Senior Data Journalist

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.

Do you have a talent for making complex information clear and engaging? As a Data Journalist in ONS Digital Publishing, you'll transform statistics into compelling content, helping users access the insights they need while shaping the future of our digital publishing platform.

Digital Publishing is responsible for the ONS statistical dissemination service. We place the breadth of ONS data and analysis in the hands of our users in the most useful ways possible.

Data journalists specialise in making statistical content accessible and engaging for a broad audience. We work in multi-disciplinary teams, and collaboration is a large part of the role. We are currently focused on supporting the transition of our content to a new website platform.

Data journalists identify narratives in data and aid the understanding of statistical concepts, enabling improved communication to a wide variety of audiences in creative, accessible ways. We create content that makes statistics matter to our audiences.

As a senior data journalist, you’ll be responsible for leading journalism projects and coordinating between multiple teams to meet deadlines and standards. You’ll be asked to advise on the appropriate format for content and the communication of statistics for non-technical audiences. A basic understanding of statistics is necessary for this role, with a readiness to learn about various complex or specialist topics and work with experts.

Responsibilities

• Generating and developing high-quality editorial ideas based on data, and turning them into digital products (for example, articles, explainers, interactives, social media content) with impact.
• Collaborating and negotiating with statisticians, economists and analysts to balance the need for statistical accuracy with users’ need for clear, engaging and impactful content.
• Coordinating and managing your own projects, ensuring that everyone in the multi-disciplinary project team is hitting milestones.
• Supporting the migration and optimisation of citizen-focussed content as part transitioning to a new website platform.
• Managing the release of projects aimed at a wide range of users and working with colleagues across ONS to improve presentation and clarity.
• Offering support, expertise and advice to other parts of the organisation in areas such as editorial development and digital storytelling.
• Acting as a champion of our users’ needs within the organisation, to ensure our work is understood and valued internally.
• Building networks and positive relationships inside the organisation and sharing the management of planning sessions to foster good ideas and collaboration.
• Sharing responsibility for leading team meetings and working with managers and peers to improve the way we work.

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, Experience and Technical skills.

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

Please note: We will reach out to you once the advert has closed to confirm eligibility for this role, this will be via an e-mail. Please check you e-mails.

Visa Sponsorship

ONS are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role. Applicants are expected to hold a valid right to work in the UK when employment commences. If you are applying on a time-limited visa, this will need to be valid for at least 18 months at point of application.

To work at the ONS, candidates must meet both UK right to work and security clearance requirements (where applicable).

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).

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.

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.

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

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 in 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

• Eligibility checks from 02/10 - 09/10. Please be aware we will be sending all candidates an e-mail to complete a eligibility form.
• Sift will be conducted from 12/10/2026
• Interviews will be from 26/10/2026

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.