Head of Data Interoperability (Data Engineering) - Government Digital Service - G6

Manchester Digital; Manchester; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government, leading the vision for a modern digital government. The Head of Data Interoperability will govern data sharing patterns, APIs and interoperable standards across departments, enabling AI-enabled public services and scalable data infrastructure.

You will influence senior stakeholders and shape national data strategies. Based in a UK government setting with roles across Manchester, London and Bristol, this role requires strategic

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to turn data standards, API specifications and interoperability frameworks into practical approaches for delivery teams.
• Experience establishing data integration standards and API architectures for secure data sharing.
• Proven track record in building consensus and driving adoption of standards across organisations.
• Ability to provide strategic leadership on complex interoperability challenges.
• Ability to anticipate future developments in data interoperability and APIs.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and adoption of patterns and technical approaches for data sharing across government.
• Drive adoption of APIs, interoperable data exchange standards and federated data-sharing approaches.
• Build consensus among senior stakeholders to adopt common technical approaches.
• Collaborate with architects, engineers and policy teams to deliver foundations for modern public services and AI-enabled government.
• Play a leading role in delivering the UK Public Data Infrastructure vision and enabling trusted data sharing at scale.

Skills

Data interoperability

API design

Stakeholder leadership

Strategic planning

Job description

Location

Bristol, London, Manchester

About The Job

Job summary

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government. We are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.

Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:

• joining up public sector services
• harnessing the power of AI for the public good
• strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
• elevating leadership and investing in talent
• funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
• committing to transparency and driving accountability

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world‑leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.

We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.

The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly‑skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.

Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You’ll solve some of the nation’s highest‑priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need.

The Government Data Team is helping transform how government manages, shares and uses data. We are building the foundations that enable data to be treated as a strategic asset across the public sector, including common standards, secure access models, interoperable data infrastructure and the capabilities needed to support AI and data‑driven services. Working across departments, local government and wider public sector partners, we are developing the shared approaches that make it easier to find, access and use data safely, ethically and at scale.

Job Description

Former DSIT recruitment campaigns are continuing as usual, but candidates should be aware that following the Government’s announcement on the changes to some civil service departments, roles will be subject to the machinery of government moves and will ultimately be in one of the new departments. We will provide more information if you are selected for a role. This work remains of high importance to the civil service, and we thank you for your continued interest.

This is a rare opportunity to shape how data flows across government. As Head of Data Interoperability, you’ll:

• lead the development and adoption of the patterns and technical approaches that enable organisations to share and use data consistently
• drive adoption of APIs, interoperable data exchange standards and federated data‑sharing approaches across government
• build consensus and influence senior stakeholders to adopt common approaches to data sharing and interoperability
• work with architects, engineers and policy teams to deliver the foundations needed for modern public services and AI‑enabled government
• play a leading role in delivering the UK Public Data Infrastructure vision and enabling trusted data sharing at scale

Person specification

We’re Interested In People Who

• can turn data standards, API specifications and interoperability frameworks into practical approaches that delivery teams can adopt at scale
• have established data integration standards, design patterns or API architectures that enable secure and interoperable data sharing across organisational boundaries
• have successfully built consensus and driven the adoption of standards, mandates or common technical approaches across organisations and stakeholder groups
• can provide strategic leadership on complex interoperability challenges, identifying and describing problems, navigating trade‑offs and providing technical assurance on complex integration and data‑sharing designs
• can anticipate future developments in data interoperability, APIs and data‑sharing technologies, and can advise on how to adopt new approaches to realise better value from data