Data Processor

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.

Life Events Processing (LEP) sits within the Population Statistics Directorate at the ONS, a directorate responsible for producing some of the UK’s most important population evidence. The directorate delivers a wide range of high-profile statistical outputs, including population estimates and projections, migration statistics, and in‑depth demographic analysis that informs government, public services and the wider public.

LEP plays a vital role in this work through the production of world‑leading mortality and births statistics. The team is responsible for quality assuring, validating and coding life events data to ensure it is accurate, consistent and analysis‑ready. This work directly underpins national statistics on births and deaths, which are relied upon to inform policy decisions, public health planning and research at both national and international level.

Working within LEP offers the opportunity to contribute to statistics that have real‑world impact. You will be part of a team committed to maintaining high standards of quality, integrity and continuous improvement, ensuring that ONS continues to deliver trusted population statistics for the public good.

To support the accurate and timely processing, coding and quality assurance of statistical data, applying specialist knowledge and established procedures to ensure outputs meet agreed standards. The role contributes to the delivery and continuous improvement of data processing activity by resolving coding queries, supporting quality checks, identifying issues, and helping to maintain consistent ways of working across the team.

The role will involve working closely with ONS colleagues and, where appropriate, external or international coding experts to resolve coding issues, improve processes and support the development of coding tools, decision tables and automation. You will help test and implement new specialist coding software and contribute to continuous improvement activity that strengthens the quality, efficiency and consistency of data processing.

Key Responsibilities

• Apply specialist data processing or coding knowledge to resolve routine and more complex queries, escalating issues where appropriate.
• Maintain accurate records of coding decisions, processing activity and quality issues to support transparency, consistency and auditability.
• Contribute to continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to strengthen processes, guidance, tools or ways of working.
• Support the testing, implementation or refinement of data processing systems, coding tools, guidance materials or training resources where required.
• Develop and maintain specialist expertise in mortality coding, ICD classification systems and emerging methodologies, including ICD-11.
• Coach and support colleagues, sharing knowledge and promoting the consistent application of coding standards and best practice.
• Communicate effectively and respectfully, adapting to different audiences and building strong working relationships through collaboration, coaching and information sharing.
• Deliver high-quality work to agreed deadlines, balancing accuracy, productivity and competing demands.
• Develop and maintain training pathways, guidance and specialist knowledge resources for ICD-11, inquest coding and external coding partners, supporting consistent coding practice, knowledge transfer and the successful implementation of evolving coding methodologies.

Working with Sensitive Data

Please note that this role involves regular exposure to sensitive and potentially distressing information, including details from death and stillbirth certificates. This may also include information related to coroner inquests, which can contain graphic and emotionally challenging content. The successful candidate must be able to handle such data with discretion and emotional resilience. ONS recognises the potential impact of working with this type of material and provides support and guidance to help staff manage their wellbeing. This includes access to internal and external wellbeing resources, peer support, and proactive support from line managers.

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.

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

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.

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.

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, 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.

A personal statement is required at application stage, the maximum word count allowed is 1250 words, which should not be exceeded. 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.

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 listed in the job advert.

Interviews will be held online via Microsoft Teams.

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

Important Dates

The Sift will be conducted from 30th September.

Interviews will be conducted week commencing 19th October.

Dates are subject to change.

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

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.