Ministry of Justice

Job role: Head of Data Quality

Directorate: Strategy, Analysis and Planning

About us

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales. Our roles support our service users and colleagues, where people and businesses access potentially life-changing justice. 

We are looking for two passionate, resilient and resourceful individuals to lead work to assess the quality of HMCTS data and where necessary take steps to improve the quality of this data.

The successful applicants will be at the centre of our ambition to collect, maintain and use high quality data to improve services and to share with others to support transparency and allow others to innovate. You will lead a newly established Data Quality team that will work with a range of stakeholders from across the organisation to assess data quality across key datasets, investigate any data quality issues and lead work to take steps to improve data quality at pace. The team will sit within the Data Analysis and Insight Division (DAI). DAI plays a key role in making HMCTS a data driven organisation. We are a team of 75 data engineers, analysts and data access specialists who provide HMCTS and the Judiciary with timely, accurate and accessible operational management information and analysis that underpins strategic and operational decisions. You will be a key member of the DAI leadership team and will work with the Deputy Directors and the Heads of Unit to ensure we are a high performing team with an excellent reputation across government.  

This is an exciting opportunity to work on a key priority for HMCTS, support the wider transformation programme and enable HMCTS to continue to embody its reputation for world leading delivery of justice.  If you’re interested in developing a career with a real purpose, please apply.

About the role

The successful applicants will lead work to assess and improve data quality across HMCTS. This will consist of a programme of Data Quality audits to improve the accuracy and reliability of our key data across critical data metrics. This aligns with our increasing organisational reliance on digital platforms and data. This work will identify and address data quality issues in the most important existing datasets and take steps to improve the accuracy and reliability of our data for the full range of known purposes. The objective of this work is to see a consistent improvement in data quality across important data sets in all HMCTS services. This work will also implement a robust, industry-standard approach to maintaining long-term data quality so that HMCTS data can reliably inform strategic and operational decision-making. The roles have line management responsibilities for a Data Quality team consisting of three data quality leads and a Project Support Officer. This team will work with staff from across HMCTS Services, Operations and Digital Technology Services, to ensure robust consideration of data quality across all HMCTS services in a prioritised and efficient manner.

These are exciting and challenging roles where the successful applicants will coordinate multiple projects simultaneously, build connections with a range of colleagues across the organisation, influence resource management and deliver at pace, while effectively managing stakeholder expectations.

The role of Heads of Data quality will be accountable to the Deputy Director of Data, Analysis and Insight and will encompass key aspects (but not limited to):

• Developing the strategy for the HMCTS Data Quality Programme presenting the strategic vision for the Programme, defining the Programme deliverables and the high-level principles structuring how these will be achieved.
• Developing a Data Quality Work Programme. This will be consistent with this strategy. It will enable the Data Quality Programme to identify data quality issues and improve data quality in each jurisdiction in ways that are efficient, transparent, and mindful of resources. It will also be in line with the wider departmental strategy.
• Delivering this engagement strategy in innovative and engaging ways to ensure the Programme is widely visible and understood across HMCTS, MoJ, the Judiciary, wider government, and external stakeholders.
• Reporting the Data Quality Programme’s progress at senior level HMCTS governance groups, such as HMCTS Executive Team, the Data Governance Committee and Audit & Risk Assurance Committee, to ensure senior leaders are sighted on progress and can provide feedback.
• Managing staff in line with HMCTS management policies and leading the wider Data Quality Team to ensure the team is a high-performing team. 

Please refer to the attached role profile for a comprehensive overview of the role.

Who are we looking for? (Person Specification)

The ideal candidates for this position should demonstrate:

Essential

• Data quality: Experience and understanding of data quality issues in administrative data-based systems. This includes experience and working knowledge of data quality frameworks and standards.
• Data strategy and data governance: Experience of working on and implementing data strategies and governance policies and frameworks in a complex organisation.
• Strong stakeholder management skills: Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with partners and stakeholders, including the ability to work across boundaries to influence and gain the confidence of senior leaders and sponsors.
• Excellent leadership skills: Experience of building and leading a team, including building capability in data related functions. Experience in leading multidisciplinary teams.
• Communication: Excellent oral and written communication skills are essential with the ability to adapt style and tone for different audiences. You will need to engage confidently and effectively with senior officials both internally and externally across government to explain complex issues in readily understandable ways.
• Delivering at Pace and in ambiguity: Ability to work to tight timescales and adapt to changing circumstances, managing competing priorities and ensuring delivery of quality products and advice. 

•  Desirable:

• Experience of using data within the justice sector.

How to apply:

Application Stage

Please submit

• An anonymised CV    
• Statement of suitability demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria for this role (up to 500 words)
• Behaviour examples illustrating the Civil Service Behaviours “Leadership” (up to 250 words).

Please ensure you cover both ‘what’ you do but also ‘how’ you do it. (i.e., the effective skills, knowledge & experience needed to undertake the role)

In the event of a high volume of applications, the panel may perform an initial sift based on the lead behaviour, Leadership. Candidates who pass the initial sift will either be progressed to a full sift where the CV and statement of suitability are then assessed, or progressed straight to interview.  

Interview Stage

If successful at sift, you will be invited to attend a remote interview, via Microsoft teams.

During your interview, you will be assessed against the following Civil Service Success Profiles Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Seeing the Bigger Picture 
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing 

Further details

Working pattern

Due to the nature of the role, the minimum working hours required is 30 hours per week.  

Travel requirements

Occasional travel to any HMCTS site may be required for this role, in line with business needs.

About our benefits

We reward our people for their hard work and commitment. We have a number of family friendly and flexible working polices that will help you achieve a healthy work-life balance. In addition, we offer a range of employee benefits which include generous annual leave, a highly competitive contributory pension scheme, childcare benefits, season ticket and bicycle loans.

Proud to Serve. Proud to keep justice going.