Census 2031 Technical Training Manager

Job summary

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the UK's largest producer of official statistics and home to over 5,000 colleagues. We create the data that drives decisions, from measuring economic growth and tracking population changes to informing policy on everything from housing to healthcare. Our statistics don't just sit in reports; they directly influence how billions of pounds are allocated, how services are planned, and how communities are supported across the country.

Census 2031 represents our most ambitious data collection project yet – a once-in-a-decade opportunity to capture a complete picture of everyone living in England and Wales. Building on the digital success of 2021, we're pioneering new ways to reach every household and community, ensuring no one is left uncounted. This vital work will provide the foundation for policy decisions, resource allocation, and community planning for the next decade.

This role sits within the dedicated HR Operations function of the Census Field Services Group. It is responsible for working with a broad range of stakeholders to identify Census Field training requirements, and then shape and ensure the delivery of bespoke, scalable and effective technical training to the Census Field operation teams for the Census Test in 2027, the Census Rehearsal in 2029 and the full Census operation in 2031.

Job description

Are you ready to be part of something that shapes the future of our nation? Do you thrive on variety, enjoy working with lots of teams, and want to make a real difference? If so, this could be the opportunity you've been looking for.

The Census Technical Training Manager is a critical role within the dedicated Census HR Operations function. The HR Operations function manages all aspects of the people operations for the Census field from recruitment and onboarding through to payroll, learning and development, employee relations, performance management, and leaver processes.

Working to the Census HR Operations Lead, this role is key to the success of the onboarding and L&D element of the team’s work, and the ultimate success of the Census field operation. It will require close working with colleagues across the Field Services Group, the wider Census programme, key internal stakeholders, and 3rd party suppliers.

Leading a small, discreet training team, the role will lead the development and delivery of bespoke training and onboarding packages that are scalable, from approximately 400 field staff for the 2027 Test, to an estimated 30,000 staff for the Census operation in 2031. These training packages must be delivered in line with key programme milestones, to agreed quality and cost metrics, and will likely involve 3rd party suppliers.

The role will work collaboratively with the ONS People and Places Directorate to ensure that any proposed training packages align with the broader corporate standards and values, as well as delivering against Census goals.

Role Responsibilities:

Build Relationships:
- Establish, nurture and manage collaborative working relationships with senior leaders, operational colleagues, commercial suppliers, and ONS’ corporate HR function to deliver on strategic training priorities.

Define key learning and development requirements:
- Work in partnership with the key stakeholders across the Census Field Services Group, to understand and define the key learning, knowledge and skill requirements for Census Field operation teams, ensuring this aligns to existing ONS best practice.

Design flexible, blended learning solutions:
- Manage procurement processes on behalf of the G7 and in collaboration with commercial colleagues, working with an external supplier to design flexible and blended learning pathways for the 3 key roles within the Field operations teams, ensuring they are delivered on time, within scope and to agreed quality standards.

Manage external learning and training suppliers:
- Act as an informed customer who can assess proposed technical solutions, understand how training systems operate, and ensure supplier-led delivery aligns with organisational requirements.

Facilitate learning events that build capability and deliver on programme priorities:
- Work collaboratively with external suppliers to ensure that training is delivered to all field staff in line with programme timelines.

Support evaluation of the training:
- Evaluate the impact of the learning pathways, ensuring that lessons for improvement are identified, and that the training is continuously improved throughout the programme life cycle, to be scalable to meet programme objectives.

Lead and Manage the Census Field Technical Capability Team:
- Provide leadership, guidance, and development opportunities to your team of HR professionals, ensuring high performance and professional growth.

Person specification

EssentialCriteria:

• Experience in developing and undertaking Learning Needs Analyses (LNA) aligned to organisational objectives.
• Evidenced experience in developing and delivering scalable, bespoke learning pathways to meet defined learning requirements.
• Experience in evaluating training effectiveness.
• Proven experience of working with multiple stakeholders, including senior leaders and delivery partners, to deliver organisational priorities and objectives.
• Experience in building and leading teams particularly through periods of ambiguity and change.
• Good understanding of project management techniques and an ability to apply them.

Qualifications

CIPD (level 5) or willingness to work towards.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

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

• Demonstrable experience of using or managing learning management systems of similar digital platforms to deliver training at scale, with an understanding of how learning content, data and reporting are maintained.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,985, Office for National Statistics contributes £12,163 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.

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.

Security Clearance:

The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for 3 consecutive years immediately prior to applying.

A lack of UK residency in itself is not always a bar to security clearance but the Department will need to 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

Application process:

Number of Stages: 2 stage process

Stage 1: Application

Stage 2: Interview

Stage 1 - Application

The assessment process at the application stage will be based on your work history,skills, experience, CV, and answers to the below questions. It is important that your application is tailored to highlight the skills, knowledge, and experience relevant to the role. Your responses should be based on real work you have undertaken and clearly describe your personal contribution.

Answers to the following questions should be no more than 500 words per answer:

1. Please provide an example of where you have been responsible for developing and overseeing a training or learning solution delivered at scale, including the approach you took and any key challenges you had to address.

2. Please describe a piece of work where you worked with multiple stakeholders to shape and agree a training or learning solution, including how you brought different views together.

Please note that Success Profiles Behaviour examples are not required at this stage of the application process.

When a high volume of applications are received, the sift pass mark may be adjusted. Candidates will be invited to interview based on their merit order, with those achieving the highest scores being prioritised. Applicants who score below the adjusted pass mark but still pass will be placed on hold and may be invited to interview at a later date.

Stage 2 – Interview

If invited to interview, you will be assessed using techniques aligned with the Civil Service Success Profiles framework, covering all behaviours & technical skill listed in the job advert.

You will be required to provide a 5 minute presentation at interview. The presentation topic will be provided to candidates who have passed the initial online application stage, on the day of their interview, you will be given time to prepare. This presentation will assess candidates against the Success Profiles Behaviour 'Managing a Quality Service'.

Interviews will be held in person at our Titchfield office - Segensworth Rd, Titchfield, Fareham PO15 5RR.

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

Sift - 8th & 9th April

Interviews - 17th or 21st April

Dates are subject to change

For the full terms and conditions of the post, please see attachment below.

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

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.

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil 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.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 :

• Name : Sue Stokes
• Email : recruitmentoperations@ons.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitmentoperations@ons.gov.uk

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 recruitment.complaints@ons.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission

Attachments

2721 Advert 1B Permanent - ONS National v1-00 Opens in new window (pdf, 83kB)