Head of Data Engineering

We’re recruiting for a Head of Data Engineering here at Justice Digital, Data and Science to be part of our warm and collaborative Prisons and Probation Justice Data division.

This role aligns against Head of Data Engineering from the Government Digital and Data Framework

We’re looking for technically sharp and delivery-focused leaders to take on our major portfolios and help shape the future of data in the justice system.

As Head of Data Engineering for Prisons and Probation, you’ll lead the delivery of modern, scalable, well-governed data pipelines and products across prisons and probation. You’ll be responsible for all aspects of data engineering, from shaping priorities to leading teams, designing architecture, and ensuring we meet user needs.

Our work underpins everything from prison safety to sentencing reform. Our teams use modern tools like dbt, Apache Airflow, Athena, Docker and Terraform on a cloud-native stack, deployed to the MoJ Analytical Platform.

As part of our Prisons and Probation Divisions you will also work alongside the other Heads of Engineering to support and grow our Data & Analytics Engineering Community, helping contribute to cross-cutting improvements, standards, and platforms. A summary of the type of work the teams are involved in can be found in our handbook.

You’ll also have a key leadership role in the Prisons Data Senior Management Team supporting the Deputy Director for Prisons Data, helping to shape and deliver our strategic direction and vision, championing and supporting our people and values and being a visible leader within our area., Lead delivery within a portfolio

• Own delivery of data pipelines and products across Prisons and Probation

• Work closely with analysts, data scientists digital professionals and policy leads to understand needs and deliver value.

• Balance short-term delivery with long-term data stewardship and platform evolution.

Set and embed technical direction

• Provide technical leadership on how we build, test and maintain pipelines and models at scale.

• Drive high standards for code, quality, security, and operational resilience.

• Own architecture decisions for prisons and probation and help shape our wider strategy.

Grow the team and the profession

• Lead, manage and develop a team of lead engineers and their teams.

• Build capability through coaching, recruitment and professional development.

• Contribute to growing the data engineering profession across government.

Shape the platform and community

• Act as a strategic contributor to our cross-cutting data engineering strategy, services and tooling.

• Help define and refine governance, standards, and best practice.

• Foster a strong culture of learning, collaboration and inclusion.

Be a visible leader and active member of the Senior Management team

• Play an active part and contribute to the running of the senior management team and division and help shape and maintain an inclusive, collaborative, innovative and respectful culture within our area and beyond.

• Communicate and engage our teams and wider Data Directorate with purpose and clarity.

• Champion and support the work of the prisons data team across the division, directorate and wider department.

• We have active and vibrant hubs in both London and Leeds and regular travel to either hub is expected

If this feels like an exciting challenge, something you are enthusiastic about, and want to join our team please read on and apply!, Please review our Terms and Conditions which set out how we recruit and provide further information related to the role and salary arrangements., The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) - See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on ‘modernised’ terms in their current post or onto ‘unmodernised’ MoJ terms if they are on ‘unmodernised’ terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.

All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy., As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.

Diversity & 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 and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are ‘at risk of redundancy’.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion., Expected week commencing 14th September Behaviours Leadership Working Together Changing and Improving Managing a Quality Service Seeing the Big Picture Level of security checks required DBS Basic Security Clearance (SC)

We’re after someone who brings deep technical credibility, great delivery instincts, and a collaborative leadership style. You should have:

Essential

• A strong background in data engineering, analytics engineering or similar.

• Experience leading engineering teams and setting technical direction using tools such as dbt, Airflow, Athena, Terraform or similar

• A track record of delivering pipelines and data products at scale.

• Demonstrate inclusive and emotionally intelligent leadership through which you have developed a highly functional and collaborative team.

• An understanding of cloud-based infrastructure, modern tooling and data platform principles.

Willingness to be assessed against the requirements for SC clearance, In Justice Digital, Data and Science, we recruit using a combination of the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability and Success Profiles Frameworks. We shall assess a combination of your Experience, Technical skills and Behaviours during the assessment process.

