Job summary
The Strategy Unit is recruiting to a new Senior Lead Data Scientist post who has experience of NHS analytics with a strong commitment to using open-source solutions and reproducible analytical pipelines.
The band offered (NHS AfC: Band 8b to Band 8c) will be dependent on experience.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will play a key role leading the development of the analytical infrastructure for the SU (supporting key projects such as the New Hospital Programme), theMidlands Decision Support network(MDSN) and theNHS-R Community.The post holder will provide leadership, advice, and support to colleagues to develop our analytic workflows and help to embed reproducible analytical pipelines into our practice and the wider system. The post holder will take an active leadership role in the NHS-R Community. There will also be opportunities for the post holder to lead on data science and application development projects.
You will be provided with all the opportunities you require to develop your skills and build your career, both through formal training and hands-on experience.
About us
The Strategy Unit is a specialist NHS team, based in Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit. We work with NHS and social care organisations, universities, charities, and government organisations to deliver clear thinking and applied analysis that improves decision-making, implementation, and results. Our basic proposition is simple: better evidence, better decisions, better outcomes.
The NHS and its partners face significant challenges, so our services are in high demand. The Strategy Unit covers all its costs through project funding which is driven by need and any surplus is recycled for public benefit. We host the Midlands Decision Support Networkhttps://www.midlandsdecisionsupport.nhs.uk/and the NHS-R Community (https://nhsrcommunity.com/)
For more information about our work including recent and current projects, please visit our website:https://www.strategyunitwm.nhs.uk
Job description
Job responsibilities
- The post holder will be line managed byDr Simon Bourne(Director of the MSDN) and work closely withProfessor Mohammed A Mohammed(who is the overall lead for Training and the NHS-R Community)
- Advocate for open-source solutions where appropriate and to provide strategic advice and practical support to internal and external stakeholders in moving forward with open-source solutions and reproducible analytical pipelines.
- Contribute to national policy on relevant areas, e.g. open source, data science competencies, analytic training
- Design and manage the SUs analytics infrastructure ensuring it is fit for purpose to support efficient workflows, reproducible analytical pipelines and deployment of web applications for analytics liaising with CSU IT as required
- Lead and coordinate the development of web applications that enhance and add value to our analytical projects.
- Joint leadership for NHS-R Community setting its strategic direction, enhancing its profile nationally and internationally and driving its development and growth via range of forums including the NHS-R Technical Advisory Group and similar bodies.
- Lead and/or support on data science projects with the SU such as the New Hospital Programme and other projects.
- Oversee the SUs acquisition and loading of large datasets (e.g HES)
- Create platforms and provide support to support and embed code-sharing within the SU, across the NHS-R community and the MDSN
- Provide operational support to the NHS-R Community by being active on slack, twitter and the NHS-R website.
- To design, deliver and commission training programs for the NHS-R community and MDSN
- To lead on the delivery of key NHS-R events including the annual NHSR conference, annual hack days, regular workshops or discussion forums and the NHS-R website.
- Keep up to date with new developments in data science and develop ideas about the how to support the health services through innovative analyses or application development.
- Provision of ad hoc training, advice and support to analytical SU colleagues and other teams in the MDSN
- Line management responsibility for staff and budgets will be also required
Selection
We strongly value diversity within our workforce, and recognise that different people bring different perspectives, lived experience, ideas, and culture to the team. This difference brings with it great strengths, including diversity of thought and innovation.
We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, faith and religion, disability, and age. Ethnic minority groups, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, disabled people and religious and faith groups are currently under-represented across the organisation, we would encourage applications from members of these groups.
We also know that everyone has a life outside work, so we're open to discussing flexible working options, provided we can balance your needs with those of our clients.
Please submit your application through the NHS Jobs portal. We recognise that this is not a straightforward process but unfortunately, we cant accept CVs. We'll do everything we can to support you during your application. If you need us to make any adjustments to our recruitment process to accommodate your needs, feel free to contact Lorna Crofts (lorna.crofts@nhs.net) who will be happy to support you.
Shortlisting
5th - 7th October
Interview
Tuesday 18th October
Contact
If you have any queries relating to specific areas of our work or what its like to work at the Strategy Unit, please get in touch:strategy.unit@nhs.net
Job description
Job responsibilities
- The post holder will be line managed byDr Simon Bourne(Director of the MSDN) and work closely withProfessor Mohammed A Mohammed(who is the overall lead for Training and the NHS-R Community)
- Advocate for open-source solutions where appropriate and to provide strategic advice and practical support to internal and external stakeholders in moving forward with open-source solutions and reproducible analytical pipelines.
