Location: National*
Regular travel to either our London or Leeds hubs will be expected
Closing Date: 25/08/26
Interviews: week commencing 14th September 2026
Grade: G6
(MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain this grade on lateral transfer)
Salary**:
National: £71,381 - £80,419 (may include an allowance of up to £18,819)
London: £75,674 - £85,257 (may include an allowance of up to £18,639)
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working
Contract Type: Permanent
Number of vacancies: 1
*We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your local office. Office locations can be found ON THIS MAP
Please note that unless you are an existing member of staff at Justice Digital, Data and Science, the only London location being recruited to is 10 South Colonnade, E14 4PU. We are no longer recruiting to 102 Petty France, SW1H 9AJ.
Please note this role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. Please click on the link for details.
Power the transformation of the justice system through data
We’re recruiting for a Head of Data Engineering here at Justice Digital, Data and Science to be part of our warm and collaborative Prisons and Probation Justice Data division.
This role aligns against Head of Data Engineering from the Government Digital and Data Framework
We’re looking for technically sharp and delivery-focused leaders to take on our major portfolios and help shape the future of data in the justice system.
As Head of Data Engineering for Prisons and Probation, you’ll lead the delivery of modern, scalable, well-governed data pipelines and products across prisons and probation. You’ll be responsible for all aspects of data engineering, from shaping priorities to leading teams, designing architecture, and ensuring we meet user needs.
Our work underpins everything from prison safety to sentencing reform. Our teams use modern tools like dbt, Apache Airflow, Athena, Docker and Terraform on a cloud-native stack, deployed to the MoJ Analytical Platform.
As part of our Prisons and Probation Divisions you will also work alongside the other Heads of Engineering to support and grow our Data & Analytics Engineering Community, helping contribute to cross-cutting improvements, standards, and platforms. A summary of the type of work the teams are involved in can be found in our handbook.
You’ll also have a key leadership role in the Prisons Data Senior Management Team supporting the Deputy Director for Prisons Data, helping to shape and deliver our strategic direction and vision, championing and supporting our people and values and being a visible leader within our area.
You’ll receive a range of excellent benefits when you join our department, including:
A generous employer pension contribution of 28.97% through the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
25 days of annual leave, (increasing to 30 days once you have reached 5 years of service), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday.
Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working, working part time or compressed hours. Designed to support a positive work-life balance.
Employees are allocated 10% of their working time for personal and professional development.
A £1k per person learning budget is in place to support all our people, with access to best-in-class conferences and seminars, accreditation with professional bodies, fully funded vocational programmes and e-learning platforms.
Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too!
You can find more details of the Benefits we offer here. To help picture your life at MoJ Justice Digital, Data and Science please take a look at our blog.
Lead delivery within a portfolio
Own delivery of data pipelines and products across Prisons and Probation
Work closely with analysts, data scientists digital professionals and policy leads to understand needs and deliver value.
Balance short-term delivery with long-term data stewardship and platform evolution.
Set and embed technical direction
Provide technical leadership on how we build, test and maintain pipelines and models at scale.
Drive high standards for code, quality, security, and operational resilience.
Own architecture decisions for prisons and probation and help shape our wider strategy.
Grow the team and the profession
Lead, manage and develop a team of lead engineers and their teams.
Build capability through coaching, recruitment and professional development.
Contribute to growing the data engineering profession across government.
Shape the platform and community
Act as a strategic contributor to our cross-cutting data engineering strategy, services and tooling.
Help define and refine governance, standards, and best practice.
Foster a strong culture of learning, collaboration and inclusion.
Be a visible leader and active member of the Senior Management team
Play an active part and contribute to the running of the senior management team and division and help shape and maintain an inclusive, collaborative, innovative and respectful culture within our area and beyond.
Communicate and engage our teams and wider Data Directorate with purpose and clarity.
Champion and support the work of the prisons data team across the division, directorate and wider department.
