Lead Business Analyst - Census

Office for National Statistics; Fareham; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A government statistics agency in the UK is seeking a Lead Business Analyst to oversee key projects like Census 2031. This role requires leading investigations into business processes, engaging with stakeholders, and defining improvements across the Census project. The ideal candidate will possess expertise in stakeholder relationship management, business modelling, and process improvement, effectively contributing to the development of user-centered services. A collaborative approach is essential in shaping insightful analyses to guide policy decisions and community planning.

Qualifications

• Expertise in stakeholder management, able to direct strategies and resolve issues.
• Skilled in business modelling to support planning and decision-making.
• Ability to manage complex requirements and ensure alignment with strategic goals.
• Proven experience in identifying opportunities for business performance improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead investigations into business processes and information systems.
• Review system capabilities and develop use cases and models.
• Define improvements to business processes and align with development.
• Facilitate communication of project scope and maintain overall goals.
• Elicit functional and non-functional requirements effectively.

Skills

Stakeholder Relationship Management

Business Modelling

Requirements Definition and Management

Business Process Improvement

Job description

These Lead Business Analyst roles will be working on the Census 2031. Census 2031 represents our most ambitious data collection project yet – a once-in-a-decade opportunity to capture a complete picture of everyone living in England and Wales. Building on the digital success of 2021, we're pioneering new ways to reach every household and community, ensuring no one is left uncounted. This vital work will provide the foundation for policy decisions, resource allocation, and community planning for the next decade.

Your work will support delivery of this transformational project that will shape how we understand and support our nation's future. You’ll be part of a team that ensures everyone is counted—and every voice is heard. We're building a culture that values collaboration, fresh thinking, and respect for diverse expertise. Whether you're a seasoned professional or bringing new perspectives, you'll be part of a team that welcomes bold ideas, works transparently, and thrives on solving complex challenges together.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the UK’s largest producer of official statistics, covering a range of key economic, social and demographic topics. These include measuring changes in the value of the UK economy, estimating the size, geographic distribution and characteristics of the population, and providing indicators of price inflation, employment, earnings, crime and migration.

The Lead Business Analyst (BA) plays a key role in shaping how the Census is designed, delivered, and continuously improved. Working within the central End‑to‑End (E2E) Service Design Team, the BA ensures that the Census operates as a coherent, integrated, and user‑centred service across all business areas. This role collaborates with a wide range of stakeholders across ONS, delivery suppliers, enabling partners, and the Devolved Governments to support a unified UK‑wide Census experience.

The post holder may work across the full breadth of the high‑level Census design or specialise in particular business services—such as Field Operations, Communal Establishments (CE), Public Support, Contact Centre, Questionnaire Operations, or other core service components.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage investigations into business processes, information systems, functions, information flows, data structures and software development processes, using various technical, methodical, and consistent techniques.
• Review existing system capabilities, develop use cases and information models, and align business requirements to specific capabilities of system development, including working with developers to ensure that user needs are met.
• Define improvements to business processes, developing business cases to enable decisions to be made based on the benefits of the change.
• Facilitate, understand, and communicate the project scope and work to assure the overall goal is maintained in creation of the product backlog.
• Lead in defining solutions to real business problems through influence, facilitation and communication and ensuring the end‑to‑end process is considered.
• Shape and challenge business priorities and ways of working through collaboration with business and technology teams.
• Elicit functional and non‑functional requirements using appropriate techniques, considering the nature of change and established practices.
• Deliver at pace using the most appropriate delivery methodologies and adopting agile principles.
• Develop suitable analysis models using appropriate modelling techniques, considering traceability, adherence to business objectives and fitness for purpose.
• Work with business and solution architects to ensure that the wider architecture considered when undertaking analysis work.
• Assist decision makers in gathering information to make informed decisions.
• Promote a culture of assurance and security.
• Help to quality assure test solutions and products.
• Actively participate in the Business Analysis community and broader communities to refine and develop standards, working practices, sharing of knowledge, and understanding.
• Where appropriate and in line with divisional organisation practice, Line management of Business Analysts within the ONS community. In addition, SEO and Grade 7 roles will be required to provide coaching and mentoring to Junior Business Analysts.

Person specification

• Stakeholder Relationship Management (Expert) - Direct the stakeholder relationship strategy for your teams. Ensure stakeholders objectives are set and support teams to meet them. Influence and negotiate with senior stakeholders to resolve issues and enable progress.
• Business Modelling (Expert) - Determine the scope and methodology for the representation of complex programmes across an organisation. Document conceptual models to support strategic planning and decision making.
• Requirements Definition and Management (Expert) - Directs the approach to requirements management. Enable others to select and apply appropriate life cycle methods. Influence the prioritisation of complex requirements sets, enabling long‑term strategic decision making and short‑term tactical fixes. Ensure the proposed solutions align with the organisational strategy and vision.
• Business Process Improvement (Expert) - Lead the identification of large‑scale opportunities to deliver business performance improvements. Set the direction for analysis, design and evaluation of business process improvements, including methods, tools and standards. Set the direction for design, execution and assessment of business process tests. Coach others in designing, testing, implementing and assessing business process improvements.