At Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR), we offer a wide range of dynamic roles and career pathways designed to help you grow and thrive. Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of statistics, regulation or government, or you are aiming to progress into leadership, we have many opportunities that could match your ambitions.
Our roles span diverse areas, giving you the chance to develop new skills, make a real impact and contribute to ensuring statistics serve the public good. We believe in supporting our people through professional development, collaboration and a culture that values innovation and integrity.
Explore our role profiles and hear directly from our team members about their experiences, career journeys and what makes OSR a great place to work.
Senior Leadership Team
Our Senior Leadership Team shapes the direction of our organization, focusing on strategy, capability and impact. Leaders at various levels – including our Deputy Director and Grade 6s – drive innovation, oversee key programmes and projects, and build strategic partnerships.
Statistics Regulators
Our largest group, the statistics regulators, are at the heart of what we do. Working within and across thematic domains like Economy, Business and Trade, or Health and Social Care. Our regulators – Grade 7s (Principle), SEOs (Senior) and HEO’s – lead and collaborate on high-profile projects, assess official statistics and engage with stakeholders to ensure the trustworthiness, quality and value of statistics.
Development Functions
We’re committed to staying at the forefront of our field.
Policy & Standards: Shaping the Code of Practice and developing tools and guidance for the statistical system to drive improvement.
Data & Methods: Innovating with data science and methodology to support our regulatory model – keeping pace with emerging trends like AI and data ethics – and automating our processes.
Research: Breaking new ground in understanding how statistics can serve the public good and strengthening our regulatory model.
Support Functions
Behind the scenes, our support teams ensure we operate efficiently and effectively.
Communications & Engagement: Managing outreach, digital engagement and stakeholder relationships.
Business Support, Private Office & Casework: Keeping our operations running smoothly.
Evaluation: Measuring and reporting on our impact and outcomes.
Team member testimonials
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Gail – Senior Leadership Team, Systemic Review Programme Lead
“Moving into the Civil Service with OSR was a smooth transition –I get to use my experience in new ways and to work alongside a genuinely supportive team.”
Like many of my colleagues, I joined OSR from a career outside the Civil Service, originally in civil engineering and process improvement, and latterly in local government.
OSR’s vision that statistics should serve the public good is a simple one, but one that means the work that I do as part of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), with a focus on our wide-ranging review programme, allows me to make the best use of my skills. As we work across all public sector statistics, not only am I working directly at a senior level to improve statistics in key areas facing society today, but I’m also able to explore areas I have interests in.
We are not a large organisation, but we have a lot of impact. We are an organisation that empowers people – working at OSR means that you are part of, and close to, decision making. I found the transition to working in the Civil Service an easy one, thanks in no small part to the open and supportive culture which runs through everything that OSR does.
Job – Grade 7 Statistics Regulator
“One of my favourite things about OSR is the breadth and variety of the work we do. The other strengths of OSR are the people and the culture. We’re a small but close-knit team, and we work in an open, collaborative and supportive way.”
I’m a G7 statistics regulator. I joined OSR in 2016 and currently lead the Crime, Education and Justice theme. I came to OSR from the Department of Work and Pensions, where I was a statistician. Before I joined the Civil Service, I was an academic researcher specialising in ecology and evolutionary biology.
One of my favourite things about OSR is the breadth and variety of the work we do. Over the years, I’ve reviewed statistics on a wide range of topics including crime, justice, agriculture, environment and migration. There are lots of opportunities to get involved in corporate projects, like developing new guidance for statistics producers and reviewing cross-cutting issues like data sharing and linkage, and the communication of statistics.
The other strengths of OSR are the people and the culture. We’re a small but close-knit team, and we work in an open, collaborative and supportive way.
Nisha – SEO Statistics Regulator – currently on temporary promotion to Grade 7
“I joined OSR because I wanted my work to make a difference –and it truly does. The team is friendly, flexible and committed to wellbeing, with plenty of opportunities to develop and get involved in shaping the organisation’s future. If you’re curious about how official statistics inform public debate and want to contribute to the public good, OSR is the place for you.”
Do you want to be working in a progressive Civil Service role? Does hearing statistics quoted in the public domain inspire curiosity within you to find out more? Then working as a statistics regulator at the Office for Statistics Regulation could be the role for you!
I came to the role from a small niche regulator with a background in performance management. I had also held previous roles in strategic planning in education and information analysis in banking. These roles all involved either using or providing data for official statistics, so I always knew the importance of having relevant, timely and accurate statistics to inform a debate. I was, however, amazed at the topic breadth and variety of statistics and data that OSR regulates. There are always opportunities to get involved in numerous interesting projects across the domains and functions. It is a friendly and flexible team but still of a manageable size, so you can get to know individuals well and feel supported with initiatives into employee welfare and mental health taken seriously. Individuals are also encouraged to get involved in organisational areas of interest, such as becoming a member of the Wellbeing and Development Group or joining one of several programme boards to help the organisation fulfil its strategic ambitions.
Developing within the role is also encouraged and supported. I have been a regulator working across various domains – firstly in education, then health and now within the Economics, Business and Trade domain. During the pandemic, I worked on a review of the lessons learned across the UK nations from the beleaguered statistical models used to generate the 2020 exam awards. It was really rewarding to work with a range of external stakeholders and to raise awareness of the review once published. I then moved to the Health and Social Care domain and continued to regulate high-profile statistics, such as NHS waiting times. I currently lead the Economy, Business and Trade domain, working on statistics that shape understanding of the UK economy, including monitoring ONS initiatives to drive improvements in economic data. If you’re passionate about how statistics inform decisions and want to make a real impact, explore a career with OSR. You’ll collaborate with stakeholders, influence change and help ensure statistics work for society.
Chris – EO Casework Officer
“Working in OSR’s casework function means my role is always interesting given the varied subjects we cover day to day.”
I joined the Office for Statistics Regulation in 2018 and have worked in the casework team since 2022.
My role is interesting and varied in what subjects we are looking at from day to day. The casework functions ensures that concerns with official statistics are investigated and appropriate interventions take place. Often, these concerns are about statistics use (or misuse) for real-world, topical issues, so I get to know a little bit about a lot of current issues. It can be interesting to see how some issues become high profile and how the statistics are used in these debates, and how we respond.
I have no statistical/academic/regulatory background. I am very much a Civil Service Operational Delivery professional, having done many varied roles, and OSR certainly has good people from different backgrounds, not just statisticians. It helps us work together well to produce a surprising amount of high-profile work for such a small team.