Carlisle, Crewe, Exeter, Leeds, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Reading, Workington, York

Job Summary

Are you a data-driven problem solver with a knack for turning insights into impact?

Do you excel at communicating complex findings to diverse audiences?

If so, then we want to hear from you!

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is an executive agency of the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), delivering over £2 billion in payments to farmers, traders and landowners each year.

We are an Operational Delivery Profession organisation, with the majority of our people delivering day to day services to our customers and stakeholders.

We make excellent delivery happen, empowering agricultural and rural communities to create a better place to live.

We manage over 40 schemes, and also make payments on behalf of Natural England, to ensure we have a healthy rural economy, strong and sustainable rural communities, and to protect and enhance the natural environment.

Our vision is to create a great place for living for people in this country. We have developed a set of four strategic objectives covering our policy outcomes and corporate objectives. These objectives help us to deliver our ambitious vision to build our green and healthy future and provide a framework for all of the important.

Further information can be found on the Rural Payments Agency website www.rpa.gov.uk.

Job Description

Strategic Analysis Team.

Role 1 – Budget Forecasting and Analysis

This role requires an understanding of data analysis, financial modelling, and forecasting techniques. The successful candidate will play a critical role in forecasting spend, analysing financial data, and providing actionable insights to support strategic decision making.

Key Responsibilities Include:

Develop and maintain spend forecasting models to support both in-year and future years financial planning and budget processes.
Analysis of historical data to identify trends and patterns to develop assumptions.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to gather non-data based assumptions and insights
Collaborate with Finance and Operations colleagues to ensure a broader understanding of forecast assumptions and methodologies.
Present findings and recommendations to budget holders.
Monitor and report actual spend against forecasts making adjustment where necessary in the case of forecast deviation.

Role 2 – Fraud and Error Analysis

This role requires advanced analytical skills, a keen eye for detail, and a deep understanding of fraud and error detection and prevention techniques. The successful candidate will play a critical role in analysing data to identify, measure, and report error that exists within subsidy scheme expenditure.

Key Responsibilities Include:

Perform the yearly formal measure of error in accounts for inclusion within the published annual accounts.
Development and maintenance of analytical pipelines to ensure efficient error reporting and analysis.
Maintenance of documented methodologies and provide advice on sampling methodologies.
Analysis of data to identify patterns, anomalies and potential areas most at risk of error that will inform preventative activities to reduce future error.
Provide detailed reports and presentations on findings.
Collaborate with internal teams and National Audit Office on error findings, results and methodologies.

Role 3 – Customer Analysis

This role requires advanced analytical skills, a keen eye for detail, and a deep understanding of customer data and analysis.

The successful candidate will be responsible for performing comprehensive customer analysis to inform business strategies and enhance customer experience.

Key Responsibilities Include:

Conduct in-depth customer analysis to identify trends, behaviours, and insights.
Develop and maintain customer segmentation models to support targeted campaigns and service strategies.
Analysis of behavioural data to form part of a wider evidence base used by the Customer business area to inform actionable insights.
Collaborate with cross functional teams to integrate customers analysis and insights into business strategies.
Provide detailed reports and presentations on findings.

Strategic Analysis Team.

Role 1 – Budget Forecasting and Analysis

This role requires an understanding of data analysis, financial modelling, and forecasting techniques. The successful candidate will play a critical role in forecasting spend, analysing financial data, and providing actionable insights to support strategic decision making.

Key Responsibilities Include:

Conduct in-depth customer analysis to identify trends, behaviours, and insights.
Develop and maintain customer segmentation models to support targeted campaigns and service strategies.
Analysis of behavioural data to form part of a wider evidence base used by the Customer business area to inform actionable insights.
Collaborate with cross functional teams to integrate customers analysis and insights into business strategies.
Provide detailed reports and presentations on findings.

Person specification

This is a good opportunity to join a fast paced and developing data and analysis team.

You will be a proactive individual, with a can-do approach, used to working at pace, and taking responsibility for your work. You will adapt well when circumstances or priorities change and operate as a good team player. We’d like you to have experience working in analytical roles, where you are used to using systems to extract information and are comfortable working with and analysing a lot of data.

Essential Criteria : The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate the following skills and experience: 

Strong data analysis and problem-solving skills.
An ability to work well within a team and with a wide range of audiences.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to discuss the findings and implications of analysis with a range of audiences, including non-analysts.
Experience in managing your own workload and time and the ability to drive projects forward with good planning skills.
You should have proven experience of using R, SQL or similar Language to interrogate data and perform analysis.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

Delivering at Pace
Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

Strong data analysis and problem-solving skills, along with excellent communication skills and the ability to discuss the findings and implications of analysis with a range of audiences, including non-analysts.

Alongside your salary of £41,220, Rural Payments Agency contributes £11,941 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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%

Selection process details

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

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a 750-word Personal Statement, detailing evidence of how you meet the essential criteria as noted in the person specification section of the job advert and two 250-word statement demonstrating the behaviours 'Delivering at Pace' and 'Making Effective Decisions'.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to interview.

The sift will take place from w/c 17th March 2025.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on the Behaviours: 'Delivering at Pace' and 'Making Effective Decisions'. You will also be assessed on Technical skills and asked Strength based questions.

As part of your interview, you will be asked to complete a 30 minute analytical exercise to assess your technical skills, which will be followed by the presentation of your findings and conclusions, and questions from the panel.

Candidates successful at sift will be provided further details prior to interview.

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.

It is anticipated interviews will commence from w/c 31st March 2025.

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.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed 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.

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.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Merit Lists

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

Near Miss

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in RPA which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match.

Salary

New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

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.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Accessibility

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

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.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Feedback

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

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

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

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

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 Commission's 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.

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 Commission's 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.

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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

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

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

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 : Resourcing Delivery Team
Email : hrresourcingsupport@defra.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email : DefraRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here

Rural Payments Agency

New Jobs

Senior Data Analyst