About the job

Job summary

About us

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has a clear mission - to grow the economy. Our role is to help businesses invest, grow and export to create jobs and opportunities right across the country. We do this in three ways.

Firstly, we help to build a strong, competitive business environment, where consumers are protected and companies rewarded for treating their employees properly.

Secondly, we open international markets and ensure resilient supply chains. This can be through Free Trade Agreements, trade facilitation and multilateral agreements.

Finally, we work in partnership with businesses every day, providing advance, finance and deal-making support to those looking to start up, invest, export and grow.

The Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) directorate develops and operates tools and services to support us in this mission.

About the role

As a Head of Data Engineering, you will be responsible for developing our internal data engineering capability. Your teams will provide data engineering for existing and new products and services.

You will steward professional development of data engineers using the DDaT Capability Framework and the Civil Service Success Profiles. You will be responsible for the recruitment and line management of Senior Data Engineers.  You will be responsible for the Data Engineering Community.

In the role you will report to our Chief Data Officer, and be part of our data leadership team with opportunity to influence and implement our data strategy. You will set the data engineering standards. You will lead agile data engineering teams enabling the departments data analysis. 

The role follows the DDaT framework: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/data-engineer

Job description

You will:

• Line manage Senior Data Engineers and indirectly all other members of the profession to ensure they are supported to deliver their best work.
• Set data engineering standards for the organisation.
• Look after learning and development needs of data engineers.
• Advise on the design, build and test of data products and services using standard techniques and tools.
• Advise on delivery of data solutions which are scalable, resilient and future proof.
• Resource the data analysis needs of the department by engaging with portfolios to prioritise asks, recruiting new members of the profession and improving the operating model for the profession.
• Have thorough understanding of common problems in databases, data processes, data products and services.
• Understand how to work within a specific security posture and how to respond to changes in this posture in a positive way

Person specification

Skills and experience

It is essential that you have:

• Data development process. You know how to establish enterprise-scale data integration procedures across the data development life cycle and ensure that teams adhere to these. You understand and can tune performance of data products. You can manage resources to ensure that data services work effectively at an enterprise level.
• Data innovation. You can consider the future needs of the whole department and set out a future vision of effective data use and the journey to get there. You are eloquent in describing the change required even if that change isn't possible yet. You advocate at the highest levels for proactive change. 
• Data technology. You will have a deep understanding of data technologies. You have an excellent knowledge of cutting-edge trends in data technology and can critically assess them. You will have worked collaboratively with peers for the selection and approval of enterprise grade data tooling that is mature, sustainable, and accessible.
• Programming and build (data engineering). You know how to use agreed standards and tools to design, code, test, correct and document moderate-to-complex programs and scripts from agreed specifications and subsequent iterations. You can collaborate with others to review specifications where appropriate.
• Agile methodologies. You know how to coach and lead teams in Agile and Lean practices, determining the right approach for the team to take and evaluating this through the life of a project. You can think of new and innovative ways of working to achieve the right outcomes. You are able to find appropriate ways to use agile practices alongside dependent projects using different methodologies. You are able to act as a recognised expert and advocate for the approaches, continuously reflecting and challenging the team.
• Communication Skills (data). You can mediate between people and mend relationships, communicating with stakeholders at all levels. You can manage stakeholders’ expectations and facilitate discussions across high risk or complexity or under constrained timescales. You know how to speak on behalf of the community to large audiences inside and outside government.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £71,738, Department for Business and Trade contributes £18,304 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

How to apply

As part of the application process you will be asked to upload a two page CV and complete a 750 word personal statement outlining how you meet the essential skills and experience listed above. You can use bullet points and subheadings if you prefer.

Sift will be from week commencing 5th August 2024

Interviews will be from week commencing 12th August 2024

Please note these dates are indicative and may be subject to change.

If there is a high volume of applications, we will sift looking at your Personal Statement only. You may then be progressed to full sift or straight to interview.

 

How we interview

At the interview stage for this role, you will be asked to demonstrate relevant Technical Skills and Behaviours from the Success Profiles framework. These are role specific and in line with the DDaT Capability Framework.

Technical Skills

• Data Development process
• Data Innovation
• Data Technology
• Programming and Build (data engineering).
• Agile Methodologies
• Communication Skills (data)

Behaviours

• Changing and Improving
• Communication and Influencing
• Working Together

You will also be asked to deliver a technical task and will be informed on the topic following the sift/ on the day.

 

How we offer

Offers will be made in merit order based on location preferences. If you pass the bar at interview but are not the highest scoring you will be held on a 12-month reserve list in case a role becomes available. If you are judged a near miss at interview, you may be offered a post at the grade below the one you applied for.

 

This role requires SC clearance. DBT’s requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years. Failure to meet this requirement will result in your application being rejected and your offer will be withdrawn.

Checks will also be made against:

• departmental or company records (personnel files, staff reports, sick leave reports and security records)
• UK criminal records covering both spent and unspent criminal records
• your credit and financial history with a credit reference agency
• security services record
• location details

 

Benefits

If you join us, you will get:

 

• learning and development tailored to your role
• a flexible, hybrid working environment with options like condensed hours
• a culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• a Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• annual leave starting at 25 days rising to 30 days with service
• three paid volunteering days a year
• an employee benefits programme including cycle to work

 

More about us

This role can only be worked from within the UK, not overseas. If you are based in London, you will receive London weighting. DBT employees work in a hybrid pattern, spending 2-3 days a week (pro rata) in the office on average.  Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DBT, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

You can find out more about our office locations, how we calculate salaries, our diversity statement and reasonable adjustments, the Recruitment Principles, the Civil Service code and our complaints procedure on our website.

Find out more about life at DBT, our benefits and meet the team by watching our video or reading our blog!

 

 

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.