Resources for GSS Heads of Profession (HoPs)

The following provide support for statistics Heads of Profession:

Central Policy Secretariat

Central Policy Secretariat (CPS) supports the HoPs network in a number of different ways, including organising meetings and sending out the weekly HoPs email. Get in touch by emailing: GSS@statistics.gov.uk.

The National Statistician and the Deputy National Statisticians

Find out more about the National Statistician and the deputies. Get in touch by emailing: National.Statistician@statistics.gov.uk.

GSS recruitment team

Find out more on the GSS careers and learning area.

Get in touch by emailing: GSS.Recruitment@ons.gov.uk.

GSS careers team

Find out more on the GSS careers and learning area.

Get in touch by emailing: GSS.Careers@ons.gov.uk.

GSS capability

Find out more on the GSS careers and learning area.

Get in touch by emailing: GSS.Capability@statistics.gov.uk

Other HoPs

You can contact other statistics HoPs through Central Policy Secretariat or via the HoPs channel on GSS Slack. These links will only work if you have a Slack account and are logged in. You will also need to be added to the HoPs channel to see the content there.  Please email GSSHelp@statistics.gov.uk if you need access.

HoPs from other departments can be contacted through the Central Policy Secretariat (email: GSS@statistics.gov.uk) or via the HoPs channel on the GSS workspace on Slack. These links will only work if you have a Slack account and are logged in. You will also need to be added to the HoPs channel. Please email GSSHelp@statistics.gov.uk if you need access.

• GSS workspace on Slack
• GSS area on the Analysis Function website
• Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) website
• GSS newsletter – email GSSHelp@statistics.gov.uk to subscribe
• OSR newsletter
• The Analysis Function newsletter (contact Analysis.Function@ons.gov.uk to subscribe)
• Weekly HoPs e-mail (this is sent out by the Central Policy Secretariat: GSS@statistics.gov.uk)

Roles and responsibilities for statistics Heads of Profession.

• The strategy for the United Kingdom statistical system
• GSS Harmonisation Workplan
• GSS Quality Strategy

All strategies in the GSS policy and guidance hub.

Useful links

• The GSG recruitment policy
• Guidance for the adoption of success profiles

Recruitment campaign planner

GSS recruitment mainstream dates for Statistical Officers, placements and apprenticeships.

For C4 and C10 the type of exercise will be determined by the requirements of departments at that time.

GSS recruitment campaigns 2025-26

Questions about recruitment

Contact the recruitment team (GSS.Recruitment@ons.gov.uk) if you have a query relating to:

• permanent and temporary recruitment
• badging exercises
• sandwich students
• summer placements
• GSS assessor training
• careers fairs
• GSS Fast Stream recruitment

Useful links

• The policy on badging statisticians
• GSG competency framework
• The GSG Career Framework with information on how to help people use it
• The policy for recruiting a statistical Head of Profession

Questions about careers

Contact the careers team (GSS.Careers@ons.gov.uk) if you have a query relating to:

• GSS professional standards
• Government Statistician Group (GSG) competency framework
• badging policy
• careers and talent pipelines (including GSS apprenticeships)
• GSS Fast Stream scheme and policies
• GSS student roles

• The Code of Practice for Statistics
• Reporting breaches of the code
• Labelling official statistics
• Publishing official and accredited official statistics
• Publishing official statistics in development
• Changing or ceasing to publish official statistics
• Publishing official statistics on polling days
• Management information and official statistics
• Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
• The CPD policy for the Government Statistician Group (GSG)

All these and more can be found on the main guidance hub.

• Training courses
• The GSG learning pathways
• GSS careers and learning
• Analysis Function learning area
• Analysis Function careers area

Any questions on learning and development? Email: GSS.Capability@statistics.gov.uk

Data leaders network

Find out about the data leaders network on GOV.UK

Champion networks

GSS champion networks 

Analysis Function champion networks:

• Reproducible Analytical Pipeline (RAP) champions
• Data linkage champions 

About the Analysis Function

The Analysis Function: Frequently Asked Questions

About the GSS, Government Statistician Group (GSG), government professions and Analysis Function

All producers of official statistics have a responsibility to work closely with the devolved administrations.

Read more about working across the devolved administrations.

The Office for Statistics Regulation is the regulatory arm of the UK Statistics Authority. It aims to enhance public confidence in the trustworthiness, quality and value of statistics produced by government. It does this using four main tools:

• assessment – assessing statistics against the Code of Practice for Statistics and designating them as accredited official statistics if they comply in full
• compliance checks – providing a high-level review of the statistics
• systemic Reviews – on issues and opportunities that cut across the statistical system
• casework – making public comment on the uses of official statistics

The OSR ogranise their work around subject themes. This has enabled them to develop wider networks of external contacts and topic expertise. As part of this approach, their regulators will seek to maintain regular contact with all HoPs. The OSR team page gives the names and contact information and their subject themes.

Find out more about diversity and inclusion in the GSS.