CMA 1908 Director of Data Science

Are you passionate about the use of data, machine learning, and AI and how they can benefit and shape our economy and society? Join the CMA and provide inspirational leadership to our expanding data science and engineering teams.

About the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)

We help people, businesses, and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour. Our work is wide ranging, ambitious and often new and challenging.

Our work requires us to harness, process and analyse ever growing and more complex data sets to support our most critical cases and studies.  The CMA is now embarking on a major programme of digital transformation that includes the adoption of new technologies such as generative AI to meet the demands of our new work. To meet these challenges, we have built data science and engineering teams with specialist skills across natural language processing, network analysis, machine learning and cloud engineering.

What you will do

As the Director of Data Science, your primary role will be to lead our data science and engineering teams during our upcoming growth phase. This is an exciting opportunity to have a significant impact on how we approach AI, data, and technology, ultimately influencing the issues the CMA addresses and protecting consumers from harm.

Your responsibilities will involve leading cases that require extensive data analysis and understanding how businesses utilise machine learning and AI. You will spearhead technical development projects, implementing new data pipelines and drive the advancement of data infrastructure and AI capabilities.

Additionally, you will be responsible for the development and management of our cloud-hosted analytics platform (AWS, Jupiter Hub), including ensuring the security and efficient management of our data lake. Building our data infrastructure will also be part of your mandate. Furthermore, you will serve as a primary source of knowledge within the organisation for the application of machine learning and data.

 As a key member of the CMA’s Data, Technology, and Analytics unit, you will establish relationships with data leaders in both domestic and international regulatory bodies, as well as key industry figures. This will ensure that the CMA remains updated on the latest advancements and best practices in data science.

What you will need

To thrive in this role, you must have a proven track record of developing and delivering programmes and projects in data science, data engineering, or a related field. You should also possess the ability to shape technical and analytical strategies for projects and a solid record of upholding high standards and ensuring successful project delivery.

Leadership skills and experience are essential to nurture your team in a fast-paced environment. Additionally, you should have excellent stakeholder management skills, the confidence to network, and the ability to build relationships with influential technologists and senior decision-makers.

We recognise the value of work-life balance, offering hybrid working arrangements and flexible working options including part-time, compressed hours, and job share arrangements. You will be equipped with excellent technology tools and services that facilitate collaboration regardless of your location. Our modern, professional workplaces across the UK provide an exceptional working environment. Furthermore, we proactively promote mental and physical well-being through a diverse range of well-being initiatives, including an employee assistance programme and a supportive network of mental health first aiders. 

The CMA is a hugely rewarding, diverse and stimulating place to work – an opportunity to work for the public good and to stretch and develop yourself in doing so. All CMA staff enjoy generous benefits, including an excellent pension scheme, at least 25 days leave (increasing to 30 over five years), and generous maternity/paternity leave provision. You can also take advantage of interest-free season ticket loans and a cycle to work scheme.

To find out more about this opportunity and about working for the CMA, please click on the APPLY button.

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Your role:

As Director of Data Science, you will lead our growing data science and engineering teams and define the strategy in this area. Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading cases that involve large-scale data analysis and / or understanding how businesses are using machine learning and AI: developing the analytical strategy for new cases, overseeing the delivery of analytical work and challenging your own teams and the wider case.
• Leading technical development projects: working with the heads of your teams to manage agile projects that deliver new data pipelines and machine learning capabilities for the CMA.

• Setting the CMA’s strategy for data and AI: working with colleagues across the CMA to drive forward the development of new data infrastructure and AI capabilities that will meet the challenge of the DMU and wider CMA.

You will represent the DaTA unit internally at the CMA and externally, building relationships with data leaders across domestic and international regulators, and key industry figures to ensure the CMA is close to and up to date on the latest thinking. 

The DaTA unit is world-leading within competition and consumer agencies and there is a substantial opportunity to make a difference. You can shape how the CMA and others – academics, other regulators domestically and internationally, consumer organisations, the OECD – think about AI, data and technology. And you can affect which issues the CMA addresses and, through cases, directly protect consumers from harm.

 KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Set the CMA’s strategy for data science and engineering and work with senior colleagues across the organisation to translate this into a programme of projects for your teams.
• Lead data science and engineering projects that have a tangible impact on the CMA’s cases and wider work.

