Government Chief Data Officer

A part of the Cabinet Office, the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) is the strategic centre for digital transformation in the UK Government and leads the 27,000+ strong digital, data and technology function. CDDO exists to improve the lives and livelihoods of people in the UK through better public services and policy powered by digital, data and technology. We are responsible for:

• setting whole-of-government strategies on digital, data and technology
• developing and supporting implementation of standards that raise the bar on performance
• delivering central enablers that help us to scale best practices across government
• building digital skills at scale, within the digital, data and technology profession and beyond
• driving value for money on taxpayer spend on technology, data and digital
• leading delivery of the government’s 2022-2025 roadmap, Transforming for a Digital Future

Data is recognised by Government to play an integral role in all we do – including transformation of public services and developing, delivering and evaluating policy that shapes the UK economy, businesses and lives. In the role of Government Chief Data Officer, you will work with Chief Digital and Information Officers, Chief Data Officers and Chief Technology Officers in government departments, and will report to the Chief Executive of CDDO. 

You will lead on implementing the government’s mission to improve the use of its own data as part of the National Data Strategy and Transforming for a Digital Future Roadmap, and will work closely with stakeholders across the centre of government, including Number 10, the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, HM Treasury and other central government departments.

As Government Chief Data Officer you’ll be responsible for:

• leading the community of thousands of data specialists across government, including chairing the Chief Data Officer Council, comprised of the most senior data professionals in departments
• shaping and overseeing government’s data strategy and policy, including cross-government data sharing legislation in the Digital Economy Act
• delivering key strategic commitments outlined in the National Data Strategy and Transforming for a Digital Future roadmap
• promoting and maintaining data standards for government departments, stakeholders and key government data programmes through the Data Standards Authority
• overseeing the data governance framework that ensures data quality, security, and privacy of government’s data
• providing strategic direction on data management, data architecture and data analytics initiatives across CDDO and beyond
• developing and implementing initiatives that proactively address core cultural, legislative and practical barriers to data sharing in government
• identifying data initiatives that align with the government’s strategic goals and prioritising data projects based on their potential impact and return on investment
• championing the importance of data culture and safe and responsible data sharing in government in senior leadership forums
• reporting regularly to government’s senior leadership forums, such as the Permanent Secretary Digital and Data Board, on data initiatives, progress, and outcomes

We’re interested in people who:

• successfully leads an expert function with excellent influencing, strong decision making, negotiating and conflict resolution skills
• can win the cooperation and support of multiple internal and external parties, holding them to account through rigorous performance management to achieve common goals
• delivers large-scale data initiatives and programmes, in a large and complex organisation, to drive business benefit
• develops and progresses a data strategy whilst managing data across complex IT environment with experience of open source, cloud, distributed computing and environments for data analytics, including data science and artificial intelligence
• takes full accountability for the delivery of an enterprise wide data strategy – from collation and capture through to exploitation and delivery of customer or user value
• have experience of senior stakeholder management in a political, pressured environment and can build credible and respected relationships at board level
• maximises effective working relationships with suppliers to stimulate innovation and guarantee successful delivery, whilst delivering value for money from investment
• disseminates complex and technical issues to non-technical audiences in writing and verbally

The benefits of working at CDDO

There are many benefits including:

• flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
• a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days 
• an extra day off for The King’s birthday
• an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
• career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
• paid volunteering leave 
• a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
• advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
• death in service benefits
• cycle to work scheme and facilities
• access to children’s holiday play schemes across different locations in central London
• access to an employee discounts scheme
• 10 learning days per year
• volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year)
• access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning

CDDO offers hybrid working for all employees. This means that everyone does some working from home and also spends some time in their local office. You’ll agree to your hybrid working arrangement with your line manager in line with your preferences and business needs.

Any move to the Central Digital and Data Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above.
This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions.
Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and
conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your
personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any
absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you
to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

Job contact :

• Name : Daniel White
• Email : DanielW@global-resourcing.com

Recruitment team

• Email : CDDO-CDO@global-resourcing.com