Roles and skills Digital health care job roles reference
Illustrative Reference profiles for a generic digital health care organisation, not official job descriptions. About this reference.

Senior analytics engineer

Band 7 · Analytics engineer · 477 job evaluation points

UK GDaD PCF level: Senior analytics engineer

Most often performed at Civil Service grade SEO or G7.

A senior analytics engineer oversees the development and testing of data models, including directing the work of other analytics engineers.

At this role level, you will:

  • oversee tasks and support less senior analytics engineers
  • build relationships with stakeholders within a defined area
  • coach and mentor less senior analytics engineers
  • ensure documentation of data meets standards
  • ensure issues and risks are resolved
  • oversee training and support for users of data sets
  • explore and develop new ways of working with data
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

Skills

SkillExpected levelWhat this level means
Communicating between the technical and non-technicalUK GDaD PCFWorking (2)

You can:

  • communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders
  • support and host discussions within a multidisciplinary team, with potentially difficult dynamics
  • be an advocate for the team externally
  • manage differing stakeholder perspectives
Data analysis and synthesisUK GDaD PCFWorking (2)

You can:

  • undertake data profiling and source system analysis
  • present clear insights to colleagues to support the end use of the data
Data innovationUK GDaD PCFWorking (2)

You can:

  • experiment with unfamiliar and emerging technologies, or familiar technologies in new data contexts, with guidance
  • share what you learn with the team, explaining potential benefits, risks, and practical considerations
  • identify opportunities to apply technology to improve data processes or outcomes in an operational setting or the wider organisation
Data modelling, cleansing and enrichmentUK GDaD PCFPractitioner (3)

You can:

  • build and review complex data models, ensuring adherence to standards
  • use data integration tools and languages to integrate and store data, and advise teams on best practice
  • ensure data for analysis meets data quality standards and is interoperable with other data sets, enabling reuse
  • work with other data professionals to improve modelling and integration patterns and standards
Metadata managementUK GDaD PCFPractitioner (3)

You can:

  • design an appropriate metadata repository
  • suggest changes to improve current metadata repositories
  • understand a range of tools for storing and working with metadata
  • advise less experienced members of the team about metadata management
Problem managementUK GDaD PCFWorking (2)

You can:

  • initiate and monitor actions to investigate patterns and trends to resolve problems
  • effectively consult specialists where required
  • determine the appropriate resolution and assist with its implementation
  • determine preventative measures
Programming and build (data and analytics engineering)UK GDaD PCFPractitioner (3)

You can:

  • lead the design, code, testing and deployment of secure, resilient and maintainable solutions
  • continuously improve the codebase and reliability of solutions
  • create automation to improve the software development life cycle
  • work with others to implement standards and good practice to ensure security, testability and maintainability of solutions
TestingUK GDaD PCFWorking (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 PCFPractitioner (3)

You can:

  • design data architecture that deals with problems spanning different business areas
  • identify links between problems to devise common solutions
  • work across multiple subject areas, or a single large or complicated subject area
  • produce appropriate patterns
Understanding health and care servicesThis referencePractitioner (3)

You can:

  • analyse how a service fits into care pathways across organisations
  • work with clinicians, care staff, and patients to shape digital services
  • explain the effect of digital decisions on care, safety, and staff workload
Information governance and data protectionThis referenceWorking (2)

You can:

  • apply data protection principles to your work
  • contribute to data protection impact assessments
  • handle information requests and records correctly
Data quality managementThis referencePractitioner (3)

You can:

  • define data quality rules and measures
  • work with data providers to fix the root causes of poor quality
Clinical terminology and classificationThis referencePractitioner (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
Pseudonymisation and disclosure controlThis referenceWorking (2)

You can:

  • work with pseudonymised data and apply disclosure checks before releasing outputs
  • recognise when linked or detailed data could identify a patient

Typical qualifications and experience

Band 7 outline

Knowledge
Highly developed specialist knowledge, typically to master's level or equivalent experience.
Autonomy
Works to organisational policy; decides how results are achieved; is the expert others consult.
Scope
Several products or services, or a specialist function.
Leadership
Leads a team or a professional practice area.
Accountability
Delivery of a service or specialist function, and its budget if held.

Job evaluation (illustrative)

FactorLevelLevel summaryPoints
Communication and relationship skills4Gives complex, sensitive, or contentious information needing persuasion, negotiation, or training skills, or highly complex information.32
Knowledge, training, and experience7Highly developed specialist knowledge across the range of the specialism (master's level or equivalent).196
Analytical and judgemental skills4Judgements on complex facts or situations needing analysis, interpretation, and comparison of options.42
Planning and organisational skills3Plans several complex activities, adjusting plans as needed.27
Physical skills3Developed skills needing speed or accuracy, such as advanced keyboard use.27
Responsibility for patient and client care1Helps patients, clients, or relatives during incidental contact.4
Responsibility for policy and service development3Implements policies for own area and proposes changes that affect other areas.21
Responsibility for financial and physical resources1Takes personal care of equipment and resources used in own work.5
Responsibility for people2Supervises or coordinates staff day to day, trains others regularly, or gives basic HR advice.12
Responsibility for information resources5Designs and develops major information systems, or runs information systems for several services as the main duty.34
Responsibility for research and development2Regularly does research, development, trials, or equipment and system testing as part of the job.12
Freedom to act4Results are defined, but the job holder decides how to achieve them, within broad policy.32
Physical effort1Sitting, standing, and walking, with little physical effort.3
Mental effort4Frequent prolonged concentration, or occasional intense concentration.18
Emotional effort1Rare exposure, or occasional indirect exposure, to distressing circumstances.5
Working conditions2Occasional unpleasant conditions, frequent travel or outdoor work, or near-continuous screen use on most days.7
Total (Band 7: 466 to 539)477

Self assessment

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Rated 0 of 14 skills: 0 meet the expected level, 0 below, 0 above.

Communicating between the technical and non-technical Expected: Working
Data analysis and synthesis Expected: Working
Data innovation Expected: Working
Data modelling, cleansing and enrichment Expected: Practitioner
Metadata management Expected: Practitioner
Problem management Expected: Working
Programming and build (data and analytics engineering) Expected: Practitioner
Testing Expected: Working
Turning business problems into data design Expected: Practitioner
Understanding health and care services Expected: Practitioner
Information governance and data protection Expected: Working
Data quality management Expected: Practitioner
Clinical terminology and classification Expected: Practitioner
Pseudonymisation and disclosure control Expected: Working
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