The ONS operates a flexible hybrid working model across the UK, with colleagues linked to one of our contractual locations working between office and remote throughout the week. The locations for this role are Newport, Titchfield (Fareham) and Manchester.
All colleagues are required to work from their contractually allocated site for at least 40% of their working time.
The induction process for the role will be conducted in person.
Job Summary
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the UK’s largest producer of official statistics, covering a range of key economic, social and demographic topics. These include measuring changes in the value of the UK economy, estimating the size, geographic distribution, and characteristics of the population, and providing indicators of price inflation, employment, earnings, crime, and migration.
Social Surveys Directorate’s (SSD) primary purpose is to provide high quality data that underpins core National Statistics and the wider UK statistical system. While much of ONS is reliant on us for their outputs and statistical bulletins, the data we generate supports research, policy development and decision making across the wider public and private sectors, academia, and the general public.
ONS has recently made a strategic commitment to sustain survey data collection into the future and has published a Surveys Improvement and Enhancement Plan which reflects the urgent need to improve survey data quality. As a result, ONS’s social surveys are undergoing a period of significant investment and renewal as we deliver a clear road map to restore confidence in social survey operations, refresh methods and technology and enhance data quality.
With Around 1,500 Colleagues Across The Country, The Directorate Is Currently Comprised Of Six Divisions, Including Three Field Communities, Who Work Together To Paint The Picture Of Life In The UK:
- Social Surveys Field Collection
- Social Surveys Telephone and Ports Collection
- Social Surveys Research and Production
- Social Surveys Transformation
- Social Surveys Central Services
- Social Surveys Strategy, Research, and Innovation
The post holder will report directly to Alex Lambert, Director for Social Surveys (SCS2).
The Operational Delivery Profession is the largest Profession across government and within ONS. Social Surveys Data Collection Colleagues sit within the Data Collection Function for ODP and are key to the delivery of Organisational Priorities.
Job Description
Social Surveys Central Services brings together four cross-cutting enabling services integral to the success of both the directorate’s core data collection operation and its portfolio of significant continuous improvement and transformation. As such, the post holder is responsible for the strategic leadership and management of the following services:
- Programme and Project Management Office
- Social Survey Technology
- Business Change
- Business Support, Finance and Planning
The post holder will establish appropriate governance and assurance, monitor progress, ensure the effective management of risks and issues, and ensure business readiness for change.
To do this, they will need to develop a clear vision on how these services contribute to and support the challenges faced by Social Surveys directorate whilst remaining aligned to the ONS Survey Strategy and the Social Surveys Improvement and Enhancement Plan. The postholder will be required to take a proactive approach to enhance and evolve governance, assurance, planning etc which will in turn resolve some of the challenges and identify and implement opportunities for future evolution.
Effective leadership of the division will be key to building an environment in which success is assured. This includes line management of multiple Grade 6’s and their teams across different services.
Key Responsibilities:
General
- Set the strategic direction of the division’s enabling functions which underpin the directorate’s overall ability to deliver and improve its data collection operation.
- As a member of the Social Surveys Senior Leadership Team – contribute to the collective leadership of the directorate, working closely as one team with your Deputy Director colleagues.
Programme and Project Management Office
- Provide strategic portfolio management and delivery assurance across the Social Survey components of the Survey Improvement and Enhancement Plan. Ensure a baseline portfolio plan is in place with agreed milestones and effective risk management.
- Build and maintain a strong delivery-focused Programme and Project management capability and Project management office. Provide leadership and direct larger multi-disciplinary teams to deliver successfully.
Social Survey Technology
- Own the directorate’s relationship with ONS Digital Services – ensuring a close and productive partnership, aligned priorities and enabling effective delivery.
- Develop a technology road map based on a clear understanding of the current technology estate and future requirements and opportunities.
Business Change
- Embed best practice, business change capability and processes across the directorate which maximises delivery of change projects and ensures our people are at the heart of how we deliver change.
- Create an environment in which change projects can succeed – working effectively with the other enabling functions and business areas to manage dependencies and deliver benefits.
Strategic Finance and Planning
- Working in Partnership with the Director, lead and facilitate the directorate’s strategic business planning exercise – ensuring clarity of vision, strategic objectives and work packages and enabling appropriate trade-offs and bids for finance and resources.
- Lead and shape capability within the Business Support function to provide a highly effective service provision across the directorate.
- Ensure appropriate governance, assurance and reporting across the directorate.
Further information on the role can be found in the attached candidate pack.
Key Responsibilities:
General
- Set the strategic direction of the division’s enabling functions which underpin the directorate’s overall ability to deliver and improve its data collection operation.
- As a member of the Social Surveys Senior Leadership Team – contribute to the collective leadership of the directorate, working closely as one team with your Deputy Director colleagues.
Programme and Project Management Office
- Provide strategic portfolio management and delivery assurance across the Social Survey components of the Survey Improvement and Enhancement Plan. Ensure a baseline portfolio plan is in place with agreed milestones and effective risk management.
- Build and maintain a strong delivery-focused Programme and Project management capability and Project management office. Provide leadership and direct larger multi-disciplinary teams to deliver successfully.
Social Survey Technology
- Own the directorate’s relationship with ONS Digital Services – ensuring a close and productive partnership, aligned priorities and enabling effective delivery.
- Develop a technology road map based on a clear understanding of the current technology estate and future requirements and opportunities.
