Recruitment Operations Officer

Job summary

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the UK's largest producer of official statistics and home to over 5,000 colleagues. We create the data that drives decisions, from measuring economic growth and tracking population changes to informing policy on everything from housing to healthcare. Our statistics don't just sit in reports; they directly influence how billions of pounds are allocated, how services are planned, and how communities are supported across the country.

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.

This role sits within the dedicated HR Operations function of the Census Field Services Group. It is responsible for working with a broad range of stakeholders to support the development and delivery of workforce solutions and people-related operational activity for the Census Field operation across the Census Test in 2027, the Census Rehearsal in 2029, and the full Census operation in 2031.

Job description

Are you ready to be part of something that shapes the future of our nation? Do you thrive on variety, enjoy working with lots of teams, and want to make a real difference? If so, this could be the opportunity you've been looking for.

The Recruitment Operations Officer is a key role within the dedicated Census HR Operations function. The HR Operations function manages all aspects of people operations for the Census field, from recruitment and onboarding through to payroll, learning and development, employee relations, performance management, and leaver processes.

Working to the Recruitment Operations Manager, this role is responsible for supporting the delivery of recruitment and onboarding activity, working closely with business areas and external suppliers to ensure activity is delivered in line with agreed requirements, timelines and quality expectations.

The role plays an active part in shaping and refining recruitment requirements, working with business areas to ensure roles, locations and expectations are clear, realistic and deliverable, and translating these into effective delivery through suppliers.

It is embedded in day-to-day recruitment delivery, working through issues as they arise and contributing to practical solutions. This includes identifying risks such as shortfalls in applicant numbers or changes in demand, understanding the implications, and working with stakeholders and suppliers to support appropriate responses.

The role maintains oversight of recruitment pipelines and onboarding progress, using data and operational insight to support delivery, challenge where required and ensure activity remains aligned and on track.

The role works collaboratively with a range of stakeholders, including the ONS People and Places Directorate, operational teams across Census and other government departments, and third-party suppliers, to support delivery of recruitment and onboarding activity in line with corporate standards while meeting Census delivery needs.

Role Responsibilities:

Requirement Definition and Planning

• Work with business areas to define, refine and maintain clear, deliverable recruitment requirements, ensuring alignment with operational needs.

Translating Demand into Delivery

• Translate business requirements into effective recruitment delivery through suppliers, ensuring roles, locations and expectations are understood and achievable.

Issue Resolution and Delivery Flow

• Work directly with business areas and suppliers to identify, work through and resolve issues in real time, ensuring delivery remains aligned and on track.

Managing Recruitment Challenges

• Identify and respond to challenges in recruitment delivery, including shortfalls, changing demand or local market constraints, contributing to practical and timely solutions.

Applying Market Insight

• Use knowledge of recruitment delivery and the external market to inform decisions, challenge assumptions and support effective outcomes.

Supporting Supplier Delivery

• Support delivery of recruitment and onboarding activity through suppliers, ensuring activity meets agreed timelines and quality expectations.

Performance Monitoring and Insight

• Monitor recruitment progress and pipeline, using data and operational insight to inform actions and escalate risks where needed.

Managing Change to Requirements

• Manage changes to recruitment requirements, working with stakeholders and suppliers to understand impacts and implement adjustments.

End-to-End Alignment

• Work collaboratively with colleagues across recruitment, onboarding and training to ensure an aligned and effective end-to-end process.

Stakeholder and Supplier Relationships

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers to support delivery.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

1. Problem Solving and Delivery - Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and maintain delivery across multiple workstreams, identifying issues and driving them through to resolution. (Lead Criteria - to be addressed through a targeted question at application stage, see the selection process for further details).
   
2. Recruitment and Operational Delivery - Working knowledge of current recruitment and onboarding practices and processes, with experience of delivering recruitment activity in a high-volume environment. Awareness of external recruitment market conditions and how these Experience of monitoring and reviewing can impact delivery (e.g. volumes, location challenges, candidate availability).
   
   
3. Stakeholder and Supplier Management - Experience working with internal stakeholders and external recruitment suppliers to deliver recruitment activity and resolve delivery challenges.
   
   
4. Communication and Influence - Strong written and oral communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain recruitment requirements, challenge constructively and support delivery outcomes.
   
   
5. Use of Data and Insight - Experience using recruitment data or management information to monitor pipelines, identify risks and inform actions.

Qualifications

CIPD Level 5 or willingness to work towards

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• 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 shar