Mainstream profession recruitment
Mainstream profession recruitment activities are led and managed by the analytical professions. They are designed to recruit analysts with the required technical skills to produce the intended analytical output. Select each analytical profession to learn more about their recruitment activities.
The Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) is a non-ministerial department, and the centre of the actuarial profession in government. It provides actuarial solutions to support the UK public sector including financial risk analysis, modelling, and advice.
Mainstream recruitment
GAD holds regular campaigns to recruit qualified Actuaries and Analysts through the the mainstream route. Mainstream roles are advertised at Higher Executive Officer (HEO) grade and above.
Graduate recruitment campaigns
Each year GAD recruits a small number of highly numerate graduates as both analysts and trainee actuaries. These graduates are then supported in their development to become experienced Analysts and qualified Actuaries. The graduate positions are offered at Executive Officer (EO) grade.
Secondments and loans
GAD arranges secondments for its staff with other government departments and external organisations. This is part of GAD’s service to its clients across government. It also gives staff at GAD development opportunities.
GAD sometimes offer a small number of inward loan and secondment opportunities for staff from other government departments and external organisations.
GAD advertise external roles on Civil Service Jobs and on a range of actuarial recruitment websites.
You can contact GAD for more information by emailing recruitment@gad.gov.uk.
The Government Economic Service (GES) is the professional body for economists in the UK civil service. The GES champions economics in government, supporting our economists and promoting the use of high-quality economic analysis in policymaking. The profession has a large cross-government presence, with more than 3,500 members.
The GES operates five centralised schemes to recruit government economists. Under certain circumstances departments can run their own mass recruitment campaigns at Senior Executive Officer and above, but these should be approved and agreed with the profession.
Although indicative campaign start dates are given in this section, please be advised these may vary. In all cases, please contact your Head of Profession and the GES central team to register interest.
Mainstream recruitment
A mainstream recruitment campaign for Assistant Economists at Higher Executive Officer (HEO) level takes place each February. Anyone recruited during this campaign will start their role in September.
Fast Stream
Recruitment for the Government Economic Fast Stream takes place each September. Bids for Fast Stream members of staff are collated by the central Cabinet Office team. The bids will be signed off by either the Head of Analysis or the Permanent Secretary from the relevant department. Anyone recruited as part of this campaign will start their role in September.
Apprenticeships
The Government Economic Service launched a degree apprenticeship in 2019. This is a 4 year programme for people who do not already have an economics degree. The apprentices work 4 days a week, with one day set aside to study for their degree, currently with the University of Kent.
Student placements
GES run student placement years which give students the opportunity to complete a year in industry during their degree course. Recruitment for student placement opportunities typically launches in February or March.
There are also opportunities to have a summer student for 6 to 12 weeks.
Please contact your departmental Head of Profession for more information or you can contact GES by emailing GESRRecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk.
The Government Operational Research Service (GORS) currently supports policy-making, strategy and operations in many different departments and agencies. GORS employs over 1,200 analysts.
Mainstream recruitment
Most Operational Research Analysts join GORS through the mainstream recruitment route at the following levels:
- Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
- Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
There are usually two main recruitment windows each year for the mainstream route. The first is in March, and the second is in September. HEO recruitment runs for recent graduates and postgraduates. Recruitment at SEO level is for applicants who have experience of analysis and managing analytical projects.
Fast Stream
Recruitment for the Government Operational Research Fast Stream takes place each October. Bids for Fast Stream members of staff are collated by the central Cabinet Office Fast Stream Team. The bids will be signed off by either the Head of Analysis or the Permanent Secretary from the relevant department. Anyone recruited as part of this campaign will start their role in September.
Student placements
GORS run a sandwich student placement scheme which gives students the opportunity to complete a year in industry during their degree course. There are also opportunities to have a summer student for 10 to12 weeks. You can submit a bid to recruit a student by speaking to your Head of Profession. Recruitment campaigns for student placements and summer students take place in February and September each year.
Please contact your departmental Head of Profession for more information or contact the GORS central team by completing their online contact form.
GORS badging boards
Badging boards are open to Civil Servants who wish to join the Government Operational Research Profession and are already in an analytical post. They are organised twice a year and follow on after each mainstream recruitment round, with applications open in July and December. The Heads of Profession (HoP) will need to support any application through this route. This means candidates who wish to join should first contact their HoP for more information and to discuss whether they meet the minimum threshold for joining the profession.