• Lead development and management of our cloud-hosted analytics platform (AWS, Jupyter Hub), including the security and management of our data lake.
• Jointly lead the CMA’s digital transformation programme including building the data infrastructure and capability that will be required by the DMU.
• Be a primary source of knowledge for the organisation on the use of machine learning and data by firms and provide leadership in thinking about regulation of data use.
• Line manage three Assistant Directors and oversee a growing team of 15 data scientists and engineers.
• Ensure delivery of projects, working with the unit’s project managers who will support you, and oversee quality assurance for those projects.
• Work with your fellow directors to build and maintain a positive, inclusive and empowered culture across the DaTA unit.
• Represent the unit internally, working closely with lawyers, economists and other professionals, communicating well to non-technical audiences.
• Develop team members by identifying skills needed and development options
• Network with industry and academia, representing the CMA and making sure that the organisation understands key emerging issues in technology

The CMA is seeking to appoint the best qualified candidate for this role and welcomes applications from under-represented groups.

When completing your written application, please ensure you provide evidence, metrics, and examples (as far as you are able), in response to the Essential Criteria below, and against which your application will be assessed. The successful candidate must be willing to achieve SC Clearance.

Essential Criteria

• A proven track record of developing and delivering programmes and projects in data science, data engineering or another relevant field.
• Extensive knowledge of data science, machine learning and data engineering, and practical experience of applying this based on a mix of work experience and formal learning
• A strong ability to shape technical and analytical strategies for projects– including learning new techniques as needed – and a proven track record of ensuring high standards and project delivery.
• Experience and skills providing strong and inspirational leadership and development to a technical team in a fast-paced environment.
• High quality stakeholder management and the ability and confidence to network and build relationships with leading technologists in industry and other senior decision-makers.
• Ability to communicate highly technical content to non-technical audiences, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to create an environment that celebrates diversity and inclusion and promotes a culture of respect towards colleagues at all levels.

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Data science, machine learning and data engineering

As well as the interesting and varied work you’ll do to contribute to effective competition in the UK, and to ensure consumers get a good deal when buying goods and services, you’ll also benefit from:

• An exceptionally generous pension scheme with a significant employer contribution and range of options, including a tax-free lump sum at the point of retirement and injury, ill-health and life assurance benefits
• 25 days leave (increasing to 30 days over five years), plus 8 public holidays and an additional day off for the King’s birthday. In addition, you’ll be able to access a wide range of other types of leave as and when you need it, including generous maternity, paternity, shared parental leave and adoption options, as well as paid special leave for volunteering
• Season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, flu vaccinations and eye tests
• Access to the Civil Service Sports & Leisure, giving discounted gym membership, high street discounts, free access to UK wide attractions and a free Tastecard
• A range of wellbeing benefits, including an employee assistance programme, flexible working options and family friendly policies, regular networking events and professional learning opportunities at work

Any move to the CMA 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/.

Like many other organisations, we operate a hybrid working model with a mix of office and home working. We believe this supports us to deliver our best work while allowing the flexibility to maintain balanced and healthy lives. We work at least 40% of our time from our office locations across the UK.

If you’re already a civil servant being appointed on level transfer, you’ll retain your existing terms, including annual leave. If you are being promoted you’ll receive either a 10% pay increase or the new grade minimum, whichever is the greater. Applicants new to the civil service can be considered for appointment at a salary higher than the starting point indicated above, but not more than the advertised mid-point, depending on skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications.

We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We want a diverse workforce that reflects the consumers we serve. We welcome applications from under-represented groups, including ethnically diverse people, people with a disability, people with diverse gender identities and from people of different ages. 

We are an accredited Disability Confident Employer and disabled applicants meeting the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.

Our Values

The CMA delivers impactful outcomes for people, business and the UK economy.​ We are Ambitious and Evidence-based, and always strive for Excellence.​ We treat everyone with Respect, and are Collaborative and Inclusive.​

Everything we do is underpinned by the Civil Service values: Honesty, Integrity, Impartiality and Objectivity.

Job contact :

• Name : Vidya Krishnamoorthy
• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk
• Telephone : 020 3738 6808

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk