Project Manager

Shape the Future of England and Wales Through Data That Matters

At the Office for National Statistics (ONS), our work helps shape decisions that impact millions of lives. We are looking for talented project professionals to join us in one of two exciting and high-profile roles, both offering the opportunity to lead nationally significant programmes that support the production of trusted official statistics.

Whether you are inspired by delivering one of the UK's largest data collection exercises or leading the implementation of a major international classification standard, these roles offer the chance to work at the forefront of public service, collaborate with experts across multiple disciplines, and make a lasting impact on how data is collected, analysed and used to inform decisions across government and society.

Role 1: Project Manager Census 2031

Role 2: Project Manager Life Events Transformation

The role

As a Project Manager, you will lead the day-to-day delivery of projects, ensuring they are effectively planned, governed and delivered to achieve agreed objectives within time, cost and quality expectations. Working closely with a range of stakeholders, you will provide leadership, direction and coordination to project teams, helping to drive progress, manage risks and resolve issues as they arise.

You will play a key role in project governance, maintaining robust reporting and assurance arrangements while building strong relationships across teams and disciplines. By ensuring project outputs are delivered successfully, you will support the realisation of strategic benefits and contribute to ONS's wider organisational objectives.

Our Project Managers work across a diverse portfolio of initiatives, supporting the delivery of projects and programmes that help shape the future of official statistics and public services. Assignments vary considerably in size, scope and complexity, providing opportunities to work on both targeted improvements and large-scale transformational change.

Depending on the project, you may be responsible for managing work with a high degree of certainty and clearly defined stakeholder groups, or navigating complex environments involving multiple workstreams, competing priorities, technical challenges and a broad range of internal and external partners. In all cases, you will apply project management best practice to ensure successful delivery, adapting approaches where required to meet the needs of the project or programme.

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated project professional who enjoys working collaboratively, influencing stakeholders, and delivering outcomes that make a real difference.

Responsibilities

• Create and lead the project to deliver the agreed outcomes within time, cost and quality constraints.
• Day to day management and leadership of the project and the project team. Set project controls. Design the project structure appropriate to stage. Select and apply appropriate delivery methodologies.
• Coordinate development of the Business Case.
• Track delivery within budget.
• Schedule / manage resources to deliver the project. May work independently or with a small team.
• Ensure benefits are identified, understood, measured, tracked and owned.
• Ensure appropriate Benefits Realisation Strategy is in place and monitor longer term delivery of benefits against the Business Case.
• Identify key stakeholders and develop effective relationships.
• Identify and monitor project risks and issues. Develop mitigating actions and escalate as appropriate.
• Provide key reports and support effective governance and decision making.
• Support or set appropriate project assurance.
• Ensure effective Change Management processes are in place to agree and document changes to deliverables as agreed with stakeholders.
• Seek appropriate support, guidance and coaching from the project community. Show commitment to personal development. Promote effective individual and team performance.
• Build Project Plan and apply appropriate project principles to deliver stated objectives. Identify and set appropriate Project Controls. Track and report delivery against milestones.

Essential Skills Criteria:

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate experience of:

1. Delivering projects or work packages within agreed time, cost and quality constraints, applying appropriate project management methodologies, tools and techniques to support successful outcomes. (Lead Criteria - to be addressed through a targeted question at application stage, see the selection process for further details)
2. Managing project plans, risks, issues, dependencies and assumptions, identifying potential impacts on delivery and taking appropriate action to maintain progress.
3. Gathering, analysing and presenting information to support decision-making, producing clear reporting and briefings for stakeholders, and contributing to project governance activities.
4. Managing competing priorities and workloads effectively, demonstrating resilience and adaptability to respond to changing requirements and deliver agreed outcomes.
5. Working collaboratively across teams and stakeholder groups, building effective relationships, supporting delivery through positive influence and communication, and contributing to an inclusive and professional working environment.

Desirable Qualifications

Any of the following qualifications would be advantageous for the role, but we welcome applications from candidates who can demonstrate equivalent experience or capability:

• PRINCE2 Practitioner
• Agile Project Management Practitioner
• APM Project Management Qualification
• APM Practitioner Qualification

We encourage applicants who have relevant experience, transferable skills, or are working towards these qualifications.