Head of Intelligence & Insight

Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS

Competitive salary

Hybrid working

Professional development

Cycle to Work

Job summary

Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority (HSCCA) is seeking a Head of Intelligence & Insight to lead its research, data, analysis and evidence functions. The postholder will ensure strategic decisions are grounded in robust, forward-looking evidence and will provide organisation‑wide guidance on forecasting, horizon scanning and insight.

You will shape HSCCA’s policy frameworks, advisory outputs, and long-term strategy, working with the Corporate Director of Strategy, Mayor (when

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading research, intelligence, or analytical functions.
• Proven ability to lead complex analytical programmes with organisation-wide impact.
• Expert knowledge of research methods, data analysis, forecasting and evaluation.
• Experience advising senior leaders and political stakeholders in high-profile environments.
• Experience building multi-agency analytical partnerships and influencing policy.
• Strong understanding of public sector data standards and evidence-based policymaking.
• Experience developing organisational intelligence systems and performance frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of HSCCA’s Intelligence & Insight function, ensuring alignment with priorities and statutory requirements.
• Provide authoritative advice to senior leadership, Mayor, Board and Councillors on analytical issues and risks.
• Shape policy and strategy through robust evidence, horizon scanning and long-term trend analysis.
• Lead the integration of data systems, models, forecasting tools and performance frameworks.
• Build and lead a multidisciplinary intelligence function across policy and delivery teams.
• Provide oversight and mentoring to engage with constituent authorities and national partners.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Advanced analytics

Forecasting

Stakeholder engagement

Policy advisory

Data governance

Team leadership

Job description

Please note, while the full salary range is shown, most new starters join at the start of the band. Higher starting salaries may be considered where a candidate brings significant relevant skills, experience, or expertise.

Are you looking for a role where you can help shape something new, make a visible difference and work alongside people who care deeply about their place? If so, HSCCA could be a brilliant next step. We are building a new Combined County Authority for Hampshire and the Solent, bringing together partners across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton to bring investment to the region and to create opportunities for our people, places, communities and businesses.

The role

The Head of Intelligence & Insight is HSCCA’s senior professional lead for research, data, analysis, and evidence. The postholder holds organisation-wide responsibility for developing and maintaining HSCCA’s intelligence system, ensuring that strategic decisions, policies, and investments are grounded in robust, forward-looking evidence.

The role will build and lead a significant, integrated function covering research, forecasting, horizon scanning, evaluation and insight. It provides authoritative advice to the Corporate Director of Devolution and Corporate Strategy, Executive team, the Mayor (when elected) and HSCCA Board, shaping policy and strategy across all HSCCA portfolios.

What you’ll be doing?

In this role, you’ll play a crucial part in ensuring our teams have the tools, knowledge, and processes they need to deliver a high-quality service. You will:

• Strategic Leadership - Lead the development and delivery of HSCCA’s Intelligence & Insight function, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities, statutory requirements, and regional ambitions.
• Act as HSCCA’s senior professional lead for research, analysis, forecasting, and evidence, setting organisation-wide standards, methodologies, and ethical principles.
• Provide authoritative advice and assurance to the Corporate Director, Executive Team, Mayor, Board and Councillors on complex analytical issues, risks, and opportunities.
• Shape HSCCA’s strategic policy development by embedding robust evidence, horizon scanning, and long-term trend analysis.
• Anticipate external economic, demographic, technological, and policy developments and incorporate these into long-term strategic planning.
• Evidence, Insight & Analytical Leadership - Lead the development of HSCCA’s evidence base, including data systems, analytical models, forecasting tools, and performance frameworks.
• Lead complex analytical problem-solving, including scenario modelling, impact assessments, and strategic forecasting across the HSCCA’s areas of competence.
• Policy, Strategy & Organisational Impact - Provide expert analytical input into HSCCA’s strategic plans, investment decisions and policy frameworks, using data and intelligence to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
• Work with the Corporate Director of Strategy and the Head of Economic Strategy to synthesise intelligence into meaningful conclusions and recommendations to underpin HSCCA strategy and decision-making.
• Leadership & Resource Management - Build and lead a multidisciplinary intelligence function, including research, analysis, evaluation and insight. Work alongside policy and Portfolio and Programme delivery teams to support the maximisation of delivery.
• Provide professional oversight, leadership, and mentoring to the Intelligence & Partnership & System Leadership - Lead strategic engagement with constituent authorities, other Mayoral Strategic Authorities, government departments, academic institutions, and analytical
• Governance, Risk & Assurance - Maintain robust governance arrangements for research, analysis, and evidence-based decision-making.

