Lead Panel Support - Preventative Analytics for Youth Justice Advisory Panel (PAYJAP)

Lead Panel Support - Preventative Analytics for Youth Justice Advisory Panel (PAYJAP)

Location: National*

Closing Date: 12^th November 2026

Interviews: Week commencing 23^rd November 2026

Grade: SEO

(MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain this grade on lateral transfer)

Salary**: National: £42,914 - £46,182

London: £49,325 - £53,081

Working pattern: Flexible

Contract Type: Permanent

Number of vacancies: 1

Vacancy number: 23706

*We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your local office. Office locations can be found ON THIS MAP

Please note that unless you are an existing member of staff at Justice Digital, Data and Science, the only London location being recruited to is 10 South Colonnade, E14 4PU. We are no longer recruiting to 102 Petty France, SW1H 9AJ.

The Role

We’re recruiting for a Lead Panel Supporthere at Justice Digital, Data and Science to be part of our warm and collaborative Youth Justice Data team.

The Cross-Government Division within MoJ brings together policy, data, and analytical capability to address complex justice challenges that cut across departmental boundaries. Within the division, Youth Justice Data focuses on using evidence to improve decision-making and outcomes for children and young people.

The preventative analytics portfolio is a response to the government commitments in the recently published youth justice White Paper, 'Cutting youth crime. Changing young lives.’ Advances in machine learning and advanced analytics can strengthen prevention by identifying needs earlier and better allocating support, in line with the long-term interests with the child. The goal is to minimise contact with the justice system and the stigma that can accompany it.

The MoJ established the ministerially-chaired Preventative Analytics for Youth Justice Advisory Panel (PAYJAP) in spring 2026. PAYJAP meets quarterly and is comprised of academics, practitioners and technologists. By suggesting and reviewing proposals for using machine learning and advanced analytics in youth justice, it will provide an additional layer of scrutiny within MoJ. It will ensure that any data science or algorithmic development is safe and appropriate.

This role will provide secretariat and organisational support for PAYJAP and its subcommittees. It will be an exciting and challenging opportunity with the potential to transform long-term outcomes for children through new technologies.

You’ll receive a range of excellent benefits when you join our department, including:

• A generous employer pension contribution of 28.97% through the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
• 25 days of annual leave, (increasing to 30 days once you have reached 5 years of service), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday.
• Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working, working part time or compressed hours. Designed to support a positive work–life balance.

You can find more details of the Benefits we offer here. To help picture your life at MoJ Justice Digital, Data and Science please take a look at our blog.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the day-to-day operation of the Preventative Analytics for Youth Justice Advisory Panel (PAYJAP) and its sub-panels.
• Provide high-quality secretariat support, including planning meetings, preparing papers, recording decisions and tracking actions.
• Coordinate the contributions of Panel members, including expert volunteers, Ministry of Justice colleagues and Arm's Length Body representatives.
• Maintain the Panel's governance arrangements, including membership records, appointments, terms of reference and supporting documentation.
• Ensure the Panel's outputs, decisions and activities are accurately documented and shared in line with agreed governance processes.
• Prepare briefings, correspondence and responses to internal enquiries and Freedom of Information (FOI) requests relating to the Panel.
• Maintain and update the Panel's GOV.UK webpages, working with the GOV.UK content management team.
• Build effective working relationships with colleagues across the Ministry of Justice, other government departments, academia and partner organisations to support the Panel's work.
• Promote awareness of the Panel and its work through internal and external engagement activities.
• Support the delivery of wider Youth Justice Data projects linked to the Panel's programme of work.
• Develop and maintain a good understanding of the youth justice system, its data, and the administrative processes that support preventative analytics.

If this feels like an exciting challenge, something you are enthusiastic about, and want to join our team please read on and apply!

Person Specification

Essential

• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to proactively manage competing priorities, meet deadlines and adapt to a fast-paced and changing environment.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to produce clear written communications and present confidently to a range of audiences, both in person and online.

• Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience of building effective working relationships across government, academia and external partner organisations, including with senior stakeholders.

• Ability to display sensitivity and judgement within a complex multi-agency environment.

Willingness to be assessed against the requirements for BPSS clearance

We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring and do not discriminate based on culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor.

Our values are Purpose, Humanity Openness and Together. Find out more here about how we celebrate diversity and an inclusive culture in our workplace.

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 D&I Strategy.

Salary Information**

Base salary for this role is from £42,914 - £46,182 (National) OR £49,325 - £53,081 (London)

• New entrants to the Civil Service joining the MoJ are expected to start at the minimum of the pay band.
• Existing Civil Servants moving on a level transfer will retain their current base salary or move to the minimum of the pay band for the role, whichever is higher.
• Existing Civil Servants who are promoted will either move to the bottom of the new grade’s pay band or receive a 10% uplift, whichever provides the greater increase.

How to Apply

In Justice Digital, Data and Science, we recruit using theSuccess Profiles Framework. We shall assess a combination of your Experience and Behaviours during the assessment process.

Stage 1 - Application and sift:

• A CV detailing your career history (including any relevant qualifications). Your CV will be assessed against the essential criteria outlined within the Person Specification of this advert.
• A Personal Statement (no more than 750 words) which should outline your experience and skills, giving clear examples of work undertaken. It should specifically address the following criteria listed below, using a separate paragraph for each.

• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to proactively manage competing priorities, meet deadlines and adapt to a fast-paced and changing environment.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience of building effective working relationships across government, academia and external partner organisations, including with senior stakeholders.
• Ability to display sensitivity and judgement within a complex multi-agency environment.

A diverse sift panel will review the information in your CV and Personal Statement to assess the sift criterion specified above. We operate an anonymous shortlisting process. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement do not include your name or any other identifying details.

Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift based on ‘Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to proactively manage competing priorities, meet deadlines and adapt to a fast-paced and changing environment.’

will be conducted before the sift.

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply - Application Guidance

Stage 2 - Interviews:

Successful candidates who meet the required standard will then be invited to a panel interview held via Microsoft Teams. At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements - Experience and the following Behaviours:

• Communicating and influencing
• Delivering at pace

Appointments are made strictly in merit order. In the event that two or more candidates receive identical interview scores, the Communicating and Influencing behaviour will be applied as the primary lead behaviour to determine the final merit order.

Should you be unsuccessful in the role that you have applied for but demonstrate the capability for a role at a lower level, we reserve the right to discuss this opportunity with you and offer you the position without needing a further application.

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, from which further appointments may be made.

Use of 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.

Terms & Conditions

Please review our Terms and Conditions which set out how we recruit and provide further information related to the role and salary arrangements.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact digitalanddatarecruitment@justice.gov.uk