Senior Data Scientist

Job summary

The role is to show leadership and task manage one or two Junior Data Scientists, in combining advanced analytical capability with software skills and maths/stats knowledge, to drive and develop business operations on a data led trajectory. The role holder will be recognised as contributing to the vision for data science and AI at TPR, highly innovative and continuously improve opportunities for how the business can adopt data products, in line with developments in the field. They will need to be confident working closely with senior technical and non-technical leaders and be able to play a leadership role across TPR, representing the Analytical Profession. This includes collaborating with a range of diverse teams, driving strategic change and nurturing a culture of continuous improvement.

Job description

• The delivery of advanced analytics, including Machine Learning (ML); Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Programming (NLP) – either directly or supervising Junior / Apprentice / Intern Data Scientists.
• Work closely with the AI Strategic Lead, and the AI Accelerator team to identify opportunities to enable responsible use of AI across TPR
• Deliver advanced analytical products to internal and external stakeholders.
• Role model the use of a range of programming languages and statistical techniques to manipulate large, complex and unstructured datasets, and produce robust statistical and econometric models.
• Provide quality checking and sign off for high profile analytical projects.
• Develop Junior Data Scientists through specifying and overseeing discrete work packages, aligned with the current stage in their development plan.
• Collaborating to build peer relationships across the organisation including digital, IT, operations, strategy and policy, in order to understand the business challenges/constraints. Then using data science understanding to identify opportunities and advocate for data science to be implemented at TPR.
• Facilitate the programme management and ongoing professionalism of the team as a hub of expert advanced analytics and ensure the team and the wider organisation is up to date with latest developments.
• Taking responsibility for the quality and consistency of our analytics initiatives (including data, tooling and processes) within their team that deliver a critical business outcome;
• Nurturing strong relationships between analytical peers at TPR encouraging innovation, reuse and avoiding duplication;
• Contributing to the appropriate safeguards to ensure all work adheres to key privacy, security and data protection regulations (in line with TPR governance frameworks) and also set procedures for ethical considerations.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Very strong academic background – Post Grad qualification in highly numerate subject (e.g. data science / computer science / statistics / mathematics / physics) or equivalent professional experience.
• 2+ years’ experience of working as a Data Scientist within a commercial, government or regulatory environment.
• Expert level track record of designing, developing, and implementing data science led interventions that have improved business performance.
• Experience of managing the day-to-day needs of building and developing a early career Data Scientist.
• Expert storytelling ability: represent complex analytics in a clear and cogent manner, appropriate to the audience at hand; referenced against business need; and succinctly explain its relevance/significance/value.
• Expert/Practitioner IT awareness and toolset experience, including Microsoft Power BI (or similar); SQL; R or Python. Wider toolset experience (e.g. Linux, Azure) of additional benefit.
• Expert/Practitioner knowledge of the techniques/approaches (theory & practice) of Data Science fields.
• Expert/Practitioner knowledge of Git, Azure DevOps (or similar), and AGILE or Dev/DataOps methodologies.
• Practitioner influencing skills and the capability to build relationships across different analytical cultures and with key stakeholders, and experience of commissioning and assuring work from 3rd party suppliers.
• Practitioner curiosity and thought leadership; challenging perceived wisdom and developing best practice.
• Expert/Practitioner ability to work through complex issues and demonstrate mastery of the detail, whilst holding the bigger picture, including interpreting and embedding the data strategy into team BAU.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £63,213, Pensions Regulator contributes £18,312 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).

We offer 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, a hybrid working model, 35 hour working week (full-time), flexible working patterns, and flexitime. We also provide competitive parental leave, as well as a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%. Our dedicated benefits portal (Edenred) offers retail, gym, tech and restaurant discounts, and a cycle to work scheme.

TPR offers:

• Genuine opportunities for learning and development.
• A values-led, inclusive environment.
• Hybrid working and flexible patterns.
• A vibrant workplace with employee networks (Disability, Family, LGBT+, Minority Ethnic, Mental Health, Women’s).

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

To avoid disappointment, we would invite you to submit your application as soon as possible, as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received. This is to ensure that we can continue to provide a positive candidate experience, with each application being reviewed and considered. Unfortunately, once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

Current TPR employees who want to apply for this vacancy should first contact their line manager to discuss their application.

We welcome applications on a part time and job share basis.

Please note that TPR is unable to offer visa sponsorship. All applicants must already hold Right to Work in the UK for the duration of their employment. For more information on Right to Work, please visit Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK.

Selection and interview

If you are shortlisted for interview, we’ll be in contact with you shortly after the closing date. We aim to respond to every application however due to the large volume of applications this is not always possible. If you have not heard from us within 21 days of submitting your application, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we’re committed to the recr