- Contribute to national policy on relevant areas, e.g. open source, data science competencies, analytic training
- Design and manage the SUs analytics infrastructure ensuring it is fit for purpose to support efficient workflows, reproducible analytical pipelines and deployment of web applications for analytics liaising with CSU IT as required
- Lead and coordinate the development of web applications that enhance and add value to our analytical projects.
- Joint leadership for NHS-R Community setting its strategic direction, enhancing its profile nationally and internationally and driving its development and growth via range of forums including the NHS-R Technical Advisory Group and similar bodies.
- Lead and/or support on data science projects with the SU such as the New Hospital Programme and other projects.
- Oversee the SUs acquisition and loading of large datasets (e.g HES)
- Create platforms and provide support to support and embed code-sharing within the SU, across the NHS-R community and the MDSN
- Provide operational support to the NHS-R Community by being active on slack, twitter and the NHS-R website.
- To design, deliver and commission training programs for the NHS-R community and MDSN
- To lead on the delivery of key NHS-R events including the annual NHSR conference, annual hack days, regular workshops or discussion forums and the NHS-R website.
- Keep up to date with new developments in data science and develop ideas about the how to support the health services through innovative analyses or application development.
- Provision of ad hoc training, advice and support to analytical SU colleagues and other teams in the MDSN
- Line management responsibility for staff and budgets will be also required
Selection
We strongly value diversity within our workforce, and recognise that different people bring different perspectives, lived experience, ideas, and culture to the team. This difference brings with it great strengths, including diversity of thought and innovation.
We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, faith and religion, disability, and age. Ethnic minority groups, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, disabled people and religious and faith groups are currently under-represented across the organisation, we would encourage applications from members of these groups.
We also know that everyone has a life outside work, so we're open to discussing flexible working options, provided we can balance your needs with those of our clients.
Please submit your application through the NHS Jobs portal. We recognise that this is not a straightforward process but unfortunately, we cant accept CVs. We'll do everything we can to support you during your application. If you need us to make any adjustments to our recruitment process to accommodate your needs, feel free to contact Lorna Crofts (lorna.crofts@nhs.net) who will be happy to support you.
Shortlisting
5th - 7th October
Interview
Tuesday 18th October
Contact
If you have any queries relating to specific areas of our work or what its like to work at the Strategy Unit, please get in touch:strategy.unit@nhs.net
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters or equivalent experience
Experience
Essential
- Experience of using data and conducting complex analysis in a healthcare setting.
- Line management experience
- Experience of leading and supporting analysts to adopt open-source solutions
- Experience of leading collaborative open source projects
- Experience of leading and supporting analysts to adopt reproducible analytical pipelines
Skills/Knowledge
Essential
- Expertise (more knowledge and skills than most others in this field) in using open source statistical programming languages (this must include R and Python) in a healthcare environment
- Expertise in web application development specifically using R and Shiny
- Understands the principles and practicalities of open-source reproducible analytical pipelines, particularly relating to robust productionisation and deployment
- Proficiency (more than competent) in designing and delivering technical training in R and associated technologies (eg version control software)
- Experience of managing the communication of the results of complex analysis
- Experience of the data science stack, the data and/ or analytics layer
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters or equivalent experience
Experience
Essential
- Experience of using data and conducting complex analysis in a healthcare setting.
- Line management experience
- Experience of leading and supporting analysts to adopt open-source solutions
- Experience of leading collaborative open source projects
- Experience of leading and supporting analysts to adopt reproducible analytical pipelines
Skills/Knowledge
Essential
- Expertise (more knowledge and skills than most others in this field) in using open source statistical programming languages (this must include R and Python) in a healthcare environment
- Expertise in web application development specifically using R and Shiny
- Understands the principles and practicalities of open-source reproducible analytical pipelines, particularly relating to robust productionisation and deployment
- Proficiency (more than competent) in designing and delivering technical training in R and associated technologies (eg version control software)
- Experience of managing the communication of the results of complex analysis
- Experience of the data science stack, the data and/ or analytics layer
Additional information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
