Dear colleague,

Thank you for your interest in the role of Chair of the UK Statistics Authority, a high profile and important role.

The Authority was established on 1 April 2008 by the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007, which set the UK statistical system in statute for the first time.

The Authority is a non-ministerial department and is responsible for the work of the Office for National Statistics and also for reinforcing the independence, integrity and quality of all statistics produced in Government. The Authority exists to promote and safeguard the quality and comprehensiveness of official statistics that serve the public good, with a remit that extends across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Chair will lead the work of the Authority to promote the quality and integrity of UK official statistics; the Chair will work closely with the National Statistician (the Chief Executive of the Authority); and manage key relationships with Parliament, Government ministers and with key stakeholders including statistical users. You will be responsible for building on the reforms brought about by the 2007 Act.

For this post you will need excellent strategic, leadership and communication skills. You must be able to manage and develop a high performing, multi-skilled organisation, and develop complex stakeholder relationships at the highest level in Government, industry and academia. You will be used to working under pressure and under a high level of scrutiny. It is not necessary for you to be a professional statistician, but you will need to have a strong understanding of the use and value of statistics both within and outside Government and the aims of statistical independence.

Working with the National Statistician the Chair will need to determine the role of official statistics in supporting policy making, wider civil society, and open and transparent public services, as well as promoting and developing data sharing for statistical purposes to maximise the accessibility and use of official statistics for the public good.

I hope you are able to find everything you need on this site. If, however, an informal, confidential discussion with our advising consultants at GatenbySanderson would be helpful, please contact Juliet Taylor on 0207 426 3990 or Mark Turner on 0207 426 3983.

We look forward to hearing from you.
 

Francis Maude
Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General