The Government Social Research profession (GSR) is one of the Civil Service Professions that works across Government to provide evidence for policy. GSR researchers use the methods of social scientific enquiry to measure, describe, explain and predict social and economic phenomena to policy makers.
The profession operates four centralised schemes to recruit government social researchers. Under certain circumstances departments can run their own mass recruitment campaigns, but these should be approved and agreed with the profession.
Although indicative campaign start dates are given in this section, please be advised these may vary. In all cases, please contact your Head of Profession and the GSR central team to register interest.
Mainstream recruitment
A mainstream recruitment campaign for Research Officers at Higher Executive Officer (HEO) level takes place every year in March. Anyone recruited as part of this campaign will start their role in September.
Fast Stream
Recruitment for the Government Social Research Fast Stream takes place each September. Bids for Fast Stream members of staff are collated by the central Cabinet Office team. The bids will be signed off by either the Head of Analysis or the Permanent Secretary from the relevant department. Anyone recruited as part of this campaign will start their role in September.
Student placements
GSR runs sandwich student placements each year which give students an opportunity to work for 12 months in the industry during their degree course. The bidding process begins in September each year, and placements usually begin in July or August.
There are also opportunities to recruit summer students for 6 to12 weeks, if there is enough interest from departments.
Please contact your departmental Head of Profession and GSR central team for more information at GESRRecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk.
The Government Statistical Service (GSS) is a community for all civil servants working in the collection, production and communication of official statistics. The GSS is led by the National Statistician. The Government Statistician Group (GSG) is the profession for government statisticians and statistical data scientists.
Mainstream recruitment
GSS Recruitment are the central team for mainstream activities.
Statistical Officers
The GSS Recruitment team recruits statistical officers at three grades:
- Statistical Officer — this is equivalent to Executive Officer (EO)
- Higher Statistical Officer — this is equivalent to Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
- Senior Statistical Officer — this is equivalent to Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
Campaigns run regularly throughout the year for each of the grades. You can submit a bid to recruit a statistical officer as part of a mainstream recruitment campaign by speaking to your Head of Profession.
Statistical Data Scientists
The GSS Recruitment team recruits statistical data scientists at two grades:
- Higher Statistical Data Scientist — this is equivalent to Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
- Senior Statistical Data Scientist — this is equivalent to Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
Campaigns run approximately twice a year, launching around April and October. You can submit a bid to recruit a statistical data scientist as part of a mainstream recruitment campaign by speaking to your Head of Profession.
Fast Stream
Recruitment for the GSS Fast Stream takes place each October. The Statistical Fast Stream is managed by the Cabinet Office and they will request bids through the HR Director of participating government departments. The GSS Careers and GSS Recruitment teams jointly oversee this programme.
Student placements
GSS Recruitment run two student placement schemes. The summer placement is for 10 to 12 weeks. The sandwich placement is an opportunity for students to work for a year in industry during their degree course.
You can submit a bid to recruit students on a summer placement or a sandwich placement by speaking to your Head of Profession.
Secondments and loans
GSS arranges annual secondment opportunities for its staff with other government departments and external organisations, such as the BBC. Find out more about GSS loans and secondments.
Apprenticeships
The Government Statistical Service also offer apprenticeships.
The Data Analytics Level 4 apprenticeship is a 2 year programme. The Data Science Degree Level 6 apprenticeship is a 3 year programme for people who do not already have a data science or statistics degree. Apprentices will work in departments while they complete their course.
When candidates have successfully completed either the Level 4 or Level 6 apprenticeship, they will be eligible to complete an assessment exercise to join the GSG profession.
Departments can bid for apprentices or put existing employees onto the programme as a development opportunity.
As with other GSS Recruitment exercises, you can submit a bid for apprentices by speaking to your Head of Profession.
GSS Recruitment introduced a Fast Pass scheme in 2023 for people who successfully complete a sandwich placement or apprenticeship. The Fast Pass allows individuals to skip the sift process of mainstream campaigns and be invited straight to the Statistical Officer assessment. This means they may be able to secure a conditional offer of employment before they graduate.
Please contact your departmental Head of Profession for more information or you can contact GSS by emailing GSS.Recruitment@ons.gov.uk.