Head of Data

Define and drive the data strategy to ensure data is well-governed, securely managed, and accessible across the business.

Lay the foundations to enable data-driven decision-making by establishing the frameworks, platforms, and practices needed to maximise the value of enterprise data.

Main Duties, including but not limited to:

• Define and lead their enterprise-wide data strategy, aligned to business objectives and future growth
• Design and maintain a scalable, secure data architecture that supports storage, integration, and efficient access to data across teams
• Establish and oversee data governance frameworks, including data ownership, stewardship, and quality standards
• Collaborate with business and IT stakeholders to ensure data is consistently captured, trusted, and used effectively across systems and teams
• Work with colleagues from across the business to understand their data needs and identify modern data platforms (e.g. data lakes, warehouses, analytics tools) to support reporting, analytics, and innovation
• Champion data accessibility and literacy across the business by enabling self-service capabilities and supporting training where required
• Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and standards (e.g. GDPR, ISO 27001), managing data privacy and security risks
• Monitor industry trends and emerging technologies to keep our data ecosystem future-ready and competitive
• Act as a key advisor to senior leadership on data-related opportunities, risks, and priorities
  

Qualifications and Experience:

• Proven experience in defining and implementing enterprise-wide data strategies
• Deep understanding of data governance frameworks, including data quality management, metadata, lineage, and data ownership models
• Strong knowledge of modern data platforms and tools (e.g. cloud data warehouses, data lakes)
• Experience with data integration, master data management (MDM), and designing scalable data pipelines
• Solid grasp of data privacy, regulatory compliance, and security best practices (e.g. GDPR, ISO 27001, data access controls)
• Familiarity with business intelligence and analytics tools (e.g. Power BI, Tableau, Looker) and enabling self-service reporting
• Ability to work with cross-functional teams to align data needs, promote data literacy, and deliver business value through data
• Strong technical leadership and stakeholder engagement skills, with experience managing data teams and influencing at senior levels
• Proficiency in data modelling, SQL, and understanding of cloud platforms (e.g. Azure, AWS, GCP) and their data services