About the job

Job summary

The Home Office leads on a wide range of policy covering crime, policing, counter terrorism, immigration and border security – all issues that are at the heart of the Government’s agenda. The challenges and opportunities the Department faces are significant and can change rapidly in the global environment in which we operate. This makes the Home Office a very exciting and stimulating place to work.

This is a unique and exciting opportunity to drive the oversight of key projects and governance engagement in the Home Office within a vibrant team at the heart of the Government’s data transformation. The Home Office Data & Identity Directorate is in the Home Office’s Science, Technology, Analysis & Research (STAR) Group and collaborates with partners to make the Department’s vision for data and adoption of data driven technologies a reality. Its role is to help transform how the Home Office and sector look after and use data and data driven technologies to meet Government’s strategic objectives build a Modern Civil Service and maintain the highest levels of public trust and confidence. This is a high-profile and pivotal post in the Home Office’s data and information landscape and offers a high-level of visibility with senior stakeholders from across the Department.

The Home Office is driving transformation to look after and use data and data driven technologies to improve public services whilst maintaining public trust and confidence. This unique and exciting opportunity for a Data Quality lead is focused on key strategic initiatives on improving the Home Office Data Quality Culture. This role will require a good understanding of data governance, management or someone with the ability to grasp the subject area quickly.

What will the successful candidate be doing?

This role will lead, priorities and drive data quality improvements across meet Home Office.

Important information

Successful candidates can start in post with SC clearance but may need to obtain DV clearance in due course.

Please note that you can be based in any Home Office location listed, however attendance to Marsham Street may be required.

The Home Office is committed to be an inclusive employer with a diverse and representative workforce at all levels. We encourage applications from people from the widest possible diversity of backgrounds, cultures and experiences.

Due to the nature of the role, this post is available on a full-time basis only.

Job description

We are seeking an experienced change professional or someone with the ability to learn the skills and apply the knowledge to work in this area to lead key strategic initiatives with a focus on improving the data quality management culture across the Department. This role will require good understanding of Data Governance and Data Management (or the ability to learn on the job), with a view to leveraging this knowledge to enhance Data Quality to enhance our operational efficiency and service delivery.

Key responsibilities

Data Quality Lead

• Develop plans that align with the strategic objectives of the Home Office for an improved Data Quality Culture and in context of broader data and information transformation priorities.
• Identify, influence, and supervise the progress on DQ initiatives across the Home Office engaging with businesses across the Department and its ALBs.
• Drive awareness of through development and publication of Data Quality communication products.

Data Governance and Quality

• Act as the central Home Office key advocate and leader for data quality aligning with the broader Home Office Information and Data Governance Framework.
• Work with and leverage Home Office data governance, data quality, data management and analytics technical capabilities.
• Work closely with data stakeholders to drive documentation of business and technical data standards and policies.
• Work with technology teams to analyse and monitor data quality, identifying areas for improvement and driving initiatives to enhance data accuracy, timeliness, completeness, and consistency.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, both internal and external.
• Facilitate communication and collaboration across various departments and teams.
• Present regular updates to senior leadership and other stakeholders on programme progress and performance. Be a credible proponent of business change through leading working groups.

Risk and Issue Management

• Identify and supervise DQ risks and issues and related remediation proactively.
• Identify and monitor DQ risks and issues impacting ministerial priorities.

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

The successful candidate will have excellent interpersonal skills, experience of working on initiatives delivering change through data and will be confident working with stakeholders from across the Home Office sector and other government departments.

They will have some knowledge of the data tends and experience in delivering initiatives to improve data use in a public sector organisation or in other relevant sectors and will be able to bring that experience to bear.

Essential criteria

We are looking for individuals who can/have:

• Engage stakeholders to ensure effective and purposeful relationships are established.
• Strong interpersonal skills, both written and verbal, and presentation design skills specifically via PowerPoint.
• Proven track record to manage workload and time and to deliver required outputs to challenging timelines.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to form well thought out conclusions and recommendations.
• Experience of delivering at pace in a challenging environment.
• Experience of analysing metrics, and of interpreting and reporting complex data.

Desirable criteria

The following are desirable but not necessary:

• Experience of working on data quality issues with knowledge of the public sector.
• Experience working on projects delivering change through data.
• Solid understanding of data governance, data architecture, data quality and data management strategies, principles, and operating models.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement management and communication skills.
• Relevant professional certifications (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2) are desirable.

On the job training will be provided to the successful candidate.

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 and Experience.

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 complete: 

•    a CV detailing job history/skills 
•    a statement of suitability (personal statement) (maximum 750 words) 
•    provide evidence of the behaviour Seeing the Big Picture ( maximum 250 words) 

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 sift will be held on the behaviour and statement of suitability (personal statement). Your CV should consist of your career history, including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will not be scored, but instead will be used to provide further context on your personal statement, and support conversations at interview.

However, if a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted on the lead behaviour - Seeing the Big Picture. 

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

Sift and interview dates

Sift is expected to take place week commencing 11th March 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 25th March 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
 
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.

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

Please note: 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). 

A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made. We may also hold a location merit list.

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.