dataform)
- Good knowledge of the Code of Practice for Statistics and its practical application
- Demonstrated ability to balance competing priorities and deliver strategic outcomes
- Experience applying proportionate analysis and quality assurance, particularly in analytical modelling
The role is reserved for badged Government analytical professions: Government Statistician Group (GSG), Government Economic Service (GES), Government Social Research Service (GSR), Government Operational Research Service (GORS). Candidates who are not members must be eligible and willing to take the tests to become a member. Those wishing to apply to either the Government Statistician Group or Government Social Research Service will need to sit online tests as part of the application process.
