FAIR Data Systems Architect
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Apply before 11:55 pm on Tuesday 1st October 2024
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About the job
Job summary
Here at the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), we work on things that make a real difference to people’s lives.
Whether it's through the homes we live in, the work of our local councils, or the communities we’re all part of, our work is at the top of the political agenda. We have ambitious and far-reaching outcomes to achieve this year and, if you’re thinking of joining us, there’s never been a more exciting time.
We have over 3,500 staff who are based in 20 offices across the UK.
We are looking for a Grade 6 Principal Enterprise Architect with a strong track record in leading teams to deliver interoperable data systems. You will be working to deliver on the technical elements of MHCLG’s Data Strategy and enable interoperable autonomous data systems across MHCLG to ensure that data is well governed and delivered as a high-quality product. Through the interventions that you will design and put in place, and supporting and working with data teams across MHCLG, you will ensure that data will no longer be siloed in specialist areas but will flow effortlessly between data systems becoming Findable by all, Accessible when permitted, Interoperable with other data assets, and ultimately Reused to better inform decisions (FAIR). This role offers the opportunity to shape the future of data systems at MHCLG, driving innovation and excellence through data enabled decisions and the foundation for AI.
You will be working in MHCLG's Chief Data Office as part of a multi-disciplinary team working to deliver data transformation across the department and driving better use of data for policy making and delivery.
We particularly welcome candidates from an ethnic minority background and other underrepresented groups to apply, as we work to continually improve our ability to represent the places and communities we support through our work.
Find out more about what it's like to work in a digital, data and technology role at MHCLG including our culture, ways of working, career progression and staff benefits. You can also read the MHCLG Digital blog to learn about the work we're doing.
Job description
As a FAIR Data Systems Architect, you'll:
- provide strategic leadership to ensure delivery of a federated interoperable data ecosystem, working closely with Digital and delivery teams across MHCLG to implement their individual components
- maintain and enhance a high-quality roadmap that contains a central view of MHCLG’s data ecosystem and its interdependencies, both as is and to be, and use it to prioritise delivery based on the MHCLG Data Strategy
- build relationships and networks across MHCLG to provide guidance, training, and technical support to data system teams across MHCLG
- have line management responsibilities
- work closely with the rest of the team which include change management and capability uplift, delivery strategy, and programme management
- engage at a senior level with colleagues across the organisation, and will need to have excellent judgement, the ability to work at pace, and to independently resolve complex issues
- need to have a strong track record of delivering transformation across complex and diverse organisations such as MHCLG, and the ability to effectively communicate with technical and non-technical stakeholders
Person specification
We will use the essential criteria below to evaluate you during the recruitment process. Make sure your CV and cover letter details how you meet the criteria.
As a FAIR Data Systems Architect, you'll have:
- strong leadership of a team to deliver a strategic vision through motivating and valuing colleagues, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement
- a track record of building effective collaborative relationships at all levels, both internal and external to the department, with a wide range of partners and delivering results through these partnerships to meet long-term strategic needs
- proven ability to synthesise complex issues effectively and at pace to all levels of the organisation including senior leaders: making it accessible to non-technical stakeholders and to use evidence and sound judgement to influence decision makers
- an ability to see the bigger picture and apply strategic thinking, including in times of change, and connect into government-wide activities
- delivery at pace through an agile team, setting clear objectives, managing several competing business priorities, and ensuring delivery to tight deadlines
- experience working as an Enterprise Architect, or similar role, with a proven track record of delivering data transformation or significant data maturity improvements in a large complex organisation
- experience delivering interoperable data systems, maintaining and delivering roadmaps, and the adoption of data standards
- knowledge and/or experience of delivering a data mesh architecture
- understanding of the FAIR Data Principles and their application across an organisation
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Making Effective Decisions
- Leadership
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
MHCLG want to bring in a diverse workforce at all levels.
Our application system is designed to remove as much bias as possible from the recruitment system – this means that a hiring manager does not know your name, your details, see your whole application in one go (or have your CV at review stage unless stated otherwise).
CV and Cover Letter Declaration
We recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - this is called name blind recruitment.
Please remove references to your:
- name/title
- educational institutions
- age
- gender
- email address
- postal address
- phone number
- nationality/immigration status
You will need to merge your CV and covering letter into one document. When submitting your application Applied will ask you to upload a CV, when doing this you should upload your merged document of your CV and covering letter.
Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that your application would be viewed by different assessors.
At sift, through your CV and covering letter we will be assessing:
- Experience
- Technical
Your covering letter should be no more than 1 page referencing:
a. why you are interested in the role;
b. how you meet the essential skills and experience required
The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of the following success profiles elements:
Behaviour - Seeing The Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Leadership
Experience
Technical
Strength - The strength based questions will require natural responses from the candidates
The vacancy manager has requested that candidates prepare a presentation for the interview. Details on the presentation topic/question will be shared in the invites to interview.