Business Change
- Embed best practice, business change capability and processes across the directorate which maximises delivery of change projects and ensures our people are at the heart of how we deliver change.
- Create an environment in which change projects can succeed – working effectively with the other enabling functions and business areas to manage dependencies and deliver benefits.
Strategic Finance and Planning
- Working in Partnership with the Director, lead and facilitate the directorate’s strategic business planning exercise – ensuring clarity of vision, strategic objectives and work packages and enabling appropriate trade-offs and bids for finance and resources.
- Lead and shape capability within the Business Support function to provide a highly effective service provision across the directorate.
- Ensure appropriate governance, assurance and reporting across the directorate.
Further information on the role can be found in the attached candidate pack.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- A visible, inclusive leader with excellent leadership skills who is able to provide clear strategic direction to an immediate division and wider directorate.
- Experience of successfully leading complex projects, programmes and business change across a large operation and multi-disciplinary teams.
- Proven ability to operate effectively at a senior level, building strong, collaborative relationships and effectively influencing across a complex stakeholder landscape.
- Strong communication skills with an ability to engage effectively with staff at all levels and embed a culture that values the voice of the employee.
- Recognised ability to lead business area technology infrastructure and ensure that there is a strategic relationship with our technology community to build, test and maintain the technical capability required to operate Social Surveys.
- A practiced business support professional, experienced in strategic business and workforce planning, financial and resource management and with a strong understanding of governance frameworks and assurance processes.
This role aligns to the Operational Delivery Profession Core Skills for SCS1: https://www.odp.civilservice.gov.uk/media/yu2lykbu/scs1-odp-capability-framework-final.pdf
Alongside your salary of £81,000, Office for National Statistics contributes £23,465 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
The Office for National Statistics is part of the Civil Service, and as such we share a number of key benefits with other departments, whilst also having our own unique offerings to support our valued colleagues across the organisation.
Whether you are hearing about us for the first time or already know a bit about our organisation, we hope that our careers site will give you a great insight into the benefits and facilities available to our colleagues, and our fantastic working culture.
Inclusion & Accessibility
At ONS we are always looking to attract the very best people from the widest possible talent pool, and we are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer. As a Disability Confident Leader we’re committed to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment process.
As part of our application process, you will be prompted to provide details of any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process that you need. If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments before applying, please contact the recruitment team in the first instance.
If you would like an accessible version of any of the attachments or recruitment documents below or linked to in this advert, please contact the recruitment team who will be happy to assist.
ONS are committed to flexible ways of working that support a healthy work-life balance. ONS has already considered how this job could be right sized for applicants working flexibly and we are happy to explore options with you about working part time, in a job share or flexibly, in line with our hybrid working policies.
Selection process details
For ONS the requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for 3 consecutive years immediately prior to applying and the department will consider eligibility by exception on a case-by-case basis. You will be asked to provide information regarding your UK residency during your application, and failure to provide this will result in your application being rejected.
If you are unsure that you meet the eligibility above, please read the information available on Gov.uk on this link, or contact the recruitment email on the advert before applying to discuss, as failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected and any offer of employment being withdrawn.
At the point of SC application, you will need to provide or give access to the following evidence:
- Departmental or company records (personnel files, staff reports, sick leave reports and security records)
- UK criminal records covering both spent and unspent criminal records
- Your credit and financial history with a credit reference agency
- Security Services records
Artificial intelligence (AI) software such as ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Gemini are powerful tools that can create and review text in ways that mimic what people can do. These tools can help you enhance your application and prepare for the process, but it is essential you use them appropriately.
They must also not be used to provide misleading or false information at any stage of the application journey.
It is also important to understand that while AI can help you prepare for an interview, you must not use it to produce responses during an interview.
For full guidance in relation to the use of AI through the recruitment process, please click here.
Selection Process
Applications should consist of your
CV and
Personal Statement combined as one document and uploaded as a single attachment through Civil Service Jobs.
A Curriculum Vitae consisting Of:
- Details of your education and/or professional qualifications.
- Full employment history, giving details (where applicable) of budgets and numbers of people managed, relevant key achievements in recent posts.
- Details of your latest remuneration.
A Personal Statement, which Includes:
- Explanation as to how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the Person Specification. Your statement should be no longer than 1200 words. We recommend that you give clear examples for each criteria, including your personal contribution and impact and value of your actions.
Applications will be acknowledged shortly after receipt. If you do not receive an acknowledgement within one week of applying for the post, please contact our SCS Recruitment Team at:
[email protected]Further information on the assessment and interview for this role can be found in the attached
candidate pack.
We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need to go through a further selection process providing the role has the same behaviours and essential skills.
Expected Recruitment Timetable
Closing date - 28th September 2025
Shortlisting meeting - 6th October 2025
Employee Engagement Exercise - 13th October 2025
Interviews - 16th October 2025 - To be conducted online via Microsoft Teams
Dates are subject to change.
Informal conversations to discuss suitability with the recruiting manager are welcomed in advance of the application closing date and can be arranged via email.
If you meet the required standard but the recruiting department is unable to offer you the job, you may be given the option of being added to a reserve list. Reserve lists may be shared with other Civil Service departments and professions who are recruiting for similar roles.
Please note that all campaigns may be subject to withdrawal at any stage if the internal resource position changes.
Full terms and conditions are attached at the bottom of this advert.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
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)
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.
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).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
Recruitment team
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact
[email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission
