Guidance

The Government Social Research Technical Framework

The Competency Framework defines the professional competency for members of the Social Research profession within government.

• From: Government Social Research Profession
• Published: 17 February 2017
• Last updated: 8 February 2024 — See all updates

The Government Social Research (GSR) Technical Framework outlines the technical expertise for members of the GSR profession, and how this applies at each grade.

The framework covers GSR Technical Expertise, which comprises of two categories:

• Technical skills (TS)
• Using and promoting social research (UPSR)

These categories cover the grade specific skills and knowledge required for social research within government. The technical expertise indicators outlined are cumulative – so GSR members at each grade should be able to demonstrate the expertise for their grade and the grades below them.

Indicators are provided for:

• Research Officer (RO) – equivalent to HEO Civil Service grade
• Senior Research Officer (SRO) – equivalent to SEO Civil Service grade
• Principal Research Officer (PRO) – equivalent to Grade 7 Civil Service grade
• Senior Principal Research Officer (SPRO) – equivalent to Grade 6 Civil Service grade
• Chief Research Officer (CRO) – equivalent to Grade 5/SCS 1 Civil Service grade

The framework should be used for recruiting, promoting, accrediting and appraising GSR members. When recruiting it should be used in conjunction with the Civil Service Success Profiles (see Gov.uk & GSR Guidance) – it represents the ‘Technical’ element of this profile.

Departments can choose how to incorporate the GSR Technical Framework into their goal/objective setting and appraisal process.  This should be done alongside the specific principles to guide the work and behaviour of government social researchers in the GSR Code.

This updated framework applies from February 2022.

The Government Social Research Technical Framework (PDF, 363 KB, 22 pages)

Government Social Research Professional Skills Framework (PDF, 1000 KB, 16 pages)

Published 17 February 2017
Last updated 8 February 2024 + show all updates

1. 8 February 2024

   The Government Social Research (GSR) Technical Framework has been updated.

2. 25 November 2022

   a note to make explicit that Assessors at EO would use the same criteria at HEO level flexibly

3. 22 February 2022

   Updated GSR Technical Framework February 2022

4. 16 December 2020

   Updated version of Technical Framework

5. 17 December 2019

   Attached rebranded Technical Framework

6. 17 February 2017

   First published.