In full the campaign will test the below Success Profile Elements:
Experience: Experience will be tested at sift and through interview questions which will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the person specification
Technical: Technical will be tested at sift and through interview questions which will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the person specification
Behaviours: Seeing The Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Leadership
Strengths: Yes
We do not consider direct CV applications – you must apply for this role via the application link on Civil Service Jobs:
Please note that near miss offers may be made at the lower grade to candidates who do not meet the grade criteria for this campaign.
Group 1 Digital and Data roles
MHCLG has implemented the Digital and Data capability framework for Group 1 roles. Applicants that are successful at the sift stage will be required to complete a capability assessment at interview.
MHCLG will honour completed capability assessments for this role from other Government Departments for existing Civil Servants. Please provide a copy of your capability assessment to the Hiring Manager when applying. If you have any queries on pay, please contact the Hiring Manager.
Salary is determined by performance at interview, within the range advertised. Each experience or technical skill is assessed between 1-3, representing working towards, at or above the job level requirements. You are awarded a proficiency level accordingly, and you will be given opportunities at least once a year to re assess your capability and progress through the pay scale within your grade. An additional digital allowance may be payable depending on level of assessed capability.
Candidates moving from another government department have the option to retain their current salary where the principle for implementation is there is no detriment where existing pay exceeds the indicative level. Where individuals are at a lower salary than their assessed level, they will receive an upward adjustment.
Grade 6 Group 1 Digital and Data salary
- The salary for this role will between £73,578 - £79,266 (London), £67,280 - £72,960 (National) depending on the proficiency level assessment.
- An additional digital allowance may be payable depending on the level of assessed capability up to £11,335
- For applicants in receipt of existing allowances, we will assess each case individually and aim to match the digital allowance implemented with no detriment.
- For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable
Please note that the average employer pension contribution is based upon the National minimum salary for this role. Should your agreed starting salary for this role be different, the average employer pension contribution will be calculated accordingly. If you are a Secondee, this will not apply as you will remain on your home organisation’s terms and conditions.
Benefits
Transfers across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018:
Any move to MHCLG 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.
For further information about the benefits available to MHCLG employees, please see the attached Candidate Pack.
Geographical Location:
- London
- Wolverhampton
- Darlington*
- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Leeds
- Manchester
There may be opportunities for candidates to work flexibly depending on the business needs. This will be discussed with the vacancy manager on a case-by-case basis if you are successful for the role.
*Please note: The Darlington Economic Campus is a pioneering new cross-government hub which will bring together people across departments and public organisations to play an active role in the most important economic issues of the day. The work of the Campus will make a real difference to people both across the UK and internationally. There will be substantial career opportunities and exciting prospects - a career at the Campus means you will be working at the heart of Government, with access to the benefits and fantastic opportunities offered by the civil service. This role is based at MHCLG and we will be joined on the campus by:
- HM Treasury
- Department for International Trade
- Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
- Office for National Statistics
- Department for Education
For further information on the DEC, please take a look at the attached DEC candidate pack.
Sift and Interview dates
Sifting is envisaged to take place from Wednesday 02/10/2024 with interview dates to be confirmed. All interviews are currently being held remotely via videocall.
Reserve List
In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details on a reserve list for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. This may include roles at a lower grade. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact recruitment@communities.gov.uk to be removed from the reserve list.
SC (Security Check):
Important note
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Security Check and the process can take up to 8 weeks to complete.
Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the Security Check – this requires you to have been resident in the UK for the past 5 years. Please refer to the MHCLG Notes on Security Clearance section of our Candidate Pack for further information on Security Check (SC).
Candidates should also note that with effect from 1st August 2018 the department will also check all applicants who are successful at interview, against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) held by the Cabinet Office. In accordance with the Civil Service Internal Fraud Policy, any applicant who is included on the IFD will be refused employment by MHCLG Please see the Candidate Pack for further information on the Internal Fraud Database.
Candidate Pack Information
Please see attached Candidate pack for further information.
Before starting your application it’s very important to make sure that you are eligible to apply and meet the Civil Service nationality requirements. All candidates are expected to read the information provided in the MHCLG candidate pack regarding nationality requirements and rules
Internal Fraud Database
The Internal Fraud function of the Fraud, Error, Debt and Grants Function at the Cabinet Office processes details of civil servants who have been dismissed for committing internal fraud, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned. The Cabinet Office receives the details from participating government organisations of civil servants who have been dismissed, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned, for internal fraud. In instances such as this, civil servants are then banned for 5 years from further employment in the civil service. The Cabinet Office then processes this data and discloses a limited dataset back to MHCLG as a participating government organisations. MHCLG then carry out the pre employment checks so as to detect instances where known fraudsters are attempting to reapply for roles in the civil service. In this way, the policy is ensured and the repetition of internal fraud is prevented.
For more information please see- Internal Fraud Register
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Digital Data Jobs
- Email : digitaldatajobs@communities.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : digitaldatajobs@communities.gov.uk
