Head of Census Operational Design

Do you want to shape the delivery of Scotland’s Census, enabling governments and other public bodies to plan the services we all rely on, and telling the story of Scotland's people for generations to come? If so, this post could be for you.

You will be joining the Census 2031 as Head of Operation Design and will be responsible for the development of operational delivery of the 2031 Census data collection operation, whose primary goal is to enable all individuals in Scotland to complete a census return. This will include preparation and delivery of the 2027 Test, 2029 Rehearsal and 2031 Census. It covers the operational management of multiple services including a field operation in excess of 1,000 field officers who will visit non-responding households during an operational period of several weeks in 2031.

You should note that Scotland’s Census is a time limited project which will run until 2032 depending on the role. Please contact the line manager named in this advert if you have any further questions.

• Lead on the early operational design of Scotland’s Census 2031
• Develop the high-level design for the operational aspects of Scotland’s census in collaboration with Office of National Statistics (ONS) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) and NRS colleagues.
• Determine the requirements for the building blocks needed to stand up operational capabilities.
• Recruit the operational team to support design work.
• Work alongside statistical and IT design teams to develop the design and delivery plans.
• Produce high level operational requirements to ensure NRS is an intelligent partner and in the best position to collaborate with ONS and NISRA on key contracts.
• Responsibility for field operations during the 2027 Census Test, 2029 Census Rehearsal and 2031 Census itself.

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.

• Connections and communication
• Operational leadership and management
• Data and insight

You can find out more about the skills required here:
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• Experience of working in a public sector delivery context and sound financial management of budgets
• Experience of delivering a major operation involving public engagement involving a range of supporting services such as training, health & safety and recruitment.

• Making Effective Decisions – Level 4.
• Managing a quality service – Level 4.

You can find out more about Success Profiles here:
Success profiles: candidate guide - gov.scot

Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1500 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples 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, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and Presentation.

We are the trusted producer of Scotland’s population statistics, including taking the Census of Scotland’s population every 10 years. The next Census is in 2031 and will be delivered in partnership with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency (NISRA). This is one of the largest digital programmes delivered in Scotland, gathering data from every household across a population of c.5.7m.

Census data is used by government, local authorities, health boards, the third and private sectors to plan national and local services and informs the allocation of billions of pounds of UK and Scottish Government public funds each year.

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