Job title: /

Senior Statistician

Employer: / Qualifications Wales
Location: / Q2, Imperial Park, Newport NP10 8AR
Contract: / Permanent, full time. We will consider applications for this opportunity on a secondment basis for a period of no less than two years.
Requests for alternative working patterns, including part time, job share may be discussed at interview
Salary and Benefits: / Band 4 –Salary range £37,600 - £44,950 per annum
In addition to salary we offer 30 days annual leave (alongside public holidays and up to three days office closure at Christmas), flexible working arrangements and membership of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
Hours of work: / 37
Department: / Policy and Research Directorate
Reporting to: / Head of Research and Statistics
Closing date for applications: / 27th March 2018 - midday
Contact: / Tom Anderson
Head of Research and Statistics
01633 373293 -
Background
Qualifications Wales was established in 2015 as the independent regulator of qualifications and the qualification system in Wales. We are responsible for ensuring that qualifications and the qualifications system are effective in meeting the reasonable needs of learners in Wales, and for promoting public confidence in these. We are a public body, funded by Welsh Government and are accountable for our work to the National Assembly for Wales.
Job purpose
The purpose of the Research and Statistics team is to provide data and information on qualifications and awarding bodies operating in Wales and on assessment and qualification practices in the UK and around the world. The team will provide expert services to the organisation to enable it to develop policies and deliver operations based in robust evidence.
The primary role of the Senior Statistical Officer is to provide statistical information to the organisation and to produce statistics in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics and related guidance. The role holder will work with colleagues to ensure that Qualifications Wales receives necessary information from relevant sources, in particularly awarding bodies, to enable statistics, information and analysis to be generated.
Support will be available from the Chief Statistician’s team in Welsh Government and opportunities for CPD are available as part of the wider statistical community within Wales headed by statisticians in Welsh Government.
Main duties
  • Consult with the Welsh Government and other agencies, in particular awarding bodies and other regulators, to ensure that there is suitable exchange of data and information to meets Qualifications Wales’ needs.
  • Provide support to colleagues in Regulation during the monitoring of awarding series, including compiling and presenting summaries of results to short deadlines
  • Work with colleagues to establish protocols and requirements for the collection and use of data and information so that the organisation is able to generate statistics, information and analysis.
  • Lead on, or provide support to, statistical work within research projects including contributing to procurement and contract management of external suppliers as needed.
  • Engage and work collaboratively with operations and policy colleagues to provide statistical analysis as appropriate.Run the Qualifications Wales statistical service, advising colleagues on statistical and data matters, producing analysis on an ad hoc basis and ensuring business continuity through well documented processes.
  • Produce and quality assure Qualifications Wales’ statistical publications to ensure that they meet relevant good practice and comply with the Code of Practice for Statistics.
  • Use statistical /data techniques and methodology to collate, synthesise and analyse data from a variety of primary, secondary and tertiary sources.
  • Lead on the publication of statistical information and advise on the presentation of data and statistics in other publications.
  • Keep up to date on relevant statistical methodsand information especially in the field of education and qualifications.
  • Manage one member of staff.
  • Deliverproducts and outputs, manage resources to deliver key tasks, evaluate and act on evaluation.
  • Work independentlyor in a team as required, including with professionals in specialist areas and external consultants.
  • Work flexibly, performing any other duties as required, where relevant to the post and appropriate to the grade.

Person specification

Essential / Desirable
Qualifications / A member of the Government Statistician Group, demonstrating a commitment to continual professional developmentor
Afirst or second class honours degree in a numerate discipline, containing formal statistical training such as mathematics, economics, psychology or geography or
agraduate diploma of the Royal Statistical Society. / MSc or Phd or equivalent experience in statistics or related quantitative field.
Experience / Experience of producing and publishing statistics in the public sector (eg in a government department, associated agency, or local authority). / Experience of producing /analysing statistics in an educational context
Experience of line management.
Knowledge / An understanding of the Code of Practice for Statistics and related legislation and guidance. / An understanding of the education sector in Wales
An understanding of the UK qualifications sector.
Skills / IT literate with a good working knowledge of statistical and database software packages such as R, SAS, MS Excel and MS Access.
Strong written dissemination skills – ability to explain clearly statistical concepts and findings to non-specialists.
Strong data management skills – ability to assess the most appropriate way to store data and carry out complex data manipulation.
Strong data analysis skills - ability to analyse and interpret complex data in order to meet customer requirements.
Ability to manage multiple projects to time. / Ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh.

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