• Leadership

• Working Together

• Changing and Improving

• Managing a Quality Service

• Seeing the bigger picture, * A statement of suitability (no more than 750 words) which should outline your experience and skills, giving clear examples of work undertaken. It should specifically address the following criteria listed below, using a separate paragraph for each.

• A strong background in data engineering, analytics engineering or similar

• Experience leading engineering teams and setting technical direction using tools such as dbt, Airflow, Athena, Terraform or similar

• A track record of delivering pipelines and data products at scale

• An understanding of cloud-based infrastructure, modern tooling and data platform principles

A diverse sift panel will review the information in your CV and Personal Statement to assess the sift criteria specified above. We operate an anonymous shortlisting process. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement do not include your name or any other identifying details.

Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift based on the below essential criteria will be conducted before the sift.

• A strong background in data engineering, analytics engineering or similar

• Experience leading engineering teams and setting technical direction using tools such as dbt, Airflow, Athena, Terraform or similar

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply - Application Guidance

Stage 2 - Interviews:

Successful candidates who meet the required standard will then be invited to a panel interview held via Microsoft Teams. At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements - Experience, Technical and the following Behaviours:

• Leadership

• Working Together

• Changing and Improving

• Managing a Quality Service

• Seeing the bigger picture

As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a presentation that assesses your leadership behaviour. Further details will be provided if successful at sift.

Appointments are made strictly in merit order. In the event that two or more candidates receive identical interview scores, the experience leading engineering teams and setting technical direction using tools such as dbt, Airflow, Athena, Terraform or similar criteria will be applied as the primary lead criterion to determine the final merit order., A strong background in data engineering, analytics engineering or similar

• Experience leading engineering teams and setting technical direction using tools such as dbt, Airflow, Athena, Terraform or similar

• A track record of delivering pipelines and data products at scale

• An understanding of cloud-based infrastructure, modern tooling and data platform principles Evidence of Experience CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

The national salary range is £71,381 - £80,419, London salary range is £75,674 - £85,257. Your salary will be dependent on your base location, National: £71,381 - £80,419 (may include an allowance of up to £18,819)

London: £75,674 - £85,257 (may include an allowance of up to £18,639), You’ll receive a range of excellent benefits when you join our department, including:

• A generous employer pension contribution of 28.97% through the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

• 25 days of annual leave, (increasing to 30 days once you have reached 5 years of service), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday.

• Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working, working part time or compressed hours. Designed to support a positive work-life balance.

• Employees are allocated 10% of their working time for personal and professional development.

• A £1k per person learning budget is in place to support all our people, with access to best-in-class conferences and seminars, accreditation with professional bodies, fully funded vocational programmes and e-learning platforms.

• Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too!, Our values are Purpose, Humanity Openness and Together. Find out more here about how we celebrate diversity and an inclusive culture in our workplace.

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 and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

Salary Information**

Base salary for this role is from £71,381 - £80,419 (National) to £75,674 - £85,257 (London)

• New entrants to the Civil Service joining the MoJ are expected to start at the minimum of the pay band.

• Existing Civil Servants moving on a level transfer will retain their current base salary or move to the minimum of the pay band for the role, whichever is higher.

• Existing Civil Servants who are promoted will either move to the bottom of the new grade’s pay band or receive a 10% uplift, whichever provides the greater increase.

• Candidates may also be eligible for a non-pensionable Government Digital & Data Allowance of up to £18,819 per year (National) or £18,639 (London). This is a temporary allowance, reviewed annually and may be retained, amended, or withdrawn.

The final offer will reflect the skills and experience you demonstrate during the assessment process., The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Eligibility

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.

Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners’ rules.

Support

• A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants., Please quote the job reference Allowance

National: £71,381 - £80,419 (may include an allowance of up to £18,819) London: £75,674 - £85,257 (may include an allowance of up to £18,639)