Data Gaps Lead

Government Recruitment Service; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 58,000 - 98,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Civil Service pension

25 days annual leave

Hybrid working

Learning budget

Job summary

The Ministry of Justice is seeking a Prisons Data Gaps Lead (Grade 7) to lead a national data transformation team, delivering high-impact data capabilities across Digital, Data, Analysis, Policy, and HMPPS operations. The role offers flexible working options including hybrid working and part-time arrangements.

You will engage senior partners across MoJ and beyond, translate between technical and non-technical stakeholders, and promote data value to drive priority setting and delivery.

Qualifications

• Inclusive and emotionally intelligent leadership required.
• High resilience and ability to prioritise in uncertain environments.
• Balance short- and long-term priorities and pivot as needed.
• Engage credibly with analytical, technical, operational and policy teams and influence senior leaders.
• Recognise the value of data and identify opportunities to improve it for downstream users.
• Experience translating between technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Willing to be assessed against BPSS clearance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team to understand and manage data requirements for Digital, Data, Analysis, Policy and HMPPS operations.
• Engage with senior partners across MoJ and beyond to promote data value and support prioritisation, progress and delivery.
• Establish strong relationships with colleagues in Digital, Data, Analysis, Policy and HMPPS to maintain a collaborative environment.
• Collaborate with Analysis, Strategy and Policy teams to shape data solutions for Digital teams.
• Work with Data Science, Engineering and Digital/IT to deliver right data solutions.
• Support initiatives aimed at improving HMPPS data and broader engagement.
• Identify and address priority gaps in prison data with partners across departments.
• Pivot to support other data transformation priorities as they evolve.

Skills

Leadership

Emotional intelligence

Resilience

Prioritisation

Stakeholder influence

Data governance

Cross-functional teams

Job description

Salary: £58,000 - 98,000 per year

Requirements:

• We are looking for an inclusive and emotionally intelligent leader who has developed a highly functional and collaborative team.
• We need someone with high resilience and the ability to prioritise efforts to deliver maximum impact in shifting or uncertain environments.
• We need someone who can balance short-term and long-term priorities and pivot in response to external impacts.
• We are looking for someone who can engage credibly with analytical, technical, operational, and policy teams and influence senior leaders effectively.
• We need someone who can recognise the value of data and identify opportunities to improve it for downstream users.
• We are looking for experience working with multidisciplinary teams, particularly translating between technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Successful candidates must be willing to be assessed against the requirements for BPSS clearance.

Responsibilities:

• We will ask you to lead a team to understand and manage data requirements for a range of products and services across the business, including Digital, Data, Analysis, Policy, and HMPPS operations.
• We will expect you to engage with and influence senior partners across the MoJ and beyond to promote the value and use of data and support prioritisation, progress, and delivery.
• We will ask you to establish strong relationships with colleagues in Digital, Data, Analysis, Policy, and HMPPS to maintain a collaborative environment focused on high-quality outcomes and user needs.
• We will expect you to collaborate with Analysis, Strategy, and Policy teams to understand data requirements and shape how Digital teams can address them through new and existing services.
• We will ask you to work with technical partners in Data Science, Engineering, and Digital/IT teams to identify and deliver the right data solutions.
• We will ask you to support initiatives aimed at improving HMPPS data and contribute to broader business engagement as required.
• We will expect you to identify, prioritise, and help address priority gaps in prison data with operational, analytical, digital, and policy partners.
• We may ask you to pivot to support other data transformation priorities across the team as priorities evolve.

Technologies:

• Support
• Security
• Web

More:

We are the Ministry of Justice, recruiting for a Prisons Data Gaps Lead to join our warm and collaborative Prisons Data Transformation team. This is a national, permanent role at Grade 7 with flexible working options, including full-time, part-time, compressed hours, and hybrid working. The role is based nationally, with London recruitment limited to 10 South Colonnade, E14 4PU for external candidates. We offer a generous benefits package including a Civil Service pension with a 28.97% employer contribution, 25 days of annual leave rising to 30 days after 5 years, plus bank holidays and a privilege day, a learning budget, development time, and family-friendly leave policies. Our values are Purpose, Humanity, Openness and Together, and we are committed to inclusion, diversity, and supporting work-life balance.

last updated 37 week of 2026