Location
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
About the job
Job summary
The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) is responsible for delivering a compensation scheme that has been long-awaited by the infected blood community to provide financial compensation to victims of infected blood on a UK-wide basis.
The Data Operations team is responsible for developing and running safe and secure data solutions that provide a single source of truth for those going through their compensation journey. They are designing and building a new data platform using Amazon Web Services (AWS) and data management and intelligence products using Databricks and Quantexa.
We are taking a product-centric approach treating data as a product and are building squads around our products, with a focus on paying compensation to those impacted by the infected blood scandal seamlessly.
Working at IBCA gives you a huge opportunity to make an impact on those who deserve compensation, and this role suits a candidate who can spearhead solutions from the ground up to take from ideation to reality so that data is an enabler to everything IBCA does.
Opportunities to move to the new Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA).
At the moment all IBCA roles are hosted by Cabinet Office within the Civil Service. However, once IBCA becomes operational, it is anticipated that most of these roles will transfer to IBCA, which is a new Arms Length Body (ALB) separate from the Cabinet Office. Roles that transfer to IBCA from Cabinet Office will maintain the same or substantially the same terms and conditions of employment that are overall no less favourable. It is anticipated that employees who move from Cabinet Office to IBCA will be able to continue to participate in the Civil Service Pension arrangements with no break in their pensionable service. Roles commencing after IBCA has become operational will be with IBCA itself on similar terms and conditions. All successful candidates will receive full details of the terms and conditions of employment for their role with their formal job offer.
Please note that the mission of IBCA means that it is likely to be operational for a period of approximately 5 to 7 years. When IBCA’s work begins to wind down, IBCA employees will receive support and practical guidance to find a new role, whether in the Civil Service, another Arms Length Body (ALB), or an external employer.
Job description
The Head of Data Product & Delivery owns the strategic vision and roadmap for the IBCA data platform, prioritising features to meet organisational data needs and ensuring these are delivered to time, quality and expected value.
You will lead the data product, delivery and service design capabilities that exist within the data operations team at IBCA and champion user‑centric design and ensure robust delivery for data‑driven solutions that are stable, scalable, secure and core effective.
As a key part of the data operations leadership team, you will serve as the primary interface, effectively communicating strategies and progress to diverse stakeholders, championing the platform’s value, and ensuring its alignment with architectural, engineering, and security standards, embedding data quality and privacy.
It is essential for this role that you are positive, resilient, collaborative and can handle working under significant time pressures.
This role will lead our Product, Business Analysis, Service Design & Management and Delivery capabilities within the Data Operations arm of the IBCA Data Directorate.
You will focus on ensuring the successful ideation and delivery of the IBCA data platform and associated data products covering both technical implementation and operational live running.
Responsibilities
* Data Platform Product Strategy & Roadmap: Define and own the data platform’s strategic vision and roadmap, prioritising features based on business value and emerging technologies to meet organisational data needs.
* Product Management & Design Leadership: Lead the data platform’s product management capability, ensuring user‑centric design and business analysis, delivery, and service design capabilities for data‑driven solutions.
* Technical Delivery & Operational Excellence: Oversee the end‑to‑end delivery of data platform features, championing agile and DevSecOps, while ensuring the platform’s stability, scalability, security, and cost‑effectiveness in production.
* Team Leadership & Development: Build, mentor, and lead high‑performing data platform teams, fostering a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and continuous learning.
* Stakeholder Management & Communication: Serve as the primary interface for the data platform, effectively communicating strategies and progress to diverse stakeholders and championing the platform’s value.
* Capability Alignment: Collaborate with architecture, engineering and security teams to ensure the data platform adheres to standards, embeds data quality, privacy, and security by design and is fit for purpose both in respect of functional and non‑functional requirements.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
* Strong ability to define and execute a compelling, value‑driven vision, strategy, and roadmap for a large‑scale data platform or multi‑product data service, ensuring multidisciplinary team alignment by translating complex objectives into actionable plans.
* Proven leadership in data product management, emphasising user‑centric design, business analysis, and overseeing delivery and service design for data‑driven solutions with a strong track record of building, mentoring, and leading high‑performing teams, fostering a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and continuous learning.
* Proven experience in overseeing the full lifecycle delivery of a data platform and complex data products, from ideation and implementation to operating and retirement working effectively within Agile methodologies.
* Exceptional communication skills with the ability to bridge communication gaps between diverse teams and stakeholders, articulate complex data concepts, actively listen to varied perspectives, and skilfully facilitate discussions to build consensus, manage expectations and resolve conflicts.
* In‑depth experience in defining, establishing and running a live data platform or multi‑product data service championing DevSecOps practices, and ensuring platform stability, scalability, security, and cost‑effectiveness in production as well as data quality.
* Strong understanding of data architecture, data pipelines (ETL/ELT/APIs), data warehousing, and best practices in data governance, quality, security, and privacy.
* Working at senior leadership level, establishing and maintaining organisational level networks and actively engaging other senior leaders.
Desirable Criteria
* Specific experience in managing the implementation and operation of data products that undertake master data management or entity resolution processes for highly sensitive data that includes troubleshooting data‑related issues and overseeing continuous improvement of underpinning business rules.
Desirable criteria will only be assessed at interview, in the event of a tie break situation, to make an informed decision.
Additional information:
A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Seeing the Big Picture
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
* Managing product outcomes (Expert)
* Maintaining delivery momentum (Expert)
* Lifecycle management (Expert)
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £67,126, Cabinet Office contributes £19,446 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Learning and development tailored to your role.
An environment with flexible working options.
A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.
A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
As part of your application you will be required to provide a CV setting out your career history and qualifications, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role.
You will also be required to provide a Statement of Suitability (1000 words max.).
Please use your statement of suitability to explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria in the Person Specification section of the job advert.
Your CV and Statement of Suitability will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in the Person Specification section of the job advert.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using your statement of suitability. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Should you be successful at sift, you will be invited to attend an interview where you will be assessed on behaviours and technical skills.
As part of your interview you will be required to deliver a 10 minute presentation on the following topic – “Using a real‑life example, how would you define and establish a delivery model that can manage both technical implementation of new features and operational running of existing data systems.”
This should include:
* What were the key challenges you faced in building that team, defining their processes, and ensuring their ongoing effectiveness and stability in an operational context?
* How did you measure their success, both in terms of delivery output and operational performance, and what specific steps did you take to continuously improve both aspects?
Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – WC 4th August 2025
Expected interview date/s – WC 11th August 2025
Interview location – Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.
Reasonable adjustments
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non‑disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
* Contact Government Recruitment Service via recruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
* Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Further information
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘contact point for applicants’ section.
Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.
A reserve list will be held for a period of 3 months, from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to Cabinet 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre‑employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).
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