The ONS operates a flexible hybrid working model across the UK, with colleagues linked to one of our contractual locations working between office and remote throughout the week. The locations for this role are Newport and Titchfield (Fareham).
All colleagues are required to work from their contractually allocated site for at least 40% of their working time.
The induction process for the role will be conducted in person.
Job Summary
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.
Your expertise will ensure that Welsh-speaking communities have equal access to this vital information, from GDP statistics and inflation data to census results and crime statistics. Working within our Statistical Standards division as part of the Government Statistical Service (GSS) Policy and Coordination team, you'll support delivery of our Welsh Language Scheme by providing high-quality translation services across all organisational outputs. This includes translating publications, surveys, web content, social media posts, and campaign materials, while quality-assuring work from our external translation provider, Prysg.
Job Description
The Welsh Language Translation and Support Officer sits within the Statistical Standards division, part of the newly formed Office of the National Statistician, supporting the GSS Policy and Coordination team. This role is fundamental to ensuring ONS fulfils its commitment to bilingual service delivery, making our vital economic, social, and demographic statistics accessible to Welsh-speaking communities.
You'll be instrumental in implementing our Welsh Language Scheme, which ensures equal treatment of Welsh and English across all organisational communications, from complex statistical publications and survey materials to digital content and public engagement campaigns.
Our Welsh Language Scheme outlines the principles and commitments that guide us in delivering services and conducting public business bilingually wherever it is relevant and appropriate. This includes making sure that Welsh and English are treated equally, and that our communications, policies, and customer interactions reflect this commitment.
The successful candidate will be responsible for supporting delivery of the ONS Welsh Language Scheme by providing high-quality translation of documents and content between English and Welsh within agreed deadlines. This includes, but is not limited to, publications, surveys, correspondence, reports, web content, social media posts, campaign materials, job vacancies, and any other resources intended for the public in Wales across all parts of the organisation.
The successful candidate will assist the Welsh Language Team in ensuring that the organisation fully complies with its Welsh language obligations and actively promotes bilingualism across all areas of work.
The successful candidate will proofread and quality-assure all Welsh-language content translated by Prysg, our external translation provider, as well as work produced by colleagues within the organisation.
The successful candidate will also provide support to the ONS Welsh Language Team and Welsh Language Champion in the wider delivery of our Scheme.
Responsibilities
Manage translation requests by coordinating the end-to-end process, including scheduling and prioritising tasks to meet agreed deadlines.
Liaise with internal teams to clarify requirements and resolve queries, while maintaining clear records of requests and turnaround times.
Liaise with our external translation provider when required, ensuring clear communication of requirements, deadlines and quality expectations.
Develop and update bilingual templates including, documents, presentations and digital content to ensure consistency and compliance with the organisation's Welsh Language Scheme.
Utilise translation software and grammar-checking tools to produce accurate, high-quality Welsh translations.
Provide support for events and live delivery as required, including preparing bilingual materials and ensuring Welsh language visibility throughout the event.
Offer linguistic guidance to colleagues and ensure Welsh content is clear, accurate, and accessible to all users.
The Welsh Language Translation and Support Officer sits within the Statistical Standards division, part of the newly formed Office of the National Statistician, supporting the GSS Policy and Coordination team. This role is fundamental to ensuring ONS fulfils its commitment to bilingual service delivery, making our vital economic, social, and demographic statistics accessible to Welsh-speaking communities.
You'll be instrumental in implementing our Welsh Language Scheme, which ensures equal treatment of Welsh and English across all organisational communications, from complex statistical publications and survey materials to digital content and public engagement campaigns.
Our Welsh Language Scheme outlines the principles and commitments that guide us in delivering services and conducting public business bilingually wherever it is relevant and appropriate. This includes making sure that Welsh and English are treated equally, and that our communications, policies, and customer interactions reflect this commitment.
The successful candidate will be responsible for supporting delivery of the ONS Welsh Language Scheme by providing high-quality translation of documents and content between English and Welsh within agreed deadlines. This includes, but is not limited to, publications, surveys, correspondence, reports, web content, social media posts, campaign materials, job vacancies, and any other resources intended for the public in Wales across all parts of the organisation.
The successful candidate will assist the Welsh Language Team in ensuring that the organisation fully complies with its Welsh language obligations and actively promotes bilingualism across all areas of work.
The successful candidate will proofread and quality-assure all Welsh-language content translated by Prysg, our external translation provider, as well as work produced by colleagues within the organisation.