What you’ll bring?

We’re looking for someone with:

• Extensive experience leading research, intelligence, or analytical functions.
• Proven ability to lead complex analytical programmes with organisation-wide impact.
• Expert knowledge of research methods, data analysis, forecasting and evaluation.
• Experience advising senior leaders and political stakeholders (Councillors, MPs) in high-profile environments.
• Experience building multi‑agency analytical partnerships and influencing national or regional policy.
• Strong understanding of public sector data standards, ethical research principles, and evidence-based policymaking.
• Experience developing organisational intelligence systems, performance frameworks, and insight products.
• Senior leadership capability across research, analysis, and evidence functions.
• Ability to set and deliver organisation-wide intelligence strategy and operating models.
• Proven ability to write and present complex, sensitive, high-impact reports to a range of audiences in an accessible way.
• Use public money responsibly and make evidence-based decisions.

We do not expect you to meet every one of these criteria. If you are genuinely excited by this role and bring most of what we are looking for, we want to hear from you.

Why join the HSCCA?

We are building the HSCCA on the basis that how we work is as important as what we deliver. We want people who bring enthusiasm, drive, and authenticity - who are proactive, open to challenge, and motivated by progress rather than process. We value collaborative leadership: the ability to bring people together across organisational boundaries, respect the expertise of others, and create shared direction without needing to own everything.

We act in line with the Nolan Principles. We use public money responsibly, make evidence-based decisions, and hold ourselves to high standards of integrity, inclusion, and accessibility. We expect feedback to be given and received constructively, challenge to be welcomed, and relationships to be built on openness, trust, and mutual respect.

This is a complex, fast-moving environment. We need people who are energised by that.

What the HSCCA will offer in return?

Joining Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority (HSCCA) is an opportunity to help shape a newly established public service organisation as it takes on new responsibilities devolved from Government. You will have a genuine voice in how we develop, while working on high-profile projects that positively impact communities, businesses and the wider region.

Our reward package includes:

• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), with a current employer contribution rate of 18.1%, life cover and family benefits, flexible retirement options, and the opportunity to make Additional Voluntary Contributions.
• A competitive salary and generous annual leave allowance, in addition to public holidays:
• Grades T/A–E: 30 days, increasing to 32 days after five years’ service
• Grades F–K: 32 days, increasing to 34 days after five years’ service
• Flexible and hybrid working, with a minimum of two days per week in the office, helping you balance work and personal commitments while remaining connected with colleagues.
• Health and wellbeing support from November 2026, including online GP access seven days a week, an Employee Assistance Programme, confidential counselling and wellbeing resources.
• Investment in your professional development and leadership growth, with opportunities to develop new skills, broaden your experience and help shape our policies, processes and ways of working.
• Perkbox benefits from November 2026, including retail and lifestyle discounts, savings on home electronics, a Cycle to Work scheme, health and wellbeing offers, and financial wellbeing resources.
• Purposeful and influential work, collaborating with local authority partners, central government and regional stakeholders to make a positive difference across Hampshire and the Solent.
• A supportive leadership team committed to creating an organisation where people feel valued, supported and able to thrive.

The HSCCA is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and accessible workplace where everyone feels valued and able to thrive.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences, particularly those currently underrepresented in our workforce. This includes people from ethnic minority communities, disabled and neurodivergent people, LGBTQ+ people, parents and carers, and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

We are committed to removing barriers to employment. If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know so that we can support you.

Selection process

Your application will progress through the following stages:

• Application Review

Your CV and supporting documents will be reviewed by Reed Recruitment against the essential criteria outlined in the Skills & Experience section of this advert.

Please ensure your CV clearly demonstrates how you meet the required criteria in order to be considered.

• Telephone Interview

If shortlisted, you will be invited to an initial telephone interview.

• Face-to-face Interview

If shortlisted, you will be invited to an initial telephone interview. During this stage, you will be assessed against the Skills & Experience criteria and your overall suitability for the position.

This is the final stage of the selection process and will determine the outcome of your application.

• Feedback

Feedback will be provided following the final face-to-face interview stage.

Please note that feedback is only available to candidates who attend the final stage interview stage. Successful candidates will then be considered for an offer.

Further information

As a Disability Confident Committed employer, we run a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants. If you meet the essential criteria listed in the job description for this position and would like to be considered under this scheme, please state this in your application.

All data collected is anonymous and has zero bearing on your application. If there is anything we can do to accommodate your specific situation, please let the recruitment team know.

We are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment. As part of this, we use anonymous shortlisting to ensure candidates are assessed solely on their skills, experience, and suitability for the role.