Government Analysis Function > Government Statistical Service > GSS governance > GSS committees and groups > GSS People Advisory Group

GSS People Advisory Group

The Government Statistical Service (GSS) People Advisory Group (PAG) supports the National Statistician and statistical Heads of Profession (HoPs) to strengthen the GSS as a community. They achieve this through the development and review of people policies and practices for the GSS community which support professional capability and capacity.

The group focuses on three key work streams:

  • Capacity – Recruitment and Emerging and Early Talent
  • Consistency – Standards and Competencies
  • Capability – Learning and Development

Each year, PAG develops a programme of work on behalf of the National Statistician and statistical HoPs. This programme encompasses three workstreams: capacity, consistency and capability.

Capacity

Workforce Recruitment

Continue to review, improve and deliver effective recruitment processes which meet the capacity needs of the profession and ensure GSG career opportunities are accessible to all. Increase understanding of the opportunities and entry routes into the GSS to attract talent.

We will continue to deliver:

  • central recruitment campaigns for EO to SEO grade statisticians and GSS data scientists
  • central recruitment campaigns for summer and student placement recruitment
  • clear guidance and timelines on recruitment processes available for HoPs
  • workforce returns and workforce data

Our ambition for 2025 is:

  • the GSS Recruitment team will deliver further work to promote and communicate the entry routes and career pathways for those entering the GSS profession, including materials for the GSS website
  • careers fairs and outreach for Winter 2024/Spring 2025 will be confirmed
  •  a task and finish group will be set up to consider the requests made of accredited assessors by the GSS campaigns, departmental campaigns, faststream campaigns and End of Stream Assessment (ESA) and apprentice campaigns
  • a task and finish group will be set up to look at recruitment activity across regions

Early and Emerging Talent

Work in partnership with the Cabinet Office to deliver the current and future Fast Stream and Apprenticeship model in line with Civil Service reform, alongside continuous improvement activity.

We will continue to deliver:

  • successful onboarding, induction, and delivery of the Fast Stream programme for all GSS cohorts, working with Fast Stream and Emerging Talent (FSET)
  • continued development of the GSS Fast Stream programme in line with Civil Service priorities, feedback from the community, and wider analytical profession engagement
  • continued roll out of senior sponsors for all Fast Stream cohorts
  • successful recruitment campaigns, onboarding and delivery of the Level 4 and Level 6 apprenticeship in England and Wales

Our ambition for 2025 is:

  • to continue convening a working group to review the effectiveness of the current GSS apprenticeship offer, including opportunities to increase departmental bids and continuously improving the overall offer through senior sponsor activity.
  • to support the annual programme of events for apprentices and their line managers
  • to engage with Civil Service reform implications for the apprenticeship model, including changes to funding models
  • to embed a new delivery provider for the Level 6 Data Science Apprenticeship

Consistency

Recruitment Standards

All members understand the Government Statistician Group (GSG) professional career framework and it is used by all leaders in recruitment and performance management activity. All departments will have clear guidance on GSG badging process and standards.

We will continue to deliver:

  • central support for badging campaigns
  • development of recruitment and badging materials in line with GSG profession competencies and standards
  • central guidance on Fastpass recruitment and badging routes
  • assessor training

Our ambition for 2025 is:

  • the GSS recruitment team will continue to develop assessment material
  • a task and finish group on GSG badging standards and utilisation will be established

Capability

Learning and Development

GSS members can access support and training to enable them to progress in their careers. Continued improvement of the GSS learning offer to ensure it remains in line with wider Civil Service reform priorities.

We will continue to deliver:

  • the development of a suitable learning model for the GSS Fast Stream

Our ambition for 2025 is:

  • to increase communication to raise awareness and benefits of learning and development offers
  • to increase engagement with the online skills tool for the GSS community

We will engage with the Analysis Function to support their work on:

  • promoting the analytical learning offering
  • maintaining and improving analytical learning products, such as career stories

There are several teams and groups responsible for delivering the GSS People Priorities plan.

