Census HR Operations Manager

Job summary

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 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.

You will be responsible for shaping and planning the efficient and effective delivery of HR operational services for Census Field teams. You will be responsible for effective budget, resource and risk management to ensure the delivery of quality people services for the temporary field force delivering the Census in line with programme requirements.

In this role you will oversee the people functions and will ensure achievement of strategic goals, embed organisational values and behaviours, and ensure decision making happens at the right level, not allowing unnecessary bureaucracy to hinder delivery.

Alongside delivery responsibilities they will play a key role in setting or delivering against strategic direction for the programme.

Job description

This role provides the strategic direction for recruiting and operationalising a temporary workforce of approximately 30,000 field staff, working closely with contracted key suppliers to ensure the field force model fully supports the holistic statistical and operational design of the Census. This role leads the development and implementation of scalable, fit for purpose people policies and practices that are aligned with the unique needs and objectives of the Census program.

A core responsibility is to establish and manage all aspects of people operations for the Census field community, from recruitment and onboarding through to payroll, learning and development, employee relations, performance management, and leaver processes and work as SME to support procurement and contractual delivery. The post-holder works in partnership with the extended senior leadership team, commercial suppliers, and the wider HR function to drive strategic people priorities with clear direction, pace, and momentum.

Crucially, the G7 Census HR Operations lead collaborates with the Corporate HR function to ensure all people strategies and operational practices are compliant and aligned with broader organisational frameworks, supporting both organisational fit and regulatory requirements. This partnership ensures that the Census HR operations not only deliver on Census-specific goals but also uphold the standards and values of the wider organisation. The post will have a dotted reporting line to the Census HR Business Partner.

Additionally, the role is accountable for effective budget, resource, and risk management, and for building strong, collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders to deliver a positive employee experience and operational excellence throughout the Census program life-cycle.

Role Responsibilities:

• Lead and Develop People Policies:Working in partnership with the key stakeholders within the People and Places Directorate this role will shape, implement, and oversee the recruitment of the Census field community model (circa 30,000 staff), enabling the effective and efficient delivery of the Census statistical and operation design. Shape, implement and oversee the field force people policies and projects, commercial elements, ensuring services are scalable, fit for purpose, and aligned with Census program needs and user expectations.
• Drive Large HR Programmes:Lead significant HR initiatives for the Census field force across multiple disciplines, ensuring outcomes are clearly aligned with business needs, Census objectives and relevant ONS and Civil Service HR requirements.
• Build Strategic Relationships:Establish and nurture collaborative working relationships with senior leaders, commercial suppliers, and the HR function to drive positive people practices and deliver on strategic priorities.
• Lead and Manage HR Teams:Provide leadership, guidance, and development opportunities to teams of HR professionals, ensuring high performance and professional growth.
• Collaborate on Leadership Initiatives: Collaborating with senior leadership colleagues to drive positive leadership practices, delivering a small number of high-impact, centrally run initiatives.

Person specification

EssentialCriteria:

• Evidenced experience in developing and operationalising pertinent HR strategies, with strong links to business outcomes.
• Proven experience of successfully influencing a range of colleagues and senior stakeholders with differing drivers, including experience of navigating conflicting views and priorities.
• Demonstrate outcome-focused, strategic thinking through using workforce and business needs to develop people policies and activities, which bring clear, tangible benefits.
• Strong experience in leading and building diverse teams with differing development needs, particularly through periods of ambiguity and change.
• Excellent operational HR implementation experience.
• Experience of working in a complex, multi-year major programme environment.

Qualifications

CIPD (level 7) or willingness to work towards.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £56,861, Office for National Statistics contributes £16,472 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 and Experience.

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 personal statement. It is important that your application is tailored to highlight the skills, knowledge, and experience relevant to the role.

Your personal statement should be no longer than 1250 words. You should provide evidence for each essential skill criterion listed in the person specification. As these criteria are scored, it is advisable to give clear examples for each one, including the impact of your actions, ideally utilising the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

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

In instances where a high number of applications are received, the sift pass mark may be adjusted, and candidates will be invited to interview based on merit order, i.e., those with the highest scores.

Stage 2 – Interview

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

A presentation will be required at interview stage.

Interviews will be held in person at our Titchfield Office - 159 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 - w/c 19th January 2026

Interviews – w/c 2nd February 2026

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 : Lindsay Alexander
• 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)