Head of data engineering

Band 8b · Data engineer · 589 job evaluation points

UK GDaD PCF level: Head of data engineering

Most often performed at Civil Service grade G7 or G6.

A head of data engineering leads multi-functional delivery teams to deliver robust data services for their department, other government departments and private sector partners.
At this role level, you will:
inspire best practice for data products and services within your teams
build data engineering capability by providing technical leadership and career development for the community
work with other senior team members to identify, plan, develop and deliver data services

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 strategy for the organisation's data platforms and data engineering services.
Lead multidisciplinary teams that deliver data services for internal teams and health and care partners.
Advise senior leaders on data platform risks, costs, and investment.
Make sure data services meet information governance, security, and clinical safety requirements.
Build data engineering capability through recruitment, development, and career paths.

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 compliance and securityUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	You can: advise senior stakeholders on data security, ethical or procedural risks improve organisational awareness of data compliance and procedures lead, guide and mentor teams in implementing secure data practices and maintaining compliance
Data development processUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	You can: establish cross-organisational data solutions that include all aspects of the data development life cycle define and promote good practices for creating repeatable, reliable and reusable data solutions
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 integration designUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	You can: establish cross-organisational data integration standards and design patterns guide teams in designing secure and interoperable systems and services
Data modellingUK GDaD PCF	Working (2)	You can: explain the concepts and principles of data modelling produce, maintain and update relevant data models for an organisation’s specific needs reverse-engineer data models from a live system
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
Understanding health and care servicesThis reference	Practitioner (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 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
Health data interoperabilityThis reference	Expert (4)	You can: set interoperability standards and strategy for the organisation lead national or cross-organisation standards work assure the design of critical integrations across many systems
Pseudonymisation and disclosure controlThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: design pseudonymisation and linkage methods that keep identifiers separate from analysis data assess the re-identification risk of a data set or publication and choose suitable controls advise teams on safe settings, such as trusted research environments
Clinical risk managementThis reference	Working (2)	You can: take part in hazard workshops and contribute to a hazard log follow the clinical risk management process for your work provide evidence for a clinical safety case, such as test results
People managementThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: line manage a team, setting objectives and running appraisals support wellbeing and manage attendance, performance, and conduct plan the team's development and succession
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 data engineering across multiple teams.

Band 8b outline

Knowledge: Expert knowledge across several disciplines or a large service.
Autonomy: Shapes policy and strategy for a large area.
Scope: Several services or teams, or a principal-level discipline.
Leadership: Manages managers, or is the principal authority in a discipline.
Accountability: Several services, their staff, and their budgets.

Job evaluation (illustrative)

Factor	Level	Level summary	Points
Communication and relationship skills	5	Gives highly complex or contentious information needing developed persuasion and negotiation, presents to large groups, or communicates where there are significant barriers to acceptance.	45
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	4	Implements policy and develops policy or services for a service or several areas.	32
Responsibility for financial and physical resources	3	Authorises payments, buys some assets or supplies, monitors or holds a delegated budget, or maintains assets.	21
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	5	Designs and develops major information systems, or runs information systems for several services as the main duty.	34
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	4	Frequent prolonged concentration, or occasional intense concentration.	18
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 8b: 585 to 629)			589