About the job

Job summary

Technology and new ways to use data, from data sharing to AI, are transforming public services. The Home Office and the sector it supports need to embrace these technologies to cut crime, manage our borders, protect national security, and provide an outstanding service to the most vulnerable.

To achieve this, the Home Office values data as its second most important asset, after its people, and the Department has a vision that “we will use data and information as strategic assets for the public good”.

In response to this ambition and the government’s Roadmap for digital and data 2022-to-2025 (Mission Three), the Home Office Data and Identity Directorate is leading development of the Department’s data governance capabilities, which includes implementing a new data governance operating model; rolling out modernised data catalogue software; and delivering an enhanced suite of policies, guidance and training.

The Data Governance Lead is a new role within this Directorate. They will lead implementation of the data governance operating model, including the Data Catalogue, and will co-create the departmental service offer that underpins both products. Ultimately, you will be focussed on enabling Data Owners and Stewards to effectively manage their data assets, ensuring they serve their intended business purpose and broader potential value to government.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone to showcase their expertise and be at the forefront of transformational change within one of the largest and most important departments of state.

You can find out more about what it’s like to work at the Home Office via our careers website: Digital, Data and Technology - Home Office Careers website. 

Job description

Are you excited by the power of data to inspire change?

Do you want to enable one of the UK’s largest data processors to improve how it governs its data?

Are you energised by delivering strategic solutions to help frontline services?

Do you relish working in multi-disciplinary teams, where you’re empowered to make a tangible difference?

If so, please apply!

The Home Office already has an established network of Information Asset Owners and Managers; however, in response to updated Cabinet Office guidance, the Data Governance Lead will be responsible for leading the implementation of a new data ownership model. This requires collaborating closely with senior stakeholders across the Department to understand how the model would work in practice and supporting them to interpret our design thinking. You’ll also enable these new Data Owners, Stewards and Custodians to understand their responsibilities, which is part of a new central service offer that you’ll play a pivotal role in delivering.

Your team also is responsible for the Departmental Data Catalogue, which houses the information asset register and with more products to follow. You’ll be responsible for ensuring the data catalogue serves Data Owners’ needs, whilst supporting the department to get the most out its data assets in pursuit of delivering frontline services. In parallel, you’ll work closely with technology colleagues to explore how we can take advantage of modern technology in support of realising the Home Office Data and Information Vision.

The Home Office Executive Committee is committed to “Harnessing data and technology to deliver modern services”, which “…focuses on adopting digital solutions and ensuring our policy making functions can effectively understand and respond to technological developments. Quicker and better insights will enable us to improve outcomes…”. Your role is critical to enabling this.

There are three posts available, which are part of an existing multi-disciplinary team, and each of them will have line management responsibilities. We operate in an open and supportive environment promoting individual strengths for the collective good, and as such learning and development is at the heart of what we do. However, we also recognise that success is achieved through collaboration, and you will work closely with colleagues across a very friendly data community to deliver an exemplar service.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and management. Enjoy leading and developing a team to deliver tangible outcomes to scope, cost and time.

• Service design and delivery. Lead the management of data governance frameworks, structures, policies and standards including supervising performance and compliance across the organisation. Be a credible proponent of business change through supervising working groups.
• Data analysis and insights. Enable effective management of the department’s information assets and provide data analysis and insights. Be responsible for understanding the organisational data risks and issues, and co-ordinating with data owners to accept or resolve them.
• Advising. Develop relationships with key stakeholders, both internal and external. Facilitate communication and collaboration across various departments. Present regular updates to senior leadership and other stakeholders on service performance.
• Collaboration. Work with expert teams e.g., data quality, data sharing, data privacy, data analytics and technical capabilities, to support the implementation of data services.
• Product development. Work with technology teams to translate business needs into data solutions. Research future trends in data governance, identifying areas for improvement and driving initiatives to enhance data accuracy, timeliness, completeness, and consistency.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working.  This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estates capacity, by Spring 2024.  Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). 

Person specification

We are looking for someone who is passionate about creating customer value from good data management. You must be committed to the delivery of a quality service; able to collaborate across multiple stakeholder groups; and be comfortable working with ambiguity.

This will be a new role in a developing team so you will also be responsible for building the role, supporting development of the broader team, and embedding the service within existing operations.

Essential criteria

We are looking for individuals who can:

• Speak data and are comfortable acting as a translator between technical and non-technical stakeholders to present complex analysis and messages in a compelling way to enable effective decision making.
• Work comfortably with data to define supporting policies and processes, including identification of user needs translating these into new products or services.
• Develop and maintain great relationships and networks with a range of stakeholders, particularly at a senior level, to achieve collaboration on common goals and deliver significant business outcomes.

Desirable criteria

The following are desirable but not necessary:

• Experience of using data catalogues or information asset registers to support frontline service delivery.
• An understanding of end-to-end data lifecycles, enabling and advising risk-based decisions.
• Experience of working in a complex delivery environment, particularly leading the development and implementation of data services e.g., governance, data assets, data risks, data quality, or data protection.

Benefits

• 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 average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. 
 
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide:  

•    CV detailing job history/skills  
•    Statement of suitability (maximum 750 words)
•    Evidence of the behaviours: Seeing the Big Picture, and Communicating and Influencing (250 words maximum for each Behaviour)  

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form

The statement of suitability should be aligned to demonstrate your skills and experience for the role and how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the job description. 

The CV is for information purposes only and will not be scored. 

The sift will be held on the above named behaviours (Seeing the Big Picture & Communicating and Influencing) and the statement of suitability (personal statement). 

However, if a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted on the lead behaviour - Seeing the Big Picture. Candidates who pass the initial sift will then progress to a full sift. 

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview which will be behaviour-based questions based on all listed behaviours and Technical based questions.  

Sift and Interview dates

Sift is expected to take place from 15/02/2024.

Interviews are expected to take place from 27/02/2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert, however on occasions these dates may change.

Interviews will be carried out via video. Candidates will be required to have access to:

• A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
• Good internet connection
• Microsoft Teams

Further information

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

A reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.  

PLEASE NOTE: Due to time constraints we may not be able to offer alternative interview date(s). It is therefore expected that candidates who are successful at sift stage will make themselves available during the above time frame given.

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying and generating of examples/answers from internet sources including Artificial Intelligence. If any is detected the application may be withdrawn from the process. Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving civil servants. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all Civil Servants.

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to  bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Reasonable Adjustments

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

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
• Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• 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) (opens in a new window)
• 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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.