Head of analytics engineering

Band 8c · Analytics engineer · 634 job evaluation points

UK GDaD PCF level: Head of analytics engineering

Most often performed at Civil Service grade G6.

A head of analytics engineering oversees the development of a range of data models that meet analysis needs across the organisation.
At this role level, you will:
build relationships with senior stakeholders across the organisation to determine what the organisation needs
ensure the activities of the analytics engineering team align with strategic priorities
ensure the team works to standards for communication, data models and documentation
advocate for the analytics engineering role to senior leadership and other organisations
build analytics engineering capability by providing technical leadership and career development for the community
ensure appropriate technology is available for the community

Contains public sector information from the UK Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework (https://understand-digital-data-roles-skills.service.gov.uk/), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.

Responsibilities

Set the direction for the organisation's analytical data models, so that analysis across the organisation uses one trusted set of definitions.
Make sure analytics engineering priorities support the organisation's strategy and reporting duties.
Advise senior leaders on the trustworthiness of the data behind major reports and decisions.
Make sure the community has the tools and platforms it needs, and manage the related budget.
Build analytics engineering capability through technical leadership and career development.

Skills

Skill	Expected level	What this level means
Communicating between the technical and non-technicalUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	You can: mediate between people and strengthen relationships, adopting the appropriate communication method with stakeholders at all levels manage stakeholder expectations and moderate difficult discussions about high risk and complex topics, even within constrained timescales speak on behalf of, and represent the community to, large audiences inside and outside the organisation
Data analysis and synthesisUK GDaD PCF	Practitioner (3)	You can: understand and help teams to apply a range of techniques for data profiling source system analysis from a complex single source bring multiple data sources together in a conformed model for analysis
Data innovationUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	You can: advocate for adoption of unfamiliar and emerging technologies, or familiar technologies in new data contexts, ensuring organisation objectives, user needs, and operational constraints inform decisions develop organisational capability in data innovation through leadership anticipate future technology changes and advise how to take advantage of them to realise value from data
Data modelling, cleansing and enrichmentUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	You can: understand different ways to model data to maximise its use and value ensure data is modelled appropriately, and modelling standards exist and are complied with understand a number of data integration tools and patterns, and ensure your teams have the support and training needed to use the most appropriate methods build relationships with other senior data professionals (in fields such as data architecture, data engineering and data science) to share best practice and continually improve data modelling and integration processes and standards
Metadata managementUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	You can: identify how metadata repositories can support different areas of the organisation communicate the value of metadata repositories set up robust governance processes to keep repositories up to date
Problem managementUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	You can: anticipate problems and defend against them at the right time understand how a problem fits into the larger picture identify and describe problems, and help others to describe them build problem-solving capabilities in others
Programming and build (data and analytics engineering)UK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	You can: set standards for programming tools and techniques select appropriate development methods for a problem advise on the application of standards and methods that ensure security, maintainability and compliance take technical responsibility for all stages of a software development project, providing technical advice and guidance to stakeholders
TestingUK GDaD PCF	Working (2)	You can: review requirements and specifications, and define test conditions identify issues and risks associated with work analyse and report test activities and results
Turning business problems into data designUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	You can: design data architecture that deals with problems across the enterprise work across all organisational subject areas and internal and external programmes
Understanding health and care servicesThis reference	Expert (4)	You can: shape organisational strategy using a deep understanding of the health and care system represent the organisation with health and care partners and leaders anticipate how policy and service changes will affect digital services and care
Information governance and data protectionThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: lead data protection impact assessments and information sharing agreements advise teams on lawful basis, consent, confidentiality, and retention investigate incidents and recommend improvements
Data quality managementThis reference	Expert (4)	You can: set data quality standards for the organisation and its partners lead data quality improvement programmes
Clinical terminology and classificationThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: design data models and reference sets using clinical terminologies map between terminologies and classifications, and explain the limits of a mapping advise teams on terminology use in products and analytics
People managementThis reference	Expert (4)	You can: lead managers and shape the culture of a large area design workforce plans and organisational change coach leaders and resolve complex people issues
Budget managementThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: hold and manage a budget, forecasting and explaining variances build a business case with costs and benefits

Typical qualifications and experience

Extensive experience of leading analytics engineering across an organisation.

Band 8c outline

Knowledge: Expert knowledge, and wide organisational and sector understanding.
Autonomy: Sets strategy for a function; accountable to a director.
Scope: A function or department.
Leadership: Leads a function through several management layers.
Accountability: A function's performance, workforce, and budget.

Job evaluation (illustrative)

Factor	Level	Level summary	Points
Communication and relationship skills	6	Gives highly complex, highly contentious information where there are significant barriers to acceptance, using the highest level of communication skills.	60
Knowledge, training, and experience	7	Highly developed specialist knowledge across the range of the specialism (master's level or equivalent).	196
Analytical and judgemental skills	5	Judgements on highly complex facts or situations needing analysis, interpretation, and comparison of options.	60
Planning and organisational skills	5	Forms long-term strategic plans, with uncertainty and effects across the organisation.	60
Physical skills	2	Skills gained through practice, such as standard keyboard use or driving.	15
Responsibility for patient and client care	1	Helps patients, clients, or relatives during incidental contact.	4
Responsibility for policy and service development	5	Implements and develops a range of policies or services for a directorate.	45
Responsibility for financial and physical resources	4	Holds or sets the budget for a department or service, or buys or maintains its assets.	32
Responsibility for people	4	Line manages a function or department, designs training programmes as a main duty, or delivers a full range of HR services.	32
Responsibility for information resources	6	Manages and develops information systems across the organisation as the main duty.	46
Responsibility for research and development	2	Regularly does research, development, trials, or equipment and system testing as part of the job.	12
Freedom to act	5	Works within general policies, and in most cases decides how to interpret them.	45
Physical effort	1	Sitting, standing, and walking, with little physical effort.	3
Mental effort	3	Frequent concentration on unpredictable work, or occasional prolonged concentration.	12
Emotional effort	1	Rare exposure, or occasional indirect exposure, to distressing circumstances.	5
Working conditions	2	Occasional unpleasant conditions, frequent travel or outdoor work, or near-continuous screen use on most days.	7
Total (Band 8c: 630 to 674)			634