Senior Government Finance Function (GFF) Data Architect / Engineer

Are you an experienced senior data professional, with a strong background in data architecture and/or data engineering. If so, we'd love to hear from you!

About the Team

The Strategy, Performance & Improvement (SPI) Team is one of the central Government Finance Function (GFF) teams supporting over 9,000 finance colleagues across government. We set the Finance