We have active and vibrant hubs in both London and Leeds and regular travel to either hub is expected
If this feels like an exciting challenge, something you are enthusiastic about, and want to join our team please read on and apply!
Who we’re looking for?
We’re after someone who brings deep technical credibility, great delivery instincts, and a collaborative leadership style. You should have:
Essential
A strong background in data engineering, analytics engineering or similar.
Experience leading engineering teams and setting technical direction using tools such as dbt, Airflow, Athena, Terraform or similar
A track record of delivering pipelines and data products at scale.
Demonstrate inclusive and emotionally intelligent leadership through which you have developed a highly functional and collaborative team.
An understanding of cloud-based infrastructure, modern tooling and data platform principles.
Willingness to be assessed against the requirements for SC clearance
We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring and do not discriminate based on culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor.
Our values are Purpose, Humanity Openness and Together. Find out more here about how we celebrate diversity and an inclusive culture in our workplace.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.
Base salary for this role is from £71,381 - £80,419 (National) to £75,674 - £85,257 (London)
New entrants to the Civil Service joining the MoJ are expected to start at the minimum of the pay band.
Existing Civil Servants moving on a level transfer will retain their current base salary or move to the minimum of the pay band for the role, whichever is higher.
Existing Civil Servants who are promoted will either move to the bottom of the new grade’s pay band or receive a 10% uplift, whichever provides the greater increase.
Candidates may also be eligible for a non‑pensionable Government Digital & Data Allowance of up to £18,819 per year (National) or £18,639 (London). This is a temporary allowance, reviewed annually and may be retained, amended, or withdrawn.
The final offer will reflect the skills and experience you demonstrate during the assessment process.
In Justice Digital, Data and Science, we recruit using a combination of the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability and Success Profiles Frameworks. We shall assess a combination of your Experience, Technical skills and Behaviours during the assessment process.
Leadership
Working Together
Changing and Improving
Managing a Quality Service
Seeing the bigger picture
Stage 1 - Application and sift:
To apply for this position, you must submit the following as part of your application
A CV detailing your career history (including any relevant qualifications). Your CV will be assessed against the essential criteria outlined within the Person Specification of this advert.
A statement of suitability (no more than 750 words) which should outline your experience and skills, giving clear examples of work undertaken. It should specifically address the following criteria listed below, using a separate paragraph for each.
A strong background in data engineering, analytics engineering or similar
Experience leading engineering teams and setting technical direction using tools such as dbt, Airflow, Athena, Terraform or similar
A track record of delivering pipelines and data products at scale
An understanding of cloud-based infrastructure, modern tooling and data platform principles
A diverse sift panel will review the information in your CV and Personal Statement to assess the sift criteria specified above. We operate an anonymous shortlisting process. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement do not include your name or any other identifying details.
Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift based on the below essential criteria will be conducted before the sift.
A strong background in data engineering, analytics engineering or similar
Experience leading engineering teams and setting technical direction using tools such as dbt, Airflow, Athena, Terraform or similar
Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply - Application Guidance
Stage 2 - Interviews:
Successful candidates who meet the required standard will then be invited to a panel interview held via Microsoft Teams. At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements - Experience, Technical and the following Behaviours:
Leadership
Working Together
Changing and Improving
Managing a Quality Service
Seeing the bigger picture
As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a presentation that assesses your leadership behaviour. Further details will be provided if successful at sift.
Appointments are made strictly in merit order. In the event that two or more candidates receive identical interview scores, the experience leading engineering teams and setting technical direction using tools such as dbt, Airflow, Athena, Terraform or similar criteria will be applied as the primary lead criterion to determine the final merit order.
Should you be unsuccessful in the role that you have applied for but demonstrate the capability for a role at a lower level, we reserve the right to discuss this opportunity with you and offer you the position without needing a further application.
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, from which further appointments may be made.
Use of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Please review our Terms and Conditions which set out how we recruit and provide further information related to the role and salary arrangements.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact digitalanddatarecruitment@justice.gov.uk