About the job

Job summary

The Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) is the government’s centre of expertise for infrastructure and major projects. We sit at the heart of government, reporting to the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury. Our core teams include experts in infrastructure, project delivery and project finance who work with government departments and industry. We support the successful delivery of all types of infrastructure and major projects; ranging from railways, schools, hospitals and housing, to defence, IT and major transformation programmes. We lead the project delivery and project finance professions across government.

Our purpose is to continuously improve the way infrastructure and major projects are delivered, in order to support government priorities and improve people’s lives. We aspire to create the best performing project system of any country in the world.

The IPA works with government and industry to ensure projects are delivered efficiently and effectively, and to improve performance over time. We work on the overall project delivery system, which includes the projects, people and processes that together create the right environment for successful delivery. We measure how well the system is performing, so we can learn important lessons and continuously improve project performance over time.

The Team

The IPA Data and Insight Team has a mission to better understand, support and improve the deliverability and performance of Government’s projects now and into the future. 

We do this by collecting and maintaining project data; creating an enduring indispensable Government asset. We transform this crucial dataset into insights and advice at the project, portfolio and cross-Government system level so that the IPA, project delivery professionals across government, HMT and No10 can access the evidence they need to make the best decisions.

Specifically, for the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP), we lead on:

1. Data Collection and Management
2. Management Information and custom reporting
3. Advanced Analytics
4. Promoting and Embedding a Data Culture

The Data and Insight Team prides itself on fostering a hard-working, supportive and inclusive environment, making the team a great place to work.

Job description

This is an exciting new role in the IPA, created to manage and connect the data and digital systems we use to ensure our products are effective and delivering their intended benefits, helping to inform leaders across the UK and promoting our aim of ensuring world class project delivery.

Responsibilities and Duties

As the lead Data Engineer you will lead on managing the platforms in use at the IPA, connecting them together, and developing interlinked IPA databases. 

Responsibilities and duties for the role include:

• Reviewing, documenting and streamlining current IPA datasets and ETL processes to integrate systems and bring multiple data sources together for analysis
• Design and build of databases and pipelines for the ingestion and transformation of data from our IPA data collection platforms and potentially from other government departments
• Overall responsibility for managing critical IPA systems
• Overseeing the transition from one legacy data collection platform to a newly commissioned system
• Developing IPA Data Engineering capability in the AWS environment
• Curating and cataloguing datasets from varying levels of maturity in partnership with the rest of the Data and Insights team
• Proactively monitoring the platform to identify security, performance and capacity issues
• Troubleshooting and identifying problems and suggesting innovative solutions
• Updating and maintaining technical documentation and knowledge articles for support purposes

Person specification

You will be able to demonstrate the following skills, experience and behaviours in conjunction with the above responsibilities.

 Essential:

• Extensive experience in building data pipelines (ETL and/or analytical)
• Strong coding background in Python or similar and SQL experience
• Experience in cloud infrastructure engineering, ideally with AWS
• Ability to demonstrate an advanced understanding of design, technology and data principles to act as a recognised expert for a sizable organisation
• Ability to articulate complex problems in simple terms and objectives
• Demonstrable experience in meeting the needs of users across a variety of channels to deliver the most effective services

 Desirable:

• Experience in setting up and using APIs
• Experience coaching and leading teams in Agile and DevOps processes
• Experience in managing data platforms, ideally Salesforce or another CRM system
• Ability to identify areas of innovation in data tools and techniques, and recognise appropriate timing for adoption
• Previous experience leading on strategies for services, working effectively to get buy-in from the organisation and adapting where there are constraints to ensure delivery

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £53,400, Cabinet Office contributes £14,418 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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.

Application process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

1. A CV setting out your job history, qualifications and skills / experience.
2. A personal statement (no longer than 500 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria listed in the 'person specification' section of the job advert.

Selection process

During the blended interview you will be assessed against your experience, behaviours that are contained in this advert and a technical based question. 

For interviews, we will be evaluating candidates based on the three behaviours; Changing and Improving, Working Together, and Managing a Quality Service.  We also will assess you on a technical skill on Data Integration Design.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – TBC
Expected interview date/s – TBC
Interview location - Google meet

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. 

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

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via cabinetofficerecruitment.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.

Further Information

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

Any move to Cabinet 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

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

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. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

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

A minimum 60% of working time should be spent at the principal workplace (Birmingham or London). Occasional travel to the other work location may be required for team gatherings or other events.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.