Data Processor

Job summary

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.

Life Events Processing (LEP) sits within the Population Statistics Directorate at the ONS, a directorate responsible for producing some of the UK’s most important population evidence. The directorate delivers a wide range of high-profile statistical outputs, including population estimates and projections, migration statistics, and in‑depth demographic analysis that informs government, public services and the wider public.

LEP plays a vital role in this work through the production of world‑leading mortality and births statistics. The team is responsible for quality assuring, validating and coding life events data to ensure it is accurate, consistent and analysis‑ready. This work directly underpins national statistics on births and deaths, which are relied upon to inform policy decisions, public health planning and research at both national and international level.

Working within LEP offers the opportunity to contribute to statistics that have real‑world impact. You will be part of a team committed to maintaining high standards of quality, integrity and continuous improvement, ensuring that ONS continues to deliver trusted population statistics for the public good.

To support the accurate and timely processing, coding and quality assurance of statistical data, applying specialist knowledge and established procedures to ensure outputs meet agreed standards. The role contributes to the delivery and continuous improvement of data processing activity by resolving coding queries, supporting quality checks, identifying issues, and helping to maintain consistent ways of working across the team.

Job description

The role will involve working closely with ONS colleagues and, where appropriate, external or international coding experts to resolve coding issues, improve processes and support the development of coding tools, decision tables and automation. You will help test and implement new specialist coding software and contribute to continuous improvement activity that strengthens the quality, efficiency and consistency of data processing.

Key Responsibilities

• Apply specialist data processing or coding knowledge to resolve routine and more complex queries, escalating issues where appropriate.
• Maintain accurate records of coding decisions, processing activity and quality issues to support transparency, consistency and auditability.
• Contribute to continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to strengthen processes, guidance, tools or ways of working.
• Support the testing, implementation or refinement of data processing systems, coding tools, guidance materials or training resources where required.
• Develop and maintain specialist expertise in mortality coding, ICD classification systems and emerging methodologies, including ICD-11.
• Coach and support colleagues, sharing knowledge and promoting the consistent application of coding standards and best practice.
• Communicate effectively and respectfully, adapting to different audiences and building strong working relationships through collaboration, coaching and information sharing.
• Deliver high-quality work to agreed deadlines, balancing accuracy, productivity and competing demands.
• Develop and maintain training pathways, guidance and specialist knowledge resources for ICD-11, inquest coding and external coding partners, supporting consistent coding practice, knowledge transfer and the successful implementation of evolving coding methodologies.

Working with Sensitive Data

Please note that this role involves regular exposure to sensitive and potentially distressing information, including details from death and stillbirth certificates. This may also include information related to coroner inquests, which can contain graphic and emotionally challenging content. The successful candidate must be able to handle such data with discretion and emotional resilience. ONS recognises the potential impact of working with this type of material and provides support and guidance to help staff manage their wellbeing. This includes access to internal and external wellbeing resources, peer support, and proactive support from line managers.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Encourages an open approach to seeking out and acting on feedback to bring about continuous improvement in own and team’s performance.
• Recognises learning opportunities for self and team that prepares people for the change in the organisation.
• Works with others in collaboration to share information constructively.
• Encourages feedback and creates a secure and safe environment where good communication and relationships can thrive.
• Understands complex information and is able to make the right decision at the right time often under pressure.

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,138, Office for National Statistics contributes £8,151 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 share a number of key benefits with other departments, whilst also having our own unique offerings to support our valued colleagues across the organisation.

Whether you are hearing about us for the first time or already know a bit about our organisation, we hope that our careers site will give you a great insight into the benefits and facilities available to our colleagues, and our fantastic working culture.

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. As a Disability Confident Leader we’re committed to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment process.

As part of our application process, you will be prompted to provide details of any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process that you need. If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments before applying, please contact the recruitment team in the first instance.

If you would like an accessible version of any of the attachments or recruitment documents below or linked to in this advert, please contact the recruitment team who will be happy to assist.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements 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, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates ma