Data Architect

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

• Design data models and metadata systems
• Recommend suitable terminology and metadata standards and implementation approaches
• Support the management of data dictionaries
• Interpret business needs to define appropriate data architectures
• Make sure work adheres to architecture standards set for the organisation
• Work with technical architects to make sure that UKHSA systems are designed in accordance with the appropriate data architecture
• Develop requirements specifications and business cases to support projects as required
• Evaluate technical proposals from external suppliers, and make implementation recommendations to senior stakeholders as required
• Collaborate with and guide multiple stakeholders on data centric initiatives
• Understand and analyse the impact of change and clearly communicating
• Keep up to date on the state of the art and understand modern data tooling and able to select and evaluate options

The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal, and external to UKHSA. These will include.

Internal

• Heads of, and division directors across data and analytics groups
• Architecture leadership such as the
  • Deputy Director of Data Design and Architecture
  • Head of Data Architecture
  • Head of Enterprise Architecture
• Domain Enterprise architects including data, security, and integration
• Other technical leaders and subject matter experts
• Business leaders and process owners
• Scientists and health experts
• Transformation Program technical and programme leadership

External

• Central government departments such as DHSC
• IT software vendors and partners
• System Integrators and other consultancies
• Industry wide specialist working groups
• Other government and non-governmental organisations such as the NHS, ONS, Devolved Nations bodies

Essential Criteria:

• Education: Educated to degree level in relevant subject or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level
• Turning business problems into data design. You can design data architectures by dealing with specific business problems and aligning it to enterprise-wide standards and principles. You able to work within the context of well understood architecture and can identify and govern against appropriate patterns
• Data Platforms Change and Migration You are skilled at identifying and analysing the impact of change across our complex data estate, and understanding the complexities of migrating, retiring and introducing new data platforms and data flows
• Data Management: You understand the concepts and ways of delivering cloud-based data management capabilities such as data quality, metadata, data catalogues, lineage etc and have an in depth understanding of one or more tool sets
• Data governance. You can evolve and define data governance. You can take responsibility for supporting and collaborating around wider governance. You can assure and integrate data services to meet the needs of multiple business services. You can work proactively to ensure the organisation designs architecture that considers data.
• Data innovation. You can understand the impact on the organisation of emerging trends in data tools, analysis techniques and data usage.
• Data modelling. You can understand the concepts and principles of data modelling. You can produce relevant data models across multiple subject areas. You can reverse-engineer data models from a live system. You can understand industry-recognised data modelling patterns and standards, and when to apply them. You can compare and align different data models.
• Team working and collaboration: You can lead and work successfully with technical teams, senior leadership, enterprise architecture and data architecture specialists at an appropriate level

Desirable Criteria:

• Modern cloud data and analytics platforms You strong have experience of planning, analysing, designing and documenting the implementation of modern cloud data and analytics platforms at a large scale. You provide technical leadership and attend to both the big picture and the detail and produce high quality design documentation. You can work simultaneously on multiple work streams
• Communication skills (data). You can effectively translate requirements and accurately communicate across technical and non-technical stakeholders as well as facilitate discussions within a multidisciplinary team, with potentially difficult dynamics. You can advocate for the team externally and can manage differing perspectives. You are skilled at presenting to architecture boards and governance teams
• Data governance: You understand what data governance, privacy and security requirements are required and how to ensure them. You can take responsibility for the assurance of data solutions and make recommendations to ensure compliance

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

Selection Process

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Strengths

Stage 1: Application & SiftAs part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a Statement of Suitability in no more than 750 words regarding the following behaviours:

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Seeing the Bigger Picture

This part of the selection process should outline how you consider your skills, experience and achievements, and provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria outlined.

You will also be asked to provide information within the Employer/ Activity history section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history. This will be used in sifting process and will be scored.

You should provide examples of how you meet the essential criteria. It should also detail what you and your experience can bring to the role. We suggest using the STAR (situation, task, action, result) method to demonstrate real-life examples for the specified essential criteria. Please note, only information provided within the stated word count will be considered.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview

Stage 2: Panel Interview

All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will undertake a single video interview

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Seeing the Bigger Picture

Reserve List:

Candidates who pass the interview criteria but are not offered a post will be kept on a reserve list for 12 months and may be contacted if similar roles become available.

If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available.

Benefits

• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Range of health and wellbeing support

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants)

Nationality requirements

Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rulesThis job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of theEuropean Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

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 welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

Security clearance level requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard. People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Person Specification

Education

Essential

• Educated to degree level in relevant subject or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

Colindale

London

NW9 5EQ

Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency (Opens in a new tab)