Business Analyst

We are looking for a Business Analyst to join us in Cabinet Office Digital, a unit that offers back-office services for the whole of government, on key areas such as HR, Finance, Pensions, and shared services. You will play a key role in delivering and improving our Civil Service Jobs platform and the wider recruitment service.
You will join our cross-functional agile delivery team. We are also part of a wider digital community, and have a great Business Analyst Community of Practice.
Our project is looking at transforming the Civil Service Jobs Applicant Tracking System through procuring and building a new recruitment platform by 2026, which will enhance the recruitment service provision across government., Civil Service Jobs is used by over 3 million candidates per month to find and view vacancies across the Civil Service. Each year it handles over 2 million applications and advertises 140,000 posts. The live service is used by 219 organisations to advertise their vacancies and manage their recruitment processes. Currently, Civil Service Jobs is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) provision that has been configured and enhanced to meet Civil Service recruitment, digital and security standards.
Along with the live service, we are running a Recruitment Transformation programme, looking at what the future service should look like. We’ve completed our Discovery and Alpha phases, where we did extensive user research and prototype design, to explore our user needs and potential solutions for the biggest areas of improvement. We have now moved into the Beta phase of our programme, and we’re starting our build working with our appointed new technology platform provider.
You will work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary agile framework, alongside business analysts, configuration leads, and users as an integral part of the delivery team. You will also collaborate with our supplier development team.
We follow the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability job description model for Business Analyst. We'd expect the role to have a good understanding of the Government Digital Service Manual, the GDS Design System, and our Technology Code of Practice.
As a Business Analyst you will:
+ Identify, record and communicate complex business needs and processes to a range of audiences.
+ Develop and refine product backlogs, using evidence and data to inform their scope and value
+ Design and improve the business processes that underpin our digital services so that they are simple
+ Communicate technical concepts to non-technical audiences
+ Ensure that our digital services are designed to meet government digital standards, including usability, accessibility and security.
+ Create acceptance criteria for user stories to ensure that any new features or products have robust and efficient testing so that they meet user and business needs.
+ Work with quality assurance testers and the wider delivery team to test our services before releases and rollout.
+ Ensure our needs and requirements are fully understood by suppliers and work in partnership to deliver them.
+ Collaborate with other delivery teams and stakeholders to maintain and improve our other services, using data-driven evidence to identify and address unmet or under-served needs.
+ Enable the Product and Delivery team to make data-driven decisions that uphold user needs, digital standards and process effectiveness
+ Contribute to the BA community of practice, sharing your knowledge and helping to upskill other civil servants.

Person specification
Essential criteria:
+ Please refer to the Business Analyst role on the GOV.UK DDaT capability framework for a full list of skills required for this role.
+ Business Analysis Foundation Certification, Business Analysis Practice or Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (or equivalent) from a recognised body
+ You can investigate problems and analyse options for new and existing services. You know how to provide recommendations for solutions, and can work with stakeholders to identify objectives, opportunities and potential benefits available.
+ You can use a wide range of techniques to model situations confidently, knowing how to gain agreement from stakeholders.
+ You know how to source, analyse, and challenge user requirements. You can manage and implement requests for changes to baseline requirements.
+ You know how to identify important stakeholders, tailoring communication to their needs, and work with teams to build relationships while also meeting user needs.
+ You can identify needs and engage with users or stakeholders to collate user needs evidence.
Civil Service Behaviours (see Success Profiles for details of what’s required for each behaviour at Level 3):
+ Changing and Improving: Identify areas for improvement and simplify processes to use fewer resources. Encourage ideas for change from a wide range of sources. Take managed risks by fully considering the varied impacts changes could have on the diverse range of end users.
+ Seeing the Big Picture: Remain alert to emerging issues and trends which might impact your work area. Seek out and share experiences to develop knowledge of the team’s business area
+ Working Together: Encourage joined up team work within own team and across other groups. Actively seek and consider input of people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
Technical skills:
+ Business Analysis
+ Agile working
+ Business process improvement
Additional information:
A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Changing and Improving
+ Seeing the Big Picture
+ Working Together

Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
+ Business Analysis
+ Agile Working
+ Business Process Improvement
We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:
+ Business Analysis, Please use your statement of suitability to (in no more than 750 words) outline how your previous skills and experiences meet the following Behaviour criteria: Changing and Improving, Seeing the Big Picture, and Working Together.
You will also be asked to complete a 250 word statement on the following Technical Criteria: Business Analysis.
Online Test
After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Judgement Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.
Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on Sunday 13th October 2024. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.
Selection Process
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the lead Technical Criteria, Business Analysis. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Should you be successful at sift, you will then be invited to an interview. There will be 1 round of interview, and you will be assessed on the Behaviour and Technical Criteria listed in the Person Specification.
Please note, you will be required to give a presentation as part of your interview. Further details will be provided to candidates who are successful at sift., A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to Cabinet Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out., + 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.

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).

Apply and further information
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.

Business Analysis Foundation Certification, Business Analysis Practice or Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (or equivalent) from a recognised body., Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Alongside your salary of £40,850, Cabinet Office contributes £11,834 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 which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.
+ A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.