Learning Partner - National

Job summary

Help shape the future of face-to-face data collection by developing, coaching and inspiring our interviewer community.

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 (SSD) is the largest Directorate in ONS, comprising 2000 colleagues, including the field forces, split across four divisions: Social Surveys Collection (SSC), Social Surveys Research and Production (SSRP), Social Surveys Transformation (SST), Social Surveys Central Division (SSCD.

This post sits with Social Surveys Collection (SSFC) which delivers many of Great Britain’s largest social surveys. Our purpose is to provide high quality data to underpin core National Statistics and the wider statistical system. While much of ONS relies on them for outputs and statistical bulletins, the statistics we generate also support research, policy development and decision-making across the public and private sectors. The Social Survey Collection Division is one of the largest divisions within ONS, with approximately 1,400 colleagues.

Underpinning all this work is our mission statement, which reads: "We are a flexible and diverse community of data collection experts, and our mission is to collect and deliver high quality, trusted social survey data from the public, utilising robust, sustainable and innovative processes to paint a picture of rapidly changing life in the United Kingdom."

Job description

Role Overview

This is a nationally based role with a homeworking contract. While home-based, the successful candidate will be required to travel to office locations across the UK as needed to support team workshops, training events and team days.

The role is split across two key areas:

30% Field Data Collection – conducting social survey interviews with randomly selected households in your local area. This will provide first-hand experience of face-to-face (FTF) data collection and survey delivery, helping you to develop and maintain a strong understanding of the interviewer role and the practical challenges of working in the field.

70% Training and Development Activity – working with colleagues across Social Surveys to develop and deliver training sessions, workshops and best practice guidance, both virtually via Teams and in person.

You will use your experience of learning, training, coaching or supporting others, alongside the practical knowledge you develop through field data collection, to support colleagues and share effective approaches. You will play an important role in helping colleagues build their skills and confidence and contribute to the continuous improvement of data collection across Social Surveys.

Travel Requirements

• Ability to travel within 40 miles or one hour's daily travel from your home address for fieldwork activities.
• Willingness to travel nationally on occasion to support team events and workshops.

The Role

As an Learning Partner within one of our Interviewer Communities, you will work closely with line managers and colleagues across Social Surveys, using your knowledge and experience of face-to-face (FTF) interviewing to provide expertise, promote best practice, and support high-quality data collection.

This role is being introduced as part of the Field Redesign Programme and has been designed as a modular role, meaning it is made up of different areas of work that together form the complete role.

The modular approach provides flexibility to respond to changing organisational and respondent needs, while offering colleagues the opportunity to develop a varied and rewarding career. As requirements evolve, modules of work may be added to or removed from the role. Any new modules introduced will be subject to appropriate assurance processes to ensure they are correctly graded.

Full training and support will be provided. The overall workload will remain reasonable and aligned with contracted working hours.

As part of the role, you will undertake face-to-face survey data collection to maintain your expertise and effectiveness as a subject matter expert. You will also be encouraged to undertake ongoing personal development activities, helping to support continuous improvement while keeping your skills and survey knowledge up to date.

Responsibilities

Learning partner:

• Work closely with Interviewer manager (IMs) peers to identify capability gaps, liaising with Survey Operations Learning and Development team (SOLD) to develop/deliver solutions.
• Collaborate as a delivery partner with SOLD, to develop and deliver individual and group-based training.
• Liaise with owners of FTF guidance and training documentation to ensure all guidance is maintained and kept up to date.
• Understand new and revised FTF survey requirements, translating these into best practice for sharing with Field Teams.
• Embed a continuous improvement ethos, driving excellence in all aspects of data collection service delivery.
• Work collaboratively with IMs to transfer/embed learning operationally.
• Coordinate learning validation exercises and ensure completion of all pre and post training requirements, liaising with the IM.
• Travel within a defined geographical area when required/necessary in support of FTF training.

Subject Matter Expert:

• Develop and maintain expert knowledge across the FTF community portfolio, standard methods, and best practice in achieving cooperation and response.
• Provide trusted and critical advice and cooperation to embed strategic development and wider transformation.
• Act as a point of contact for specific advice for (but not limited to) interviewer colleagues, operations managers, HQ staff and community champions.
• Act as a first point of contact for feedback and liaison with research teams on survey content and design to support improved data quality.
• Promote, encourage, and support positive use of the reward and recognition scheme.
• Maintain an awareness of the ONS brand in the media nationally and local area to support own and colleagues survey engagement and completion.

