Principal analyst, Freight data analytics and modelling at Department for Transport in Birmingham, Leeds, London

Job summary

Can you lead complex analytical programmes and develop innovative freight modelling and data solutions that shape national transport decisions?

Do you enjoy using evidence, data and stakeholder engagement to solve complex transport challenges and influence policy?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

This is an exciting time to join the world of freight and logistics. Every item of food on a supermarket shelf, box of medicine at a pharmacy and high-tech machine part in the UK has had a fascinating journey to get to its destination. Recent years have seen extraordinary innovation in how that happens but also revealed how fragile critical supply chains can be when there are shocks.

Freight and Borders (FAB) is a single point of leadership representing the interests of the Department for Transport and working closely with the freight and logistics sector to support the UK’s current and future border arrangements and the thousands of supply chains across the country that depend upon the continued flow of goods.

FAB is a fast-paced and dynamic environment where you will have the opportunity to be part of a fantastic team supporting and influencing the policy and delivery of some of the Government’s highest priorities. If you want to be part of a team whose work has an impact on millions of people’s lives across the country, we want to hear from you.

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

Job description

The post is based in Multimodal and Road Freight Analysis team (MRFA) within the Freight and Borders Analysis (FABA) division. The team works very closely with its multimodal and road policy teams and consists of analysts from multiple analytical professions, with strong ways of working across those professions. In addition, with its multimodal focus, the division works regularly with modal analyst teams across DfT as well as the central analytical divisions.

This role will provide you with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lead a step change in the department’s modelling capability on freight, with huge implications for policy and the department’s investments. You will co-lead the development of new in-house National Freight Model (NFM), working closely with colleagues across the Transport Appraisal and Strategic Modelling team (TASM) in the central Analysis Directorate.

You will be managing a multi-million pound project, with the opportunity to lead cutting-edge consultancies and develop modelling/data innovations as part of the wider freight data and insights programme.

A core element of this role will be leading the data strategy for the model. The new model will give the chance to revolutionise the department’s freight data and to develop innovative new datasets on Light Goods Vehicles usage, port inland movements, commodity flows, etc . You will identify data needs; lead and manage the collection and procurement of datasets; and coordinate inputs from a range of internal and external sources to support the development of this new freight evidence base.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Co-lead the management of a complex modelling programme delivered through external contracts, ensuring outputs meet strategic objectives.
• Lead the data strategy for the model by developing innovative new datasets on Light Goods Vehicles usage, port inland movements, commodity flows, etc.
• Promote and champion the use of evidence and analysis in policy, as a visible analytical leader. Engage with senior policy and analyst colleagues to support effective decisions through your advice, even where the evidence is uncertain.
• Oversee delivery plans, tracking progress against milestones, and managing risks, dependencies, and stakeholder engagement across multiple workstreams.
• Manage contractors and commissioned work, including overseeing delivery against contractual outputs, and ensuring quality, value for money and alignment with programme objectives.
• Manage the acquisition, governance, and use of complex datasets, ensuring compliance with data protection, legal and commercial requirements.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders, coordinating across multiple parties to deliver coherent outputs.
• Oversee programme governance, including monitoring progress, budgets, and milestones, and providing clear reporting to senior leaders.
• Communicate with impact to senior policy colleagues and senior analysts, using the best available evidence and analysis and Forward plan to identify future evidence needs.

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.

Person specification

We’re looking for people who bring passion, curiosity, and a willingness to learn. If you enjoy solving problems, thinking creatively, and working with colleagues from different backgrounds to deliver meaningful insights, you’ll fit right in. With your strong technical capabilities, you will drive change, improve how we analyse transport, clearly communicate impacts to a range of audiences, and confidently bring your own perspective to discussions. You should have a strong interest in managing high profile analytical projects.

We know great analysis comes from teams with a wide mix of experiences. We welcome applications from people with a variety of analytical backgrounds and skills in transport modelling, operational research, statistics and economics.

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

• Applying quantitative and computational approaches to understand complex systems and datasets, solve challenging problems, and deliver robust analytical insights.
• Effective analytical project management, including managing complexity (e.g. prioritisation of tasks, working with incomplete data sets) and ensuring appropriate and proportionate quality assurance checks are implemented.
• Building and managing effective working relationships across disciplines and organisational boundaries, utilising good communication of complex technical subjects to a range of audiences, including senior stakeholders.
• Critically evaluating and improving analytical methods, data, assumptions, processes and tools, with an appreciation of uncertainty and the appropriate interpretation of outputs, to enhance efficiency, consistency and insight generation.

Additional Information

The successful applicant will be able to take up this post from April 2027.

You will be assessed against one of the following analytical professions depending on your current professional membership, or your preference of which to join. Please click on the links below for more information and qualification requirements:

• DfT Transport Modeller and Planner Skills Framework (saved as attachment)
• GSG
• GES
• GORS

Applicants may be eligible for an annual £5,000 analyst retention allowance for this role, which is paid monthly, and subject to regular review.

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 30 hours per week.

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

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.

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.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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

• The elements that you'll be assessed against will depend on the profession you are currently part of or want to join. Please refer to the role profile for more information on the technical elements that you'll be assessed against.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £59,816, Department for Transport contributes

£17,328 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• 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).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies .

Things you need to know

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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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