Head of Data and Analysis, Early Years, Children’s Social Care and SEND

We are recruiting a Head of Data and Analysis, Early Years, Children’s Social Care and SEND to join our Data and Insight team.

The Head of Data and Analysis, Early Years, Children’s Social Care and SEND reports directly to the Deputy Director of Data and Insight, who is also Ofsted's Chief Statistician. The post holder provides effective and strategic leadership and management to their team of statisticians, operational researchers, digital professionals and analysts.

The post holder is responsible for leading Ofsted's quantitative analysis and insight programme focused on early years, children’s social care and area SEND. They work with a range of people across the organisation and across government to identify the right analysis to undertake, at the right time, and ensure it is disseminated effectively and has impact. They develop and deliver outstanding quality data products, analysis, and insight to direct and support policy and framework development, to evaluate the quality of provision and inspection, and to directly inform regulatory and inspection activities. In addition, they oversee the production and publication of management information, data commentaries, and official statistics for publication.

A key part of the role is providing strategic leadership for the development and use of digital analytical applications and tools. This includes driving the design, delivery and continuous improvement of user‑centred digital products that bring data, analysis and insight together to support inspectors, policy colleagues and senior leaders.

The post holder leads Ofsted’s growing operational research capability within their remit, ensuring the effective application of analytical modelling, optimisation, and other OR techniques to address complex operational and strategic challenges.

The post holder is also responsible for the provision of high-quality pre-inspection information and, where relevant, on-inspection analytical support for the inspection of Local Authority Children’s Services, a range of children’s social care inspection, and the inspection of Area SEND services. The post holder works closely with senior colleagues to ensure that our quantitative and qualitative analysis forms a coherent programme which meets the needs of HMCI, colleagues across Ofsted, as well as users across government and the sectors that we regulate and inspect.

The post holder provides significant support to the Chief Statistician in leading and managing the Data and Insight Division in conjunction with the other members of the senior leadership team. The post holder will also be part of and contribute to one of the government analytical professions (GSS, GORS, GES or GSR).

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving
• Delivering at Pace

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Highly developed knowledge, understanding and experience in a statistical or analytical leadership role.
• Experience and successful track record of leading and motivating multidisciplinary teams to deliver change and innovation in a complex and fast-paced environment.
• Experience of working effectively with external stakeholders across central or local government, partner organisations, and/or academia.
• Ability to analyse and evaluate large quantities of information, identify key issues and trends to meet user needs and effectively communicate these to a wide range of stakeholders including at Board level.
• Experience of leading the development and deployment of digital products, such as web applications.
• Experience of operational research (OR) or advanced analytical techniques, or the ability to apply quantitative methods to complex operational or strategic problems (for example modelling, optimisation or simulation)

We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:

• Highly developed knowledge, understanding and experience in a statistical or analytical leadership role.
• Experience and successful track record of leading and motivating multidisciplinary teams to deliver change and innovation in a complex and fast-paced environment.
• Experience of working effectively with external stakeholders across central or local government, partner organisations, and/or academia.
• Ability to analyse and evaluate large quantities of information, identify key issues and trends to meet user needs and effectively communicate these to a wide range of stakeholders including at Board level.

Full details of the benefits available can be found in our Ofsted Offer brochure.

Ofsted is devoted to equality, diversity and inclusion. Within our Ofsted Strategy 2023-2027 we have stated that we will improve the representation of under-represented groups across the organisation and publish our progress on this annually. We are always looking to expand on our diverse workforce by recruiting candidates from varied backgrounds and differing experiences. We are proud to be a Disability Confident – Leader, we continually engage with our 5 staff networks for protected characteristics, and highlight the work of our Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Group. We ensure all candidates are treated with fair and open competition, with all appointments being made on merit and we use our Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) to provide assurance to all candidates of this.

Ofsted is committed to maintaining employee health and wellbeing, whether it is physically, emotionally, financially or socially, and offers a range of benefits to support employees in this. Such benefits include the option to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme, professional and personal development opportunities, 32.5 annual leave days per annum (plus eight days public holiday) and access to counselling and advisory services.

Job contact :

• Name : People Services Delivery Team
• Email : jobs@ofsted.gov.uk
• Telephone : 03000 131 487

Recruitment team

• Email : jobs@ofsted.gov.uk