DCMS builds team to set government data strategy

Department recruits for leader of newly created unit dedicated to leading the data policy agenda


Responsibility for data policy has moved to DCMS from GDS. Credit: PA

By Sam Trendall

17 Apr 2018

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is looking to recruit a senior manager to “build and lead a team to set DCMS and HM Government strategy for data”.

The department is advertising for a post as head of data strategy. The successful candidate will be tasked with cultivating and leading a newly created team dedicated to delivering “a data strategy that is ambitious, deliverable, coherent, and innovative”.


RELATED CONTENT


Responsibility for policy and governance issues related to data, as well as government data-sharing initiatives, was recently moved to DCMS from its previous home at the Government Digital Service. 

In the data strategy chief job advert, DCMS said that “data’s importance in our modern digital economy raises big policy questions for government”. These questions include asking if the UK has “the right legal and ethical frameworks in place to ensure data is used appropriately and keeps the public’s trust”, and whether government is currently using data to best effect in delivering better public services.

“DCMS is building a new team to ensure we have ambitious answers to these questions and a cross-government approach to delivering them,” the department added. 

In addition to leading this team, the head of data strategy will also be expected to work with experts from the rest of government and the private sector “to develop strategy and policy for data in the economy and the use of data in government”.

The London-based role comes with a salary of between £55,388 and £66,665. The successful applicant will be awarded an initial two-year fixed-term contract or, if they are currently employed by another central-government department, a loan arrangement for the same length of time. DCMS retains the option to extend the contract.

The deadline for applications is 22 April, with interviews likely to take place in London during the two-week period commencing on 7 May.

Read the most recent articles written by Sam Trendall - Home Office asylum seeker ankle tag-monitoring pilot 'highly intrusive', watchdog finds

Share this page