Geospatial Analyst in Manchester

The ONS operates a flexible hybrid working model across the UK, with colleagues linked to one of our contractual locations working between office and remote throughout the week. All colleagues are required to work from their contractually allocated site for at least 40% of their working time. The induction process for the role will be conducted in person.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the UK's largest producer of official statistics, covering a range of key economic, social and demographic topics. These include measuring changes in the value of the UK economy, estimating the size, geographic distribution, and characteristics of the population, and providing indicators of price inflation, employment, earnings, crime, and migration. We are transforming how we use data to better understand and measure the UK's economy and society, to drive better decision making, and to improve the lives of citizens. A core part of this work is the development of our Geospatial Strategy and capability - driving the effective use of geospatial methods across the organisation to add maximum value to ONS statistics.

ONS Geography, in the Data Architecture, Location and Integration (DALI) division, is a small but dynamic team who provides geospatial expertise and guidance to ONS and across government. The team undertakes a mixture of work aimed at improving the use and integration of geospatial data with statistics. You will have the opportunity to work with teams across the office, engage with other government departments and international bodies to share your knowledge and experience to make a real difference in our continued drive to improve how geospatial data are used in the office. However, we also recognise the importance of your own personal development, and you will also be encouraged to upskill and seek opportunities that align with the goals of the team.

We're looking for an enthusiastic and talented Geospatial Analyst, to help us drive forward our ambitions, bring creativity and new ways of thinking. We want to build teams with a range of skills, where the team members' strengths complement each other. If you have strong technical skills and/or interpersonal skills and you are interested in using your geospatial analytical skills to help transform the way we use data across government, then we are interested in your application.

A Geospatial Analyst applies expertise in geography and spatial/location data to deliver high-quality analysis and geographical products across the office. They lead and support research and analytical projects where location data is central, while actively exploring innovative technologies to improve efficiency and enhance outputs in line with evolving organisational needs.

As the successful candidate, you will work on a broad range of geospatial projects—from creating new geographies to processing spatial/location datasets to generate insights and indicators. You will help advance geospatial analytical methods, introducing new approaches to data processing and interpretation. You will collaborate closely with colleagues and receive guidance from senior team members, contributing to a supportive and knowledge-sharing environment. Continuous professional development is encouraged, and you will be expected to stay up-to-date with emerging geospatial technologies, datasets, and analytical techniques.

Key Responsibilities

• Work on specific projects alone or with support from team members.
• Use appropriate tools and techniques and/or approaches to meet stakeholder requirements.
• Apply a mixture of GIS, coding, analytical and statistical methodologies to produce the necessary outputs.
• Collect, collate and prepare datasets for analytical inputs.
• Review and assess new data sources.
• Explore and evaluate new datasets, technologies and techniques to maintain and update training packages.
• Quality assess and peer review colleagues' outputs to ensure a quality service.
• Work with academic and commercial experts on new methods and analysis tasks to improve existing or create new outputs.
• Support in the production of training/teaching material for internal and external stakeholders.
• Engage in activities to support the geography community across ONS and Government.

Essential Skill Criteria:

• Geographic knowledge: Understanding of geographic processes and their application in the analysis, storage, visualisation, and management of geographic data.
• Geospatial analysis & problem solving: Use of appropriate techniques to analyse spatial and non-spatial data to solve data problems.
• Geographic compliance: Understand and comply with relevant national and international geospatial frameworks and best practices.
• Quality Assurance and Control: Ability to review and assess the quality of work through maintaining desired levels of quality in outputs.
• Data Preparation and Linkage: Ability to conduct data preparation and linkage, ensuring data is usable and reproducible.

Qualifications

At least either an undergraduate degree, or equivalent qualification, with relevance to the job description OR at least 1 year's experience in a role/study relevant to the job description.

Behaviours

We will assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Changing and Improving, Working Together, Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace.

Technical skills

We will assess you against these technical skills during the selection process: Geospatial Software and Systems, Geospatial Coding.

Alongside your salary of £35,144, Office for National Statistics contributes £10,181 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

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.

Inclusion & Accessibility: At ONS we are always looking to attract the very best people from the widest possible talent pool, and we are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer.

Selection process details: This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Security Clearance: For ONS the requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for 3 consecutive years immediately prior to applying.

Application Process: Number of Stages: 2 stage process. Stage 1: Application; Stage 2: Interview.

Important dates: The Sift will be conducted w/c 9th March. Interviews are expected to be conducted from w/c 23rd March.