Back to jobs
Office for National Statistics
Office for National Statistics

Service Owner Head of Data Design and Build

Fareham Hybrid 10+ yrs exp Government Administration 4,544 employees
User-Centred DesignPerformance and Benefits ManagementLife Cycle ManagementStakeholder Relationship ManagementStrategic Ownership

Requirements

Requires expert-level proficiency in user-centred insights, strategic ownership, and stakeholder management. Candidates must be experienced agile practitioners capable of leading multidisciplinary teams and managing complex data life cycles.

Job Description

The locations for this role are Newport and Titchfield (Fareham).

This role is aligned to ONS hybrid working principles, which are based on attending the office with purpose. The postholder will be expected to contribute to the organisation’s overall 40% office attendance, in line with business and role requirements.

The induction process for the role will be conducted in person.

Due to workforce controls you can only select Manchester / London / Darlington / Edinburgh / Belfast if you are an existing ONS employee contracted to that location. If you are not contracted at one of these sites, these options are not available to you.

Only existing ONS contractual homeworkers can select Homeworking.

Applicants who select a location they are not eligible for will be removed from the recruitment process and will not be considered for alternative locations.

Please refer to attachments for further terms and flexibilities.

Job Summary

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.

Data Products, Services and Governance (DPSG), which sits centrally within ONS, provides a cross-ONS capability for data, including data access and preparation, and the provision of data and linked data products. DPSG develops and manages the systems and processes that underpin the distribution of data across ONS and beyond. DPSG provides data to ONS, academia, wider government, and other external users in a safe and controlled way, supporting and encouraging users to maximise data utility, enabling innovation and statistical and research use.

The Data Architecture, Location and Integration Division within DPSG is responsible for the production of core linked and geospatial data products for use across ONS, the core data architecture standards and practices the organisation adheres to, and the design and build of new data infrastructures to deliver them.

This role, as Head of the Data Design and Build team, is a critical one within the division, leading the provision of a well-architected infrastructure to support our delivery of data and data products to ONS and external customers.

Job Description

This role is being advertised under the Service Owner role profile under the Government Digital and Data Profession. The successful candidate will lead the Data Design and Build team (DDB), a multidisciplinary group of architects, data engineers, user researchers, business analysts and software developers, which is responsible for building the next generation of data services on the ONS Google Cloud Platform (GCP) environment. Currently the team is primarily focused on building a metadata infrastructure which will enable us to manage data across the ONS estate, supporting our data governance programme as well as providing a data discoverability layer, and the ability to use metadata more effectively for both quality improvements and automated data pipelines.

You will be accountable for the delivery of evolving functionality for the service based on user feedback and the requirements of the Data Governance Office, Knowledge and Information Management (KIM) team, Digital Publishing team and other core business stakeholders. For this reason, stakeholder management and the ability to critically evaluate requirements and suggest solutions is particularly key.

The successful candidate will need to be an experienced agile practitioner who can help the team prioritise, set targets and deliver, while providing the support, decision making and removal of blockers that will enable that delivery.

Responsibilities

  • Lead on delivery, recognising and collaborating where multiple products or service teams need to deliver and ensuring interdependencies and cross-cutting team issues are dealt with.
  • Own the service, taking responsibility for business-as-usual development, problem resolution, and continuous improvement; seeking to find the best balance of resource allocation against competing priorities.
  • Support development teams by setting priorities and ensuring the product vision is clearly articulated thereby helping to define the roadmap for the products and service and translate that into an achievable backlog.
  • Support the programme, delivery teams, and wider multi-disciplined teams by communicating what is achievable in each timeframe.
  • Build relationships with product managers, sponsors, and other stakeholders so that they remain on-board throughout, and ensure others are not allowed to divert resources or influence priorities. 
  • Encourage a culture of innovation focused on adding value.
  • Effectively manage team dynamics when working across departmental and other boundaries
  • Actively develop agile capability of teams, learning, sharing, and re-applying skills and knowledge and bringing in good practice
  • Effectively engage with, set direction for, and manage suppliers to get optimum value.
  • Communicate service performance against key indicators to internal and external stakeholders.

This role is being advertised under the Service Owner role profile under the Government Digital and Data Profession. The successful candidate will lead the Data Design and Build team (DDB), a multidisciplinary group of architects, data engineers, user researchers, business analysts and software developers, which is responsible for building the next generation of data services on the ONS Google Cloud Platform (GCP) environment. Currently the team is primarily focused on building a metadata infrastructure which will enable us to manage data across the ONS estate, supporting our data governance programme as well as providing a data discoverability layer, and the ability to use metadata more effectively for both quality improvements and automated data pipelines.

You will be accountable for the delivery of evolving functionality for the service based on user feedback and the requirements of the Data Governance Office, Knowledge and Information Management (KIM) team, Digital Publishing team and other core business stakeholders. For this reason, stakeholder management and the ability to critically evaluate requirements and suggest solutions is particularly key.

The successful candidate will need to be an experienced agile practitioner who can help the team prioritise, set targets and deliver, while providing the support, decision making and removal of blockers that will enable that delivery.

Responsibilities

  • Lead on delivery, recognising and collaborating where multiple products or service teams need to deliver and ensuring interdependencies and cross-cutting team issues are dealt with.
  • Own the service, taking responsibility for business-as-usual development, problem resolution, and continuous improvement; seeking to find the best balance of resource allocation against competing priorities.
  • Support development teams by setting priorities and ensuring the product vision is clearly articulated thereby helping to define the roadmap for the products and service and translate that into an achievable backlog.
  • Support the programme, delivery teams, and wider multi-disciplined teams by communicating what is achievable in each timeframe.
  • Build relationships with product managers, sponsors, and other stakeholders so that they remain on-board throughout, and ensure others are not allowed to divert resources or influence priorities. 
  • Encourage a culture of innovation focused on adding value.
  • Effectively manage team dynamics when working across departmental and other boundaries
  • Actively develop agile capability of teams, learning, sharing, and re-applying skills and knowledge and bringing in good practice
  • Effectively engage with, set direction for, and manage suppliers to get optimum value.
  • Communicate service performance against key indicators to internal and external stakeholders.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

  • Applying user-centred insights (Expert) - You can: Advocate for a range of effective research approaches across the organisation. Coach others in making decisions that meet user needs across a range of channels. Advocate for continuous use of user insights in teams. Use user insights to make strategic decisions to provide the best user experience.
  • Leading performance and benefits (Expert) - You can: Ensure appropriate measures are in place to deliver valuable outcomes to users and agreed business benefits. Ensure metrics are used to monitor, manage and prioritise delivery and inform decision making. Demonstrate the value of the service and build understanding with stakeholders by ensuring effective data and insights are shared.
  • Life cycle management (Practitioner) - You can: Work and consult with the right people at the right time to move through the life cycle and deliver value. Use evidence to decide when a team should continue, change direction or stop. Identify tools and techniques required at different phases of the life cycle. Guide colleagues and stakeholders through different phases of the life cycle.
  • Stakeholder relationship management (Expert) - You can: Direct the stakeholder relationship strategy for your teams. Ensure stakeholder's objectives are set and support teams to meet them. Influence and negotiate with senior stakeholders to resolve issues and enable progress.
  • Strategic ownership (Expert) - You can: Support and coach others in creating and implementing a successful long-term strategy and tactical approach that others agree with. Influence and persuade stakeholders to support delivery of the strategy. Support with strategic decision making. Ensure strategic alignment across the organisation.

Behaviours

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

  • Seeing the Big Picture
  • Delivering at Pace
  • Leadership
  • Working Together

Alongside your salary of £68,199, Office for National Statistics contributes £19,757 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.

ONS are committed to flexible ways of working that support a healthy work-life balance. ONS has already considered how this job could be right sized for applicants working flexibly and we are happy to explore options with you about working part time, in a job share or flexibly, in line with our hybrid working policies.

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

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.

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

Visa Sponsorship

ONS can offer visa sponsorship as part of this recruitment campaign. However, applicants must still hold valid right to work in the UK at the point employment commences.

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).

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.

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 and any required technical skills.

You will be required to provide a 10 minute presentation at interview. The presentation topic will be emailed to candidates who have passed the initial online application stage, 1 week prior to interview. This presentation will assess candidates against the Success Profiles Behaviour Working Together.

Interviews will be in person from either Newport or Titchfield.

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

Important Dates

  • Sift will be conducted from 15/07/2026
  • Interviews will be conducted from 27/07/2026

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

Near Misses

We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need to go through a further selection process providing the role has the same behaviours and essential skills.

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

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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.

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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.

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 the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

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 : Government Digital and Data Recruitment
  • Email : Government-Digital-and-Data-Recruitment@ons.gov.uk

Recruitment team

  • Email : About.You@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

Skills

User-Centred DesignPerformance and Benefits ManagementLife Cycle ManagementStakeholder Relationship ManagementStrategic OwnershipAgile MethodologyData ArchitectureData EngineeringGoogle Cloud PlatformMetadata InfrastructureService OwnershipRoadmap DefinitionSupplier ManagementUser ResearchBusiness AnalysisSoftware Development

About Office for National Statistics

We’re the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the UK’s largest independent producer of official statistics. The statistics we gather make a real difference, helping people make important decisions for the nation and our communities on everything from health and education to the environment and the cost of living. We’re responsible for the census that happens every ten years and share information and analysis about some of the UK’s most topical issues. To find out more about how you can join us at the ONS, email talent.acquisition@ons.gov.uk or call 01633 455556. We don't monitor LinkedIn for messages, for general and statistical enquiries contact https://www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/contactus/generalandstatisticalenquiries

View company profile →