Head of Local Transport Funding Data

Are you a skilled data analyst who wants to help improve the transport system used by millions of people every day?

If so, we’d love to hear from you! We have an exciting opportunity available leading data delivery and analysis for the Local Transport Funding Data team.

This is an exciting time for Local Transport funding, as DfT has recently introduced the biggest change to Local Authority (LA) transport funding and governance in 25 years. DfT funds are distributed through LAs and go to a wide range of local transport programmes, ranging from highways maintenance, such as potholes, to larger schemes such as light rail and transport hubs. In addition, the recent policy focus on English devolution makes this data even more critical for decision-making.

You will join the Local and Regional Transport Analysis directorate, part of the Department for Transport’s vibrant and innovative Transport Statistics community. Our multidisciplinary team of Statisticians, Social Researchers and Economists works collaboratively to produce high-quality, trusted analysis that informs government policy and supports public understanding of transport issues.

This is a hands-on analytical role with a strong focus on coding, data management, and reproducible analysis. You will use R to collect, clean, analyse and visualise data, and work with large and complex databases using cloud-based tools such as Google Cloud Platform and BigQuery. You will recommend and undertake a range of analytical approaches for understanding a brand new evolving set of data. We work in a code-led environment, using GitHub for version control, collaboration and quality assurance, and we are continually improving how we develop, review and share our code.

We place a strong emphasis on learning and development, particularly in coding and modern analytical methods. We are committed to creating an inclusive team culture where everyone is encouraged to learn, share ideas and build a fulfilling career as a government analyst.

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 King’s 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

Over the next few years DfT will invest over £15 billion in local transport initiatives, and fund hundreds of projects in Local Authorities (LAs) across England. It is therefore important that DfT has up-to-date and accurate information about how funding has been allocated across LAs and transport modes, and can track the costs, outputs, and delivery of individual schemes and programmes as they progress.

You will need to show flexibility as the team’s size and remit will change to accommodate developing government priorities.

You will become an expert on all aspects of funding and performance data from Local Authorities. You will be instrumental in collecting this data, disseminating it for colleagues at all levels, and analysing it for trends and insight. At working level your data will be used by colleagues to monitor delivery of Local Authority projects such as cycle lanes, bus services, and potholes. At senior level you will provide summaries for members of the Department for Transport’s senior executive team on spend and delivery.

You will have advanced quantitative analytical skills and experience of creating, managing, and working with large datasets, including linking data from different sources. You will be a confident communicator with the ability to build effective collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

This role will suit anyone who enjoys innovative analysis as well as coding and databases. This area is relatively new and fast developing, so creativity is key as you shape this new area of work.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing 2-3 staff to deliver all the team’s work.
• Working alongside the Local Transport Portfolio Office to provide regular reporting and analysis to senior executives of the Department for Transport.
• Working with project managers, digital colleagues and funding teams on delivery of an innovative and high-impact data portal, which will streamline data collection across the department.
• Developing and maintaining our core database which contains quarterly data on all Local Authority spend, delivery, and risks, and disseminating this for policy and delivery colleagues. You will also link this data to supplementary information on finance, population, performance (outcomes), and project delivery.
• Providing high-quality data analysis, providing a centralized view that spans across different transport modes, geographical areas and time periods. This may include geographical analysis with tools such as QGIS or R, and/or advanced statistical or machine learning techniques for finding new patterns and trends.
• Managing Official Statistics publications on taxis and light rail.

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.

The successful candidate will need to be an existing member of one of the government analytical professions or meet the eligibility criteria to join one of the professions and take part in a badging exercise once in post.

The Grade 7 technical competencies detailed in the relevant professional framework can be found in the links below.

The Analysis Function website will provide lots of information about the professions.

You will already be a member or eligible to become a member of one of the following analytical professions:

• Government Statistician Group (GSG) competency framework
• Government Social Research (GSR) Technical Framework
• Government Operational Research Service (GORS) Framework
• Government Economic Service (GES) Technical Framework
• Transport Modelling
• Digital Data and Technology Profession (DDAT) – Data analyst or Performance analyst

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)

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

The selection process for this role will be:

Stage 1: Sift of CV and personal statement

Stage 2: Interview

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

Stage 1: Sift

At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (1000 word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:

• Leading the delivery of analytical projects to challenging timescales, including forward planning to identify risks and issues; managing others; and delivering quality outcomes that meet customer needs.
• Collecting, processing and analysing complex data (e.g. in SQL, R or Python) with a clear focus on coding good practice to support collaboration and quality assurance; knowledge of various statistical techniques and ability to assess the best ones for the data.
• Working closely and communicating effectively with both technical and non-technical customers (including policy teams) to understand analytical requirements; and use effective tools to present data and analysis.
• Managing Official Statistics publications and applying the Code of Practice for statistics.

Please state within your personal statement one core analytical profession (GSG, GSR, GORS, GES, Transport Modelling, DDAT) you are already badged on or your preference of which to join.

The sift will take place from 24th November 2026.

Stage 2: Interview

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Behaviours - Leadership, Managing a Quality Service
• Technical - G7 level of your chosen profession.

You will be required to create and deliver a presentation during the interview. It will be assessed against the requirements at the G7 level of your chosen profession, as stated in your personal statement.

The interviews will take place from the 14th December 2026.

This interview will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site.

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.

Further information on the selection process

We will also hold a 12-month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for.

During your application, you should indicate which location(s) you wish to be considered for and, if successful, you will be placed on an individual list of candidates for each location. Candidates will be held on that list and drawn from it in merit order. We advise you to carefully consider which locations you wish to be considered for. If you decline an offer for a location you have expressed a preference in or have expressed an interest in more than one location and accept an offer, you will be withdrawn from any lists you may be held on. We may also offer candidates a location that they have not expressed a preference for where we have the requirement to do so but this will again be done on the basis of your place in the overall merit order and, in this event, you will not be removed from the list if you decline.

Appointments for this position will be made in order of merit. If you are successful in the selection process but there are no further available posts for the advertised role, you may be contacted to discuss an offer for a lower graded role (with similar experience and responsibility requirements).

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert or the information on our website, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

If you are unsuccessful in the selection process, your application may be considered for a lower graded position if your demonstrated skills and experience meet the requirements of the alternative position. Candidates will be considered in order of merit.

If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage depending on the nature of the dismissal.

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.

All external applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:

• Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour
• Threats or acts of violence
• Illegal activity or substance misuse
• Sexually explicit material
• Extremist views or affiliations

Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public. Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It’s not about judging your personality or lifestyle - it’s about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture. If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what’s being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.

Feedback

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