Director of Data infrastructure and Statistics - Hybrid

About the role: 

This is an exciting time to be the voice of HESA data and lead our official statistics. This role will call on you to be Public speaker, content publisher and data commentator, whilst you bridge the gap between the data and our customers, making our data easy to access, understand and use.  You will be key in transforming our outputs through investment programmes (‘Data Publication Modernisation’ which you will lead, and ensure the HESA website presents headlines, outputs, coding manuals and other artefacts with user experience in mind).

About the team:

The Data Collection and Statistics directorate collect, assure and disseminate data about higher education (HE) in the UK on behalf of public authorities who require it to carry out their statutory and/or public functions.

As the trusted source of HE data and analysis, we play a key role in supporting and enhancing the competitive strength of the sector.

You will also lead the provision of innovative high-quality official statistics products and data output infrastructure and ensure Jisc compliance with:

• the Code of Practice for Statistics
• Pre-Release Access Orders
• relevant data-related legislation as it relates to our data outputs (e.g. HERA 2017, Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007, legislation relating to the Devolved Administrations of the UK)
• any National Statistician’s and regulatory guidance (e.g. Intelligent Transparency, Quality assurance of administrative data)

Providing strategic leadership to the team’s leading the delivery of the specification, development and maintenance of our data infrastructure (e.g. Data engineering, AI and machine learning, DevOps, ETL, Storage, Modelling, data stewards and coding manuals).  Working in collaboration with our Group CTO function to ensure our infrastructure is optimised for security, reliability, performance and the necessary compliance (DP, etc).

You will have a keen input in evaluating & implementing new technologies and approaches that enable Jisc to scale and evolve our data and official statistics offering to include more data science, automation & to deliver our content through channels which are most helpful to customers.

Principle contacts for you in this role are;

Internal

• Regularly with Chief Data Officer and other EMG members regarding strategy and priorities
• Company Secretary, Director of Corporate Affairs, Data Protection leads.
• Jisc Board and DCS Oversight Board Trustees.

External

• Representatives of external organisations, others from within the HE sector, e.g. HE institution or representative body and other key stakeholders
• Policy and political stakeholders up to ministerial level
• Senior staff in statutory and other data customers (government and statutory bodies)
• Sector groups (UUK, Guild, IHE), conferences, forums etc..

 Some of your key responsibilities will include:

• Champion the use of statistical information across the HE sector, to support decision-making processes.
• Expert at bridging the gap between our data and our target audience – our audience being time poor and not necessarily proficient in our specialist language.
• Represent Jisc and HESA in a range of external groups and forums, acting as an effective ambassador for Jisc.
• Manage HESA output product lifecycle – leading the creation and delivery of product roadmaps.  
• Ensure the combined needs of Jisc and our various statutory customers are met (government, funding and regulatory bodies), as they relate to our statistical and other data outputs and uses.
• Manage the staff of the Data Infrastructure and Statistics group: conducts/oversees appraisals, identifies training needs, delegates work, and identifies and addresses any personnel issues.
• Ensure the delivery of data to other internal users across Jisc, provide Jisc level sponsorship for data stewardship, data engineering and best practice supporting Jisc’s use of data and metadata.
• Be advocate for the possibilities of data linking, and for a coherent, (cross-Government Statistical Service ‘GSS’, cross sector) approach to related statistics;
• Make full use of the cross-Government Statistical Service and sector networks to benefit from the combined knowledge of peers to help overcome challenges in our organisation;
• Ensure the budget for the Group is monitored and spend is in line with budget. Any unforeseen spend is mitigated
• Take shared ownership for the strategy of HESA line of business and the Jisc data strategy.
• Work with the Heads of Teams to ensure management decisions align with the delivery of the strategy, priorities and product roadmaps

Key Skills and Experience: 

• Ability to lead world class official statistics and communicating their value to our audience.
• Able to inspire and motivate internal team to deliver excellent output products for members
• Brilliant communication skills – able to bridge the gap between data and user needs.  Able to deliver value and insight personally, and to convey what the data is saying through presentation and written artefacts.
• Understanding of the role of statistics and data in helping shape policy and delivering value for customers.
• Ability to undertake ‘Head of profession’ role for official statistics, full understanding of and experience in developing high-quality UK national official statistics outputs and compliance.
• Ability to create a customer focussed strategy and innovate to develop existing and new data-based products and services with an understanding of the future needs and demands of the sector.
• Experience in managing and navigating complex relationships to ensure combined needs are met – especially for Jisc in relation to our core purpose(s) and those of our statutory customers.
• Experience in handling challenging situations and people in a way that achieves planned outcomes.
• People skills. Ability to influence and manage senior stakeholders, both internally and externally.
• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience

 Don’t meet every single requirement?