Business Intelligence & Data Team Lead

This role is responsible for overseeing the delivery of reporting and analytical products (e.g. Power BI), maintaining data quality and data governance frameworks, and ensuring that SFRS aligns to national standards including the NFCC Data Management Fire Standard. The Data Team Lead will manage the Service’s data team, fostering a high performing, collaborative and innovative culture. The post holder will work across departments to understand organisational needs, develop reporting solutions, and ensure the effective use of data to support the CRMP, corporate performance, community safety, operational response, and strategic planning., Leadership and Team Management

• Lead, manage, and develop a team of data analysts, ensuring capability, performance, and wellbeing.
• Provide direction on analytical priorities, balancing operational, strategic and statutory reporting needs.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, innovation and professional development.
• Support the Head of Digital and Data in embedding high standards of governance, ethics, and data quality across the organisation.

Data Governance & Quality Management

• Implement and maintain data governance practices in line with NFCC standards and legislation.
• Monitor data quality, establishing controls to ensure accuracy, consistency, and reliability of key datasets.
• Support organisational compliance with GDPR, Data Protection Act, Information Security policies, and ethical data usage.

Data Reporting & Visualisation

• Oversee the development of dashboards, reports, and performance frameworks using tools such as Power BI (DAX / Power Query etc).
• Ensure that analytical work applies appropriate statistical, quantitative and qualitative methods.
• Ensure that data visualisation outputs are accessible, user centred, and aligned to corporate reporting requirements.
• Engage with service areas to continuously improve reporting and analytical services with a view to enhancing end user / self-service capabilities

Technology, Tools & Data Platforms

• Maintain awareness of emerging data technologies and advise on their relevance to SFRS.
• Oversee Data Integration and data outputs using SQL, SSIS, SSRS and PowerBI (incl. DAX / Power Query etc)
• Lead the adoption, configuration, and optimisation of data analytics tools, data warehouse environments, and reporting platforms.
• Contribute to the development of SFRS’s data architecture and long term data capability.

Organisational and Sector-wide Responsibilities

• Uphold and promote the NFCC Core Code of Ethics and SFRS Values.
• Support compliance with Health & Safety, Equality, Safeguarding, Information Security and Business Continuity policies.
• Contribute to sector-wide initiatives, national data standards, and collaborative work with partners where required.

Project & Workload Management

• Working within an agile framework, plan and manage data projects and activities, ensuring scope, timelines and quality standards are met.
• Lead sprint planning sessions / daily standups
• Identify risks and dependencies, implementing mitigation where required.
• Ensure alignment between data project outputs and organisational objectives including the CRMP, Service Plan, and the digital and data roadmap.

• Degree in a relevant field (Essential)
• Commitment to continuous professional development (Essential)
• Proven experience in a data analysis or data management role (Essential)
• Experience with Power BI / DAX / Power Query (Essential)
• Strong proficiency in SQL / SSIS / SSRS is essential, further analytical tools and programming languages (e.g. Python and R) is desirable
• Experience with data warehousing technologies (e.g., Azure) (Desirable)
• Knowledge or experience of fire sector, emergency services or similar public sector environment (Desirable)
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills
• Strong communication and interpersonal abilities
• Ability to work collaboratively and manage stakeholder expectations
• Understanding of data governance, GDPR and data quality principles, * Analytics
• DAX
• Intelligence
• SSIS
• SSRS
• Azure
• Insights
• Power BI
• Reporting
• SQL