Head of Data Exploitation

Job summary

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.

Digital, Data, Technology and Security (DDTS) is the trusted team for digital across the entire Defra Group.

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.

Find out more about DDTS:

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Job description

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.

Person specification

Responsibilities:

• 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.

Skills and experience:

• 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.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• 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)

Benefits

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 (opens in a new window).

• 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%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

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