In Person Data Collection:

• Work in a variety of geographic locations including (but not limited to) respondents’ homes, communal establishments, schools, local authorities, engaging with members of the public to maximise survey completion.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of FTF interview community specific complex survey content, using supplementary knowledge and skills to support own and interview colleagues’ accurate data collection.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Evidence of using strong communication skills to deliver complex information in an engaging and inclusive way to groups of colleagues, both face to face and virtually.
• A proven ability to deliver complex messages in a straightforward and engaging way to support colleague development.
• A proven track record of building strong and effective working relationships at pace.
• Highly organised with previous evidence of working flexibly to manage competing priorities.
• Operational excellence – evidence of delivering high-quality work within an operational or service environment, following agreed standards, processes or procedures, and achieving goals or working effectively towards them.

Licences

A full UK driving licence with access to a vehicle and appropriate business car insurance are essential requirements for this role. We will be unable to offer a position to candidates who do not meet this criterion.

Behaviours

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

• Developing Self and Others
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,138, Office for National Statistics contributes £8,151 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).

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.

Visa Sponsorship

ONS is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role. Applicants must have a valid right to work in the UK when employment commences. If you are currently in the UK on a time-limited visa, it must have at least 18 months remaining at the point of application.

Right to Work and Nationality Requirements

To work at ONS, applicants must meet the Civil Service nationality requirements, satisfy UK right to work requirements and, where applicable, meet the relevant security clearance requirements.

If you are unsure whether you meet the appropriate right to work or security clearance eligibility criteria, please refer to the guidance on Gov.uk or contact the recruitment email provided in the advert before applying. Failure to meet these requirements will result in your application being rejected and employment offers being withdrawn.

Number of Stages: 3 stage process

Stage 1: Situational Judgment Skills test

Stage 2 : Application

Stage 3: Interview

Stage 1 – Civil Situational Judgment Skills test

Civil Service Online Tests

Upon submission of Part 1 your application form you will be sent an invitation to complete Situational Judgment online tests.

There will be full instructions on how to complete each test including an opportunity to practice before undertaking the actual test.

Please note that the Situational Judgment Skills test is not timed.

For further information about the assessment, including guidance on how to prepare and what to expect, please visit:

Preparing for the Civil Service Judgement Test - GOV.UK

We recommend reviewing this guidance before completing the test to help you familiarise yourself with the format and requirements.

If you pass a test, you will then receive a further invite to complete each subsequent test if there is more than one for this vacancy. If you fail a test your application will not proceed to the next stage.

Stage 2 – Application

If you successfully pass the online Situational Judgment Skills test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of your application. At this stage, you will be asked to provide additional information, including your employment history and a personal statement.

The assessment process at the application stage will be based on your work history, CV, skills, experience, and personal statement. It is important that your application is tailored to highlight the skills, knowledge, and experience relevant to the role.

As part of your personal statement, you will need to answer the two questions below. You may use up to 500 words for each response.

Your answers will be assessed as part of the selection process, so we encourage you to provide clear and relevant examples that demonstrate your skills and experience. Where possible, explain the actions you took and the impact or outcome of those actions.

1. Question 1 : In this role you will be required to deliver complex information in an engaging and inclusive way to groups of colleagues. Please give us an example of when you have done this and how you ensured your message was understood as you intended.

2. Question 2 : In this role you will work with peers and managers across the organisation. Describe your experience of working independently and as part of a team. How did you build relationships?

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 3 – 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.

Assessment task during interview : This assessment will consist of a scenario-based presentation exercise assessingagainst the behaviour communicating and influencing. Candidates will be provided with a scenario and supporting information and will have 10 minutes to review the information and prepare their response.

Candidates will then deliver a 5-minute presentation outlining their response to the scenario.

Following the presentation, the panel will move on to the formal interview, where candidates will be asked the remaining interview questions.

Interviews will be conducted via Ms Teams

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

Important Dates:

The closing date for the role is 12/10/2026 at 23:55. Please note, both the Situational Judgment Skills test and written application (work history, skills, experience and personal statement) will need to be completed by this deadline.

The Sift will be conducted from 13/10/2026

Interviews will be conducted from 03/11/2026

Dates are subject to change.

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

Please note that all campaigns may be subject to withdrawal at any stage if the internal resource position changes.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.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 Stout
• 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 1A Permanent - ONS London Inclusive v1-00 (3) Opens in new window (pdf, 83kB)