Concluded task and finish groups

This group was active from June 2025 to February 2026.

Purpose

This task and finish group supported collaboration between the GSS and RSS to develop a clear, shared vision for the future of the statistician profession and identify priority areas for developing capability and skills over the next decade.

Key achievements

Future Statistician Vision published

We developed a clear, forward‑looking vision for the future statistician, which has been published on the RSS website: Government Statistical Service (GSS) and Royal Statistical Society (RSS) report on the vision for the Future Statistician

Engaged stakeholders and gathered evidence

We synthesised evidence from a joint GSS and RSS roundtable and led a public consultation to identify which skills and capabilities should endure, and what needs to evolve in the profession over the next decade.

We tested emerging thinking through a session at the 2025 GSS Conference to ensure the vision and recommendations reflected the priorities, concerns and experience of the profession.

Thematic deep dives and analysis

We analysed the GSS/RSS consultation responses, including manual thematic analysis and AI‑assisted summarisation of priority areas. The outcome of analysis were published in the future statistician consultation summary document on the RSS website.

Next Steps

Going forward, our focus is on the delivery of the Future Statistician vision, which includes:

• establishing GSS and RSS governance to provide ongoing leadership to the initiative including monitoring and reporting progress to Heads of Profession
• establishing a new task and finish group to develop action plans for delivering the recommendations
• ongoing engagement with the GSS and RSS communities to embed the vision and support capability development
• a progress report, which will be published in January 2027

With thanks to:

Members of the GSS and RSS Future Statistician Task and Finish Group, representing departments across government: Cheryl Blake (MoD), Joe Bohoslawec (DSIT), Holly Goss (ONS), Arti Jones (MoJ), Justyna Owen (DWP), James Stokes (CO), and Onur Teymur (DESNZ), and colleagues from the Royal Statistical Society, including Deniz Gursul and Ricky McGowan, for their time, expertise and commitment in shaping this work, and to Jade Lester and colleagues in the GSS Policy and Co‑ordination team for supporting engagement, coordination, and briefing.

Purpose: To develop a strategy for the GSS Community to support engagement and networking opportunities, with clear and regular communications and enhanced visibility of GSS leadership.

Duration: October 2023 to April 2025

Actions

GSS Vision: Capability and Community

Established an aspiration for a vibrant community in the development of the GSS vision, which became the Capability and Community theme within Strength in Numbers. This includes commitments on GSS Community groups, the GSS Conference, and improved visibility of GSS leadership.

GSS community groups

Launched the GSS regional community groups page on the Analysis Function website, promoting local groups and activities.

GSS leadership visibility

• Introduced the GSS Senior Leaders Blog in the monthly GSS newsletter.
• Developed the comprehensive Meet the GSS Senior Leaders webpage which provides information about the Heads of Profession across the GSS.

GSS Community events

• Engagement with the GSS community to shape the vision, including a session at the 2023 GSS Conference and within Departments.
• Supported the team responsible for delivering the 2024 GSS Conference.
• Informed the new quarterly GSS Community calls and knowledge sharing sessions.

Next steps

The GSS Policy and Co-ordination team are taking on delivering and maintaining the outputs from the task and finish group. They have developed the GSS Community and Engagement Plan 2025 which builds on this work to:

• bring the community together more often for regular updates and knowledge sharing
• improve visibility across the community and celebrate success
• empower and support the GSS to plan, develop and deliver best practice in alignment with government priorities and needs
• enable regular networking in-person and online
• increase the sense of community for statisticians across government

With thanks to: Naeem Abdulhussein (HMRC), Sam Caton (HMRC), Jane Chandler (DESNZ), Simon Clarke (HSE), Steve Ellerd-Elliott (DWP), Sarah Lasher (DCMS), Delphine Robineau (DfE), and John Wilkins (DfT), and Eleanor Cuzner and Jade Lester from the GSS Policy and Coordination team.

Purpose: To identify gaps or specific requirements for under-represented groups in the statistics profession regarding job application and interview support, and to make recommendations to address these.

Actions

Recommended changes to GSS recruitment materials

Reviewed recruitment materials and worked with the GSS Recruitment team to prioritise recommendations. All changes are subject to team capacity.

Gathered feedback from current sifters and interviewers

Gathered feedback from a range of experienced Government Statistician Group (GSG) assessors for statistical officer central campaigns (grade EO to SEO) on:

• how candidates from different backgrounds have performed in sifts and interviews
• where there were areas of potential disadvantage
• what actions could be taken to reduce any barriers for certain candidates

Used existing resources to help with application and interview support

Produced a version of a recent Office for National Statistics blog on a personal experience of the GSS Dissemination Exercise and tips for applicants to be shared across the GSS.

Drafted guidance on reducing the time it takes to onboard people

We created guidance and actions for GSS Heads of Profession (HoPs), Analysis Function, and Departmental Directors of Analysis to help reduce candidate drop-outs and onboard candidates swiftly. This assists with inclusion issues for disadvantaged groups as they will start to be paid sooner.

Commissioned the Diversity and Inclusive group to support

In discussion with the Diversity and Inclusion Group lead and a HoP sponsor, we recommended the following ideas:

• career presentations from senior statisticians in under-represented groups
• share existing Civil Service and equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) groups with GSS members to improve awareness

Actions

The GSS Career Framework Steering Group will track progress on the actions from the task and finish group. The Diversity and Inclusion group has been asked to help with the final action.

With thanks to: Adrian Chesson (ONS), Andrew Etherington (ONS), Jessie Evans (DSIT), Ally McAlpine (SG), Maeve McMahon (BDUK), Stephen Oxley (DSIT), Sian Rasdale (FCDO)