Head of Data Exploitation

Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people’s day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink., Defra is looking for a Head of Data Exploitation to support better use of data. The role helps the department to effectively use data, analytics and new technology to improve services, support better decisions and derive new value. The Head of Data Exploitation will be responsible for setting the vision and strategy for Data Exploitation across the Department, driving innovative engineering and technology approaches and delivering high quality technical services that enable effective value generation from data assets.

The successful candidate will work with a wide range of senior stakeholders across key business units and be responsible for multifunctional teams of:

• data scientists
• engineers
• analysts
• service owners
• product managers

These teams provide a range of technical data, analytics and engineering platform services, including the Data Analytics and Science Hub (DASH). The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring that these services meet user needs, are continuously improved and support key work across Defra Group.

The Head of Data Exploitation works with senior leaders across Defra, and builds links with science, analysis and policy communities, to help users across the Department adopt modern data practices and tooling. The Head of Data Exploitation also represents Defra in cross government and professional forums. The role brings together strategy, technical oversight, service ownership and capability development., * Advise leaders and teams on complex data exploitation opportunities.

• Provide oversight, governance and ownership of data products and services.
• Technical delivery of Defra’s Data Analytics & Science Hub (DASH) and overseeing the product and service management of MS Fabric by leveraging cloud technologies such as Databricks, Azure Machine Learning, and Fabric to enable scalable analytics.
• Represent Defra’s in cross-government and professional forums as subject matter expert.
• Play a key role in Defra’s Digital and Data leadership team, helping define and deliver a new operating model for services across Defra group., * 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)
• 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

• Leadership and line management of multidisciplinary teams, including teams that are geographically dispersed.
• Strong operational management background, delivering data platforms and services in multi-supplier, outsourced environments and establishing clear service roadmaps.
• Leading governance/assurance in a regulated or high-assurance context, setting and monitoring procedures for effective task management for both teams and self.
• Experience in leveraging data, analytics, and technology to drive business transformation.
• Working across multidisciplinary teams to embed standards without blocking delivery.
• Handling novel, ambiguous risks and advising senior decision-makers.
• A track record of working in partnership with senior leaders, operational, and technical specialists to deliver high-profile and innovative data-enabled transformation

Professional or academic qualifications

• A degree in a STEM subject, or equivalent practical experience, with data/analytics/technical exposure.
• Relevant data/analytical qualifications or professional body membership., * Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Communication between Technical and non-Technical (expert level)
• Data Development Process (expert level)
• Data Innovation (expert level)
• Data Integration Design (expert level)
• Problem Management (expert level)
• Programming and Build (data analytics and engineering) (expert level)

We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:

• Communication between Technical and non-Technical (expert level)
• Programming and Build (data analytics and engineering) (expert level), This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills., A 500 word Personal Statement: Referring to the ‘skills and experience’ sections of the job advert, please demonstrate how you are suitable for the role by providing relevant examples.

Individual 250 word statements to show how you have demonstrated each of the technical criteria:

• Communication between Technical and non-Technical - 250 words.
• Programming and Build (data analytics and engineering) - 250 words., Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .

Pulled from the full job description

• Childcare
• Company pension, £67,730 - £75,480 Grade 6 National: £67,730 - £75,480 plus industry leading pension and benefits. For details of our pay on appointment policy, please see below under the heading ‘Salary’.

This post offers successful candidates the opportunity to be considered for an additional Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) Skills Supplement. The level of the awarded supplement is determined following a separate skills assessment process, the outcome of which has no impact on the decision to make a job offer. This digital capability supplement ranges from £0 to £24,796 and you may be awarded a pay supplement within this range based on results of your additional skills assessment. For details of our pay on appointment policy, please see below under the heading ‘Salary’. A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% GBP, Alongside your salary of £67,730, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £19,621 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides .

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%, New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

We have around 1000 colleagues across DDTS and our ambition is to make it easier and faster than ever for people to interact with Defra. If you are ready to drive innovation and push boundaries, we want to hear from you. Join us and together we will create a great place for living, and a green and healthy future for all.