Children’s Services Higher Statistical Officer

We are for everyone 

At DLUHC we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce. We promote equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment and a working environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation. 

We would strongly recommend that applicants get in touch with the vacancy manager to find out more information about this role. 

We are for everyone 

DLUHC want to bring in and bring on a diverse workforce at all levels.  

Our application system is designed to remove as much bias as possible from the recruitment system – this means that a hiring manager does not know your name, your details, see your whole application in one go (or have your CV at review stage unless stated otherwise).  

Your answers are randomised and chunked up. This means that each assessor views sets of responses to questions for example all candidates’ responses to ‘Seeing the Big Picture’ rather than seeing a candidate’s full application. The science behind this is that recruitment can be subject to ordering and fatigue effects and we want to reduce this as much as possible.  

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors. 

When writing your application, remember: 

• that the assessor won’t be reading your answers sequentially.  
• do not assume that the same assessors will have read all of your answers.  

If talking about something in your first answer, make sure that write the second answer as if you had not written the first (and so on!) 

Statistician candidates ( entry test) : 

Candidates who ARE NOT members of the Government Statistical Service (GSS) will be invited to sit the Government Statistical Services Test.  This is the first part of the GSS membership process and you must pass this test for your application to progress to the next stage of the recruitment process.  

Candidates who are EXISTING members of the Government Statistical Service (GSS) do not need to complete the Government Statistical Services Test as part of their application.  If you are a GSS member, please apply to vacancy number 305031

The deadline for completing the GSS online test is 23:55 on Monday 14th of August

The deadline for completing your application form is 23:55 on Sunday 20th of August

Candidates invited to interview will be required to sit an additional briefing test as part of the GSS entry requirements.  Full instructions will be given to those invited to interview

How to apply: 

Step 1– Complete your personal details on CS Jobs 

Step 2 – Complete the Government Statistical Service test by 23:55 pm on 14th of August 

When you are invited to complete the online tests you will be given access to guidance. It is strongly recommended that you read this guidance before you proceed.  
 
These tests are not timed; however, it is advised that you allow for up to an hour for completion of each test.  

Step 3 – If successful, we will send you a link to complete your application by providing your behaviour examples on Be Applied by 23:55 pm 20th of August. Please note these links are not automated and so may take a couple of days to come through and may be delivered to your junk or spam folders

Step 4 – We will sift your application and if successful, we will invite you to attend interview.  

At sift for candidates that pass the GSS test we will be assessing: 

Technical (lead criteria) – 

Write about a time when you had to analyse an existing data source and present your findings to meet the needs of your customer.

You should refer to the professional GSG competency framework.

• Acquiring data and understanding customer needs
• Data analysis
• Presenting and disseminating data effectively

Behaviour 1 – Communicating and Influencing 

Behaviour 2 – Working Together 

There is a 250 word limit per question. 

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead criteria listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progress straight to assessment/interview  

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of the following success profiles elements:    

Behaviour 

Technical 

Candidates invited to interview will be expected to complete an oral briefing exercise as part of the interview process.  The oral-briefing exercise is designed to simulate aspects of the job to be performed and provide a second basis for assessing the behaviours and competencies required in the job.
 
You will be provided with a question in advance of the interview and asked to prepare a presentation of a specific length addressing this question.  This presentation will be followed by questions from the panel.  

Candidates invited to interview will be given full instructions on this exercise.
 
The presentation will be followed by a 45 minute competency based interview.
 

In the full campaign we will test the below Success Profile Elements: 

Behaviours: (Communicating and Influencing, Working Together)  

Technical –Statistics competences:

Statistics: Acquiring data/Understanding customer needs 

Statistics: Data analysis 

Statistics: Presenting and disseminating data effectively

We do not consider direct CV applications to our Recruitment mailbox – you must apply for this role via the application link on Civil Service Jobs 

Please note that near miss offers may be made at the lower grade to candidates who do not meet the grade criteria for this campaign. 

HEO salary 

• The salary for this role is £33,875 (London) or £30,792 (National). 
• For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. 

 
Please note that the average employer pension contribution is based upon the National minimum salary for this role. Should your agreed starting salary for this role be different, the average employer pension contribution will be calculated accordingly. If you are a Secondee, this will not apply as you will remain on your home organisation’s terms and conditions.   

Analysts in DLUHC must be affiliated to a Government analytical profession.  This is usually one of the following: 

• Government Economic Service (GES) 
• Government Operational Research Service (GORS) 
• Government Social Research Service (GSR) 
• Government Statistical Service (GSS) 

Stage 1 : Filter and eligibility questions, entry tests  

Candidates who successfully pass the initial filter and eligibility questions will be asked to confirm which of the analytical professions they belong to or are applying to be part of.  This information will be used to progress successful applications to the appropriate professional checks element of the process. 

