Director of Statistics and Analysis

at  Medr

ABOUT US

We are a new arm’s length body of the Welsh Government, responsible for the strategy, funding and oversight of:

• further education including colleges and school sixth-forms;
• higher education including research and innovation;
• adult education and adult community learning; and
• apprenticeships and training.

Operational since 1 August 2024, we work in close collaboration with our partners to enable a tertiary education and research system which is centred around the needs of learners; society; and economy with excellence, equality and engagement at its heart.

EXPERIENCE

• Experience of working at senior level, ideally within tertiary education or the public sector, taking lead role in strategic development and presentation and interpretation of statistics and analysis. Knowledge of Official Statistics processes and requirements, the Code of Practice for Statistics and the role of the Lead Official for Statistics.
• Significant level of experience of strategic leadership, managing and motivating employees and teams with professional specialisms such as statisticians and social researchers, across a range of functions and contributing to wider organisational management and governance.

QUALIFICATIONS, MEMBERSHIPS AND LICENSES

You should either be a member of the Government Statistician Group or meet the eligibility requirements for membership of the Government Statistical Group and agree to become a member in the role.
A Master’s degree in mathematics or statistics or with a high numeric content is highly desirable.

WELSH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Desirable
Welsh desirable means that whilst having Welsh language skills is useful for the role, it is not an assessment criterion, so it won’t disadvantage you during recruitment if you don’t currently possess these skills.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £70,456, Medr contributes £20,411 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We recognise the importance of looking after ourselves in work and in life. Your wellbeing is fundamental to you being your best self so in recognition of this we provide:

• 33 days annual leave a year (pro rata) to give you time to reboot; top up your energy banks and spend time doing the activities you love.
• An environment that embraces work life balance.
• A culture that celebrates diversity and welcomes everyone.
• Dedicated wellbeing time to all our people each week.
• A Cycle to Work Scheme to make owning a bicycle more affordable.

ATTRIBUTES:

• Agile - you can pre-empt issues and respond swiftly to changing circumstances, by leveraging data and insights to inform decision-making.
• Motivating - you inspire and empower others to achieve their full potential. Cultivating a culture of collaboration and excellence through effective communication, recognition of achievements, and providing opportunities for development.
• Curiosity – you challenge the status quo and encourage others to think critically and creatively.

Experience:

• Experience of working at senior level, ideally within tertiary education or the public sector, taking lead role in strategic development and presentation and interpretation of statistics and analysis. Knowledge of Official Statistics processes and requirements, the Code of Practice for Statistics and the role of the Lead Official for Statistics.
• Significant level of experience of strategic leadership, managing and motivating employees and teams with professional specialisms such as statisticians and social researchers, across a range of functions and contributing to wider organisational management and governance.

The initial sift will take place on 10 December 2024.
Candidates who successfully navigate the sift stage will be required to complete an online exercise to enable us to determine their behavioural and personality preferences. Immediately on completion you will be given a report which highlights your strengths plus some development tips to help you prepare for interview. Candidates should note that the online exercise is not intended to eliminate anyone from consideration. Instead, it serves as a tool to aid in the decision-making process.
Following this, you will be required to participate in an interview and a presentation, both of which will take place week commencing 16 December 2024.

The following attributes will also be assessed at interview:

• Role model our values - you align strategic decisions and initiatives with the organisation’s values, championing a culture where values are lived and upheld by all.
• Giving and receiving constructive feedback - you create an environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and constructive dialogue leads to meaningful change.

We strive for a diverse and inclusive workplace and we want to help you demonstrate your full potential whatever type of assessment is used. We are happy to discuss any person-centred adjustments required to the recruitment process. Please contact pobl@medr.cymru.
We’re looking forward to meeting everyone invited to interview at our new headquarters in Capital Quarter, Cardiff. We don’t usually pay travel expenses, but if this presents a real barrier to your attendance in person or if you require a reasonable adjustment, please let us know in advance by emailing pobl@medr.cymru so we can discuss and agree arrangements prior to your interview.

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB

You will be responsible for leading the delivery and development of the statistics and analysis that play a key role in supporting Medr’s strategic duties and functions. You will be Medr’s Lead Official for Statistics, with responsibility for its compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics.
You will be a key member of our leadership team, embracing and leading change; living our values and developing others to be their best selves, contributing to our establishment and operation as a high-performing organisation.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

You will be leading a change programme to integrate and develop Medr’s information and analysis across the tertiary education sector. Key responsibilities of the role are:

• Providing oversight and strategic leadership of the directorate to develop coherent and collaborative ways of working, to ensure the team’s budget and people resource are aligned to the Medr strategic plan, and to support the well-being of all people within the Directorate.
• As Medr’s Lead Official for Statistics, ensuring Medr’s compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics and for overseeing statistical publications.
• Working with the Office for Statistics Regulation and seeking guidance from the Head of Profession for Wales (Chief Statistician, Welsh Government) on professional matters.
• Developing a statistics and analysis strategy for Medr, aligned to the strategic plan, ensuring that the directorate has the expertise and capability required to fulfil the strategy.
• Shaping the directorate and identifying common areas within the directorate that can be integrated where appropriate. You will lead a programme of change, bringing together functions of the organisation that are closely linked and would benefit from close working.
• Work with and contribute to other functions across Medr, including regulatory, funding and assurance activities to meet and develop their data and analysis needs.
• Contribute to the management and governance of Medr and ensure the work of the Directorate contributes to our effectiveness as an organisation, including as a member of our Senior Leadership Team.
• Build and maintain constructive relationships with external stakeholders including Welsh and UK Government, tertiary education providers and wider stakeholders, and other funding and regulatory bodies.
• Engaging and consulting with users of Medr’s statistics and analysis, both internal and external, to understand their needs and ensure that they are met.
• Develop and maintain own knowledge of tertiary education and statistical approaches and requirements and use this to ensure Medr’s work is informed by UK-wide and other relevant developments.

We are a new arm’s length body of the Welsh Government, responsible for the strategy, funding and oversight of:

• further education including colleges and school sixth-forms;
• higher education including research and innovation;
• adult education and adult community learning; and
• apprenticeships and training