Senior Operations Researcher People Analytics

Can you use problem structuring and soft skills methodologies to help understand how an organization works and responds to issues?

Are you a collaborative, curious problem-solver who can engage stakeholders, shape a data-driven culture, and provide tools and insight that guide evaluation and decision-making?

Can you turn complex people data into clear outputs using tools like Power BI, Python or R?

If so, wed love to hear from you!

About the team

Youll join the People Data and Analytics team within the Department for Transports Analysis Directorate, part of a dedicated People Analytics function supporting colleagues in Human Resources. Working alongside specialists, youll deliver insight on workforce trends, culture and transformation using tools like Power BI, R and Python, helping shape evidence-based decisions and improve employee experience.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the Kings birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at Department for Transport Central - Department for Transport Careers

The Job holder will lead analytical projects that deepen understanding of workforce dynamics, combining modelling, insight generation and stakeholder engagement to inform strategic HR decisions. They will guide stakeholders to an understanding of problems and then design and deliver innovative data and modelling products, integrate multiple analytical approaches, and contribute to shaping policies and interventions by evaluating their impact across the organisation, ensuring insight is practical, accessible and aligned to business priorities.

Responsibilities will include, but arent limited to:

• Build networks and relationships and developing a clear understanding of the factors that influence organization transformation, and how current and future work will drive desired change.
• Use soft OR skills like problem structuring methodology to develop this understanding in partnership with the business and create appropriate outputs that communicate insight to stakeholders.
• Build and improve models that allow for workforce prediction and forecasting, or analysis of the impact of changes.
• Regular ad-hoc analysis on topical issues such as return to the office, location of staff, performance and talent
• Support quality assurance and analytical scrutiny across both the immediate team and in improving rigour across the HR function within the wider DfT group
• Building out reporting into prescriptive and predictive analytics with insights, and themes and creating repeatable analytical pipelines to bring richness to products created in R, Python or Power BI.
• Bring or develop an understanding of the HR business context and the scope and limitations of available data and how it can best be used; provide insight and suggestions for continuous improvement.
• Develop new ways of working, and more integrated approaches that draw in and model data from across HR, the wider organization, and the Civil Service at large.
• Understand the requirements around handling personal information in line with GDPR and be able to challenge inappropriate use or presentation of data.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile.Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

This role is open to badged members of the Government Operational Research Service (GORS) or those eligible to become members with these qualification requirements:

- You need, or expect to receive, a 2:1 or higher, degree apprenticeship in a highly numerate degree subject;

or 2:2 with a highly numerate postgraduate degree (subjects like math's, statistics and physics; for mixed degrees, at least 50% should be in a highly numerate subject)

You will be required to provide evidence that you hold any essential qualifications/licenses at interview stage. If you cannot provide evidence, your application will be withdrawn.

Required experience:

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Experience in applying both soft and hard Operational Research techniques to define, structure and solve complex organisational or policy problems
• Experience in developing and applying models and statistical analysis to generate robust, evidence-based insights
• Experience in working on complex, large-scale challenges and translating analytical findings into practical, implementable solutions
• Experience in influencing decision-making by clearly communicating technical insights to non-technical stakeholders

Additional Information

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 35 hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

Occasional travel to other offices will be required, which may involve overnight stays.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

DfTc does not offer Visa Sponsorship for this role.