Business Survey Quality Officer

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.

Every day, decisions are made that affect people, communities and businesses across the UK. Those decisions rely on statistics: numbers that help us understand what is happening across society and the economy, from employment rates and average weekly earnings to the prices you pay for your weekly food shop. Whether you hear them discussed on the radio, see them reported in the news, or read about them online, you probably encounter ONS statistics almost every day.

What you might not realise is that real people are behind every one of those numbers and you could be one of them.

We’re looking for people who want to make a difference to join the teams working behind the scenes to produce our statistics. You do not need to be an economist, or statistician. We are looking for people who are curious by nature, can solve problems, think on their feet, and make evidence-based decisions. You should be curious about how things work, comfortable working with numbers, and happy speaking to people working in a wide range of businesses: from national supermarket chains to a small local coffee shop, and everything in between. Training, practice, and support will help you build your knowledge and confidence.

Due to the nature of the role, you will be required to provide service cover on a rota basis until 5pm. This opportunity is offered on a full time or part-time basis with a minimum of 30 hours per week. The advertised salary is FTE and will be pro-rated for part-time colleagues.

As a Business Survey Quality Officer, you will understand the story behind the data that businesses submit to ONS. You will work with businesses and business owners across the UK, investigate unusual or incomplete information and help make sure the data used to produce official statistics are accurate, complete, and reliable.

Official Statistics help government, businesses and the public understand what is happening across the UK economy. They inform important discussions and decisions about subjects including employment, earnings, trade, manufacturing, retail sales, financial services, and prices of items we all buy.

This job is all about quality data.

Your role will combine three connected parts of survey management:

• following up missing information or responses from businesses
• investigating missing, unusual, or unexpected figures supplied by businesses to understand the story behind the numbers.
• correcting information where necessary, or recording why unexpected changes are legitimate

You will communicate with businesses by telephone, email and written correspondence. These conversations are not simply about making contact. You will ask questions, understand the respondent’s point of view, and gather the information needed to improve data quality.

You will use guidance, evidence, and judgement to decide what action is needed. You may need to piece together information from different sources or time periods, balance several priorities and keep going when the first answer does not fully explain what has happened.

You will usually build expertise in a particular survey area. Depending on where you are placed, your work could relate to the labour market, financial services, trade, manufacturing and production, retail sales or prices. As your knowledge grows, you will better understand the businesses that respond to your survey, what your survey measures and how your work contributes to the wider picture of the UK economy.

This is an entry-level role with structured training and support. You do not need previous experience in official statistics, economics, or survey data collection. Our training and New Entrant Support Teams (NEST) will help you learn the foundations of the role. Colleagues and line managers will help you develop survey knowledge through training, coaching, feedback, and day-to-day support, before settling you into your new team.

Due to the nature of the role, you will be required to provide service cover on a rota basis until 5pm. This opportunity is offered on a full time or part-time basis with a minimum of 30 hours per week. The advertised salary is FTE and will be pro-rated for part-time colleagues.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage survey responses across multiple businesses, balancing response, validation, clearance and data quality priorities.
• Review survey responses and identify missing, unusual or inconsistent figures.
• Investigate changes in data, using information from businesses, previous returns, guidance and other relevant evidence.
• Contact businesses by telephone, email and written correspondence to obtain information, clarify responses and resolve queries.
• Make evidence-based decisions within established guidance, seeking advice or escalating more complex issues where appropriate.
• Record decisions, your actions and supporting evidence clearly and accurately on ONS systems.
• Plan and prioritise your work to support team quality, response and timely outcomes.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, sharing knowledge and asking for support when needed.
• Take responsibility for your learning and development, building knowledge of your survey subject and the wider statistical production process.

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)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Security Clearance

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.

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

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.

Assessment Process

Number of Stages: 3

Stage 1: Civil Service Numerical Test

Stage 2: Application

Stage 3: Interview

Stage 1: Online Civil Service Numerical Test.

Upon submission of Part 1 your application form you will be sent an invitation to complete Civil Service Numerical online tests.

There will be full instructions on how to complete each test including an opportunity to practice before undertaking the actual test. These tests are not time limited.

If you pass all tests for this vacancy, you will be invited to complete the final stage of your application, this is where you will provide information such as your work history, Skills and experience and Personal Statement.

Stage 2: Submission of Job History and Personal Statement based on 3 questions.

If you pass the online numerical test for this vacancy, you will be invited to complete the final step of your application.

For your personal statement you are required to answer the questions below using up to 250 words on each answer. As these responses to the questions are scored, we would recommend that you give clear examples for each including the impact of your actions.

• Tell us about a time when you spotted a problem, inconsistency or issue that other people may not have noticed. How did you investigate it, what action did you take and what was the outcome?
• Tell us about a time when you needed to get information from someone, explain something clearly or handle a difficult conversation. How did you understand the other person’s point of view and adapt your approach?
• Tell us about a time when you had several tasks to complete and could not do everything at once. How did you decide what to focus on, maintain the quality of your work and keep going when something was difficult or uncertain?

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 and any required technical skills.

This assessment will consist of a 15 min practical exercise to assess communication, numerical checking, accuracy, judgement and attention to detail. This will assess the behaviour Managing a Quality Service

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

Interviews will take place in person at our Titchfield (Fareham) and Newport Offices. Please note that travel expenses will not be reimbursed. You will also be required to bring valid photo identification to your interview.

Our main locations are Newport (South Wales) and Titchfield.

All successful candidates will be placed on a reserve list for up to 12 months and we aim to onboard cohorts from this reserve list on a rolling monthly basis.

The Sift will be conducted from: Tuesday 20th October

Interviews will be conducted from: Wendesday 4th November

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

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