Programme Financial Support - Census

Job summary

Census 2031 represents our most ambitious data collection project yet – a once-in-a-decade opportunity to capture a complete picture of everyone living in England and Wales. Building on the digital success of 2021, we're pioneering new ways to reach every household and community, ensuring no one is left uncounted. This vital work will provide the foundation for policy decisions, resource allocation, and community planning for the next decade.

Operating within a programme delivery environment and understanding the ingredients for successful project delivery, you will have an awareness of the production and monitoring of business cases, budgeting and cost management skills as well as effective stakeholder engagement. Reporting through to the G7 lead and SEO support as well as Project Managers, project support teams and some liaison with Senior Managers across the Programme and the wider Directorate including corporate Finance colleagues.

In this role, the post holder should be self-confident, highly organised and able to work alongside a broad range of stakeholders; working at pace with flexibility and discretion to effectively support the smooth running of the programme.

The post holder will also be a forward thinker, who proactively intervenes when necessary to ensure that projects remain on track; building relationships with stakeholders to get the job done.

The successful applicant will be expected to undertake an Accountancy Apprenticeship at either Level 2 or Level 3 depending on previous experience.

Job description

This post operates in complex Programme and Project environments. You will rely on your previously gained financial experience of working with complex programmes to provide comprehensive financial knowledge around complex policies and applications to deliver the best solution for ONS and the taxpayer.

To do this you will look towards your network of peers both within the department and across wider government in order to maximise effectiveness.

Key Responsibilities

• Support financial administration for the programme, including budgets, audits, training, and project coordination.
• Support directorates to track purchase orders and proposed spend on a day-to-day basis.
• Support with the coordination of the wider budget setting activity. While monitoring the programme budget and collating information from across the vertical integration.
• Work within the team that works closely with the programme Director and others as required to ensure appropriate sources of funding are in place to meet requirements.
• Monitor and track programme contingency.
• Maintain a full schedule of all financial RFCs for all projects within the programme.
• Support SEO programme financial support with advice to project managers and other programme specialists on the Financial Management Process.
• Support Commercial colleagues with operational queries as required.
• Support the SEO programme financial support to collect and utilise advise on areas specific to the running of the programme including cost modelling, budgeting and forecasting, cost control, reporting and analysis.
• Build and maintain trusted working relationships with colleagues across Finance, HR, Commercial and other delivery/business partners representing the programme as required.
• Support the monitoring and reporting on FTE levels to ensure that Directorate forecast is accurate, working in collaboration with business management teams.

The successful applicant will be expected to undertake an Accountancy Apprenticeship at either Level 2 or Level 3 depending on previous experience.

• You must not already hold a similar qualification at the same level or above.
• You must be living in Wales.
• You must be at least 16 years old by 31st August 2024 and no longer be in full time education or plan to return to full time education in the next 12 months.
• You must have the legal right to live and work in the UK.
• You must not be taking part in any other employment or enterprise programmes funded directly by the UK Government or the Welsh Government.
• You must not be taking part in any other EU funded employment or enterprise programme or vocational learning programme
• You must not be supported by the UK Government’s Work programme with a contract of employment for less than 16 hours per week.
• You must not be in receipt of an Assembly Learning Grant or Education Maintenance Allowance.
• Is not an ineligible overseas national.
• Is not in custody or on remand in custody.

* Please note the training provider makes the final decision on whether funding can be provided per person and the job offer will be made on the condition that funding is available.

Accountancy Apprenticeship Level 2

Accountancy Apprenticeship Level 3

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Awareness of Accounting with a talent for making sense of complex accounting concepts and solving technical accounting problems.
• Experienced in ensuring that the accuracy of outputs produced by you and your team is delivered successfully to time and of the highest quality.
• Interrogation of technical systems alongside explaining technical financial information and effectively communicate to all stakeholders who have varying levels of financial knowledge, in an appropriate understandable manner.
• Experience of effectively managing relationships with a range of stakeholders, producing clear advice and guidance.
• An ability to adapt and vary your workload, taking a flexible approach where your effectiveness isn’t impacted by change.
• Experience in using Microsoft Excel to support financial analysis and reporting activities.

Behaviours

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,587, Office for National Statistics contributes £10,019 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 peopl