People Advisory Group

The People Advisory Group (PAG) meets on a quarterly basis, and reports bi-annually to the GSS Heads of Profession. It regularly consults with HoPs on recommendations and provides updates. The Chair of the PAG also sits on the National Statistics Executive Group (NSEG).

PAG members include:

  • The PAG Chair: Gemma Brand, Department for Transport
  • Career Framework Steering Group Chair
  • Learning and Development Steering Group Chair
  • Deputy Head of the Government Statistical Service (GSS)
  • Deputy Director of People Capability
  • Head of GSS Policy and Coordination
  • GSS People Priority Leads

The GSS Careers team and GSS Policy and Coordination team in ONS also play a crucial role in the delivery of the PAG programme of work.

Steering Groups

The work of PAG is supported through two Steering Groups:

  • Career Framework Steering Group, Chaired by Adrian Chesson (Office for National Statistics)
  • Learning and Development Steering Group, Chaired by Katie Dodd (Department for Work and Pensions)

These Steering Groups ensure that the GSS community are actively involved in shaping GSS people priority work.  Their responsibilities are to:

  • represent the views of the community
  • conduct research
  • develop options for action
  • provide recommendations
  • make decisions

All departments have the opportunity to be represented at steering groups.

Task and Finish Groups

Task and Finish Groups are commissioned to work on solutions for priority objectives. Their responsibility is to:

  • consult with stakeholders
  • represent departments’ views and priorities
  • inform, recommend and achieve priority objectives

These groups are resourced by volunteers from across the GSS community. We encourage members of the GSS to join relevant Task and Finish Groups.

To support the 2025 work programme, we are seeking volunteers from across the GSS community to join our Task and Finish Groups. These are fantastic opportunities to actively influence and support the delivery and direction of the GSS community, whilst developing new skills and networks.

If you would like to join a Task and Finish Group, please gain the support of your line manager and Head of Profession. Once you have approval, email GSS.Careers@ons.gov.uk, specifying the group you wish to join.

Task and Finish Groups

Assessors

Remit: To investigate the requests made of accredited assessors by the GSS campaigns, departmental campaigns, GSS Fast Stream campaigns and ESA and apprentice campaigns.

This group will identify opportunities and make recommendations for improvements in processes to manage the currently untenable requests to assessors.

The Task and Finish group will:

  • capture the current landscape by quantifying the asks of different recruitment campaigns across the GSS on accredited assessors
  • further understand the lifecycle of campaigns and assessor activity
  • understand the barriers to the current approach
  • understand other uses of GSS accredited assessors, for instance, with analytical campaigns which do not require trained assessors

Based on insights, the Assessors Task and Finish Group will make recommendations to improve the use of assessors for recruitment campaigns, working in conjunction with GSS Recruitment.

Regional Recruitment

Remit: To monitor recruitment activity across regions and recommend options to improve the strategic recruitment approach for campaigns, with the goal of increasing the statistical communities in places for growth.

The Task and Finish group will need to understand the background of:

  • target locations for recruitment
  • current regional recruitment activity which is in progress by the GSS or departments
  • outreach and promotional activity in regions of the UK
  • known differences in candidate pools across regions

This insight will be used by the group to make recommendations for a coordinated approach to engagement for recruitment in regions.

Government Statistician Group Badging Standards

Remit: To develop and implement recommendations for the GSG Badging Process

The Task and Finish group will utilise the work of the 2024 Badging Task and Finish group to identify any gaps or changes in the landscape which require original evidence to be revisited.

Based on the insight, this group will develop a badging process policy and badging process guidance for final HoP agreement.
Following the completion of this work, the group will monitor the uptake of the badging route, to make recommendations for further controls around eligibility and applications.

Apprenticeship Offer

Remit: To review the effectiveness of the current GSS apprenticeship offer. This will include opportunities to increase departmental bids and continuous improvement of the overall offer through senior sponsor activities.

This working group will focus on areas such as apprenticeship engagement surveys, networking, and apprenticeship conference and recruitment materials.

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