The successful candidate will also provide support to the ONS Welsh Language Team and Welsh Language Champion in the wider delivery of our Scheme.
Responsibilities
Manage translation requests by coordinating the end-to-end process, including scheduling and prioritising tasks to meet agreed deadlines.
Liaise with internal teams to clarify requirements and resolve queries, while maintaining clear records of requests and turnaround times.
Liaise with our external translation provider when required, ensuring clear communication of requirements, deadlines and quality expectations.
Develop and update bilingual templates including, documents, presentations and digital content to ensure consistency and compliance with the organisation's Welsh Language Scheme.
Utilise translation software and grammar-checking tools to produce accurate, high-quality Welsh translations.
Provide support for events and live delivery as required, including preparing bilingual materials and ensuring Welsh language visibility throughout the event.
Offer linguistic guidance to colleagues and ensure Welsh content is clear, accurate, and accessible to all users.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
Fluent in both Welsh and English, with strong command of grammar, spelling, and syntax in both languages.
Demonstrated experience in translating a variety of materials, alongside excellent proofreading and editing skills.
Skilled at engaging effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior colleagues, and building productive cross‑organisational relationships.
Highly organised, with the ability to coordinate multiple workstreams, track progress, and resolve issues to ensure timely, high quality delivery.
Effective and efficient communicator, capable of conveying information clearly to maximise understanding and impact.
Languages
Fluent in both Welsh and English, with strong command of grammar, spelling, and syntax in both languages.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Delivering at Pace
Managing a Quality Service
Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
Welsh Translation and Proofreading Assessment
Alongside your salary of £34,587, Office for National Statistics contributes £10,019 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
The Office for National Statistics is part of the Civil Service, and as such we share a number of key benefits with other departments, whilst also having our own unique offerings to support our valued colleagues across the organisation.
Whether you are hearing about us for the first time or already know a bit about our organisation, we hope that our careers site will give you a great insight into the benefits and facilities available to our colleagues, and our fantastic working culture.
Inclusion & Accessibility
At ONS we are always looking to attract the very best people from the widest possible talent pool, and we are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer. As a Disability Confident Leader we're committed to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment process.
As part of our application process, you will be prompted to provide details of any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process that you need. If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments before applying, please contact the recruitment team in the first instance.
If you would like an accessible version of any of the attachments or recruitment documents below or linked to in this advert, please contact the recruitment team who will be happy to assist.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
Selection process
Application Process
Number of Stages: 2 stage process
Stage 1: Application
Stage 2: Interview
Stage 1 – Application
The assessment process at the application stage will be based on your work history, CV, skills, experience, and personal statement. It is important that your application is tailored to highlight the skills, knowledge, and experience relevant to the role.
A personal statement is required at application stage, the maximum wordcount allowed is 1250, which should not be exceeded. You should provide evidence for each essential skill criterion listed in the person specification. As these criteria are scored, it is advisable to give clear examples for each one, including the impact of your actions, ideally utilising the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
Please note that Success Profiles Behaviour examples are not required at this stage of the application process.
When a high volume of applications are received, the sift pass mark may be adjusted. Candidates will be invited to interview based on their merit order, with those achieving the highest scores being prioritised. Applicants who score below the adjusted pass mark but still pass will be placed on hold and may be invited to interview at a later date.
Stage 2 – Interview
Interviews will take place in person at our office in Newport, South Wales. Please note that travel expenses cannot be reimbursed.
If invited to interview, the process will involve two steps:
Step 1 – Welsh Translation and Proofreading Assessment
This will be a paper-based exercise conducted onsite as the first stage of your interview. You will have 1 hour to read through the task and provide your written response. Your performance in this exercise will form part of the overall interview assessment.
Step 2 – Following the written exercise, you will take part in a structured, question-based interview. The interview will be bilingual, and you will be asked and assessed through both Welsh and English questions.
You will be assessed using techniques aligned with the Civil Service Success Profiles framework, covering all behaviours listed in the job advert.
Please note: As this is a bilingual role, you will be expected to demonstrate an appropriate level of Welsh and English language proficiency throughout the interview process.
Our main locations are Newport (South Wales), Titchfield and Darlington.
A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made.
Important Dates:
The Sift will be conducted from 16 March
Interviews will be conducted from 30 March
Dates are subject to change.
For the full terms and conditions of the post, please see attachment.
Please note that all campaigns may be subject to withdrawal at any stage if the internal resource position changes.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
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)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
Name : Bethan Dalgleish
Email :
Recruitment team
Email :
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission