Associate Director Data and Digital

UCL; Greater London; On-site; GBP 95,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Option to purchase 5 additional days'_

CARE pension scheme

Cycle to work scheme, season ticket, &

Relocation support

On-site nursery and gym

Enhanced family leave

Staff Support Service

Discounted medical insurance

Job summary

UCL Estates seeks an Associate Director, Data & Digital to lead the development and delivery of the Data & Digital Strategy, driving digital transformation across a complex estate and aligning with university priorities.

You will oversee the evolution of the Smart Campus, manage major digital programmes, act as Product Owner for key initiatives, build a high-performing team and secure investment through robust business cases.

Job description

UCL Estates provides and manages the environment in which students and staff live, learn and work. Through Estates team, we deliver sustainable facilities, high-quality buildings and essential services that support one of the world's leading universities.

The Data & Digital Team plays a critical role in driving digital transformation, improving data maturity and enabling smarter, data-driven decision-making across the Estates function.

About the role

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Associate Director, Data & Digital to lead the development and delivery of UCL Estates' Data & Digital Strategy. This newly created senior leadership role will drive digital transformation across a complex estate, ensuring systems, information and data support operational excellence, regulatory compliance and an outstanding campus experience.

You will lead the evolution of UCL's Smart Campus approach, bringing together technologies including IWMS, Common Data Environments, Buildings Information Management, IoT, AI and future digital solutions to improve asset management, sustainability, operational performance and user experience. Working closely with Estates senior leaders and Information Services Division, you will define and deliver a strategic digital roadmap that aligns with wider university priorities and supports long‑term organisational goals.

As the lead for Data & Digital, you will oversee the delivery of key digital programmes, act as Product Owner for major technology initiatives, build and develop a high‑performing team, and ensure successful adoption of new systems and ways of working. You will also be responsible for securing investment through robust business cases and ensuring that the benefits of digital transformation are realised across the organisation.

Alongside digital leadership, you will own the Estates Data Strategy, driving improvements in data governance, standardisation, quality and reporting. You will champion data literacy, promote a culture of accountability and continuous improvement, and ensure reliable, accessible data is available to support strategic and operational decision‑making.

This is a key senior role within UCL, which is likely to command a salary of £95,000+

A full job description is attached to this advert.

About you

You will be a strategic digital and data leader with significant experience delivering large‑scale transformation programmes within complex organisations. You will have a strong track record of acting as the bridge between operational teams and digital delivery functions, ensuring technology solutions meet business needs and deliver measurable outcomes.

You will bring extensive experience working with enterprise systems such as IWMS and Common Data Environments, alongside a deep understanding of digital transformation, data governance and organisational change. Comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels, you will be skilled at influencing senior stakeholders, building consensus and driving engagement across diverse teams.

An effective people leader, you will have experience managing and developing teams while leading through influence across matrix organisations. You will possess strong business acumen, excellent communication skills and the ability to translate complex digital and data challenges into clear, practical solutions.

You will be passionate about creating data‑driven organisations, improving digital maturity and delivering innovative services that enhance operational performance and customer experience. Experience developing business cases, leading agile delivery programmes and implementing change in large estates, facilities or infrastructure environments will be essential to success in this role. A degree or equivalent experience, together with a commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and continuous improvement, will be highly valued.

What we offer

As well as exciting opportunities, UCL offers a range of great benefits. Find out more:

• Option to purchase 5 additional days' annual leave
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan, and immigration loan
• Relocation support for eligible posts
• On-site nursery and gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption pay
• Staff Support Service (employee assistance programme)
• Discounted medical insurance

Full details: UCL Rewards and Benefits.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We particularly encourage applications from candidates underrepresented in UCL's workforce, including those from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, and - for Grade 9 and 10 roles - women.

Read more: UCL Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Applicants should also familiarise themselves with UCL's policies on: Prevention of Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy and Personal Relationships Policy