Existing civil servants who are currently a member of one of these professions will retain their professional membership in this role.  Applicants on promotion will be assessed for promotion within their profession as part of the selection process.  Please make any current affiliation clear in your application. 

External candidates or civil servants without a current profession affiliation may be considered for accreditation to one of the professions as part of the recruitment process.  If you are not currently a member of a government analytical profession you will be put through the membership process for your chosen profession as part of this application.  You must pass the membership process for your application to be successful.  If you do not pass the relevant profession entry test your application will not be taken further. 

See the Guide for Analytical Candidates document for more details of the membership process for the relevant profession. 

Entry Qualifications  

The entry qualifications are listed below.  Please list FULL details of your degree in your application form

Government Statistical Service (GSS): 

a first or second class honours degree in a numerate subject (2:1 minimum for Assistant Statistician and 2:2 minimum for Statistical Officer) containing at least 25% taught statistical content (e.g. Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Sciences, Business Studies, Psychology, Geography or similar) 

or 

a higher degree, e.g. a MSc or PhD, in a subject containing formal statistical training (e.g. Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Sciences, Business Studies, Psychology, Geography or similar) 

or 

have worked in a statistical or data science field and are able to demonstrate Continuous Professional Development (via a log book) in statistics or data science at the same level as a foundation degree or Higher National Diploma (level five) 

or 

have achieved or are on track to achieve a level four apprenticeship including at least two years in a statistical or data analysis field in government and are able to demonstrate Continuous Professional Development in statistics or data analysis (via a log book signed off by a manager or mentor who are members of the statistical profession) 

Competencies 

You will need to address the technical competences for your profession in the application and at interview. Professional competencies are listed below:

Statistics competences 

Statistics: Acquiring data/Understanding customer needs 

Statistics: Data analysis 

Statistics: Presenting and disseminating data effectively 

BENEFITS: 

Transfers across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018: 
Any move to DLUHC from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk 

For further information about the benefits available to DLUHC employees, please see the attached Candidate Pack. 

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION: 

• London
• Wolverhampton 

• Darlington* 

There may be opportunities for candidates to work flexibly depending on the business needs. This will be discussed with the vacancy manager on a case-by-case basis if you are successful for the role. 

*Please note: The Darlington Economic Campus (DEC) is a pioneering new cross-government hub which will bring together people across departments and public organisations to play an active role in the most important economic issues of the day. The work of the Campus will make a real difference to people both across the UK and internationally. There will be substantial career opportunities and exciting prospects – a career at the Campus means you will be working at the heart of Government, with access to the benefits and fantastic opportunities offered by the civil service. This role is based at DLUHC and we will be joined on the campus by: 

• HM Treasury  

• Department for International Trade 
• Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy  
• Office for National Statistics  
• Department for Education 

For further information on the DEC, please take a look at the attached DEC candidate pack. 

SIFT AND INTERVIEW DATES: 

Sifting is envisaged to take place W/C 21/8/23 with interview dates to be confirmed. All interviews are currently being held remotely via videocall. 

Reserve List 
 
In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details on a reserve list for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. This may include roles at a lower grade. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact recruitment@levellingup.gov.uk to be removed from the reserve list. 

CTC (Counter-terrorism Clearance): 

Important note 

 
Successful candidates for roles based in our 2 Marsham Street building must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check and the process can take up to 8 weeks to complete. 
 
Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the CTC security checks – this requires you to have been resident in the UK for the past 3 years. Please refer to the DLUHC Notes on Security Clearance section of our Candidate Pack for further information on Counter Terrorism Clearance (CTC). Thank you. 
 
Candidates should also note that with effect from 1st August 2018 the department will also check all applicants who are successful at interview, against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) held by the Cabinet Office. In accordance with the Civil Service Internal Fraud Policy, any applicant who is included on the IFD will be refused employment by DLUHC. Please see the Candidate Pack for further information on the Internal Fraud Database. 

Candidate Pack Information 

Please see attached Candidate pack for further information. 

Before starting your application it’s very important to make sure that you are eligible to apply and meet the Civil Service nationality requirements. All candidates are expected to read the information provided in the DLUHC candidate pack regarding nationality requirements and rules 

Internal Fraud Database 

The Internal Fraud function of the Fraud, Error, Debt and Grants Function at the Cabinet Office processes details of civil servants who have been dismissed for committing internal fraud, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned. The Cabinet Office receives the details from participating government organisations of civil servants who have been dismissed, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned, for internal fraud. In instances such as this, civil servants are then banned for 5 years from further employment in the civil service. The Cabinet Office then processes this data and discloses a limited dataset back to DLUHC as a participating government organisations. DLUHC then carry out the pre employment checks so as to detect instances where known fraudsters are attempting to reapply for roles in the civil service. In this way, the policy is ensured and the repetition of internal fraud is prevented.  

For more information please see- Internal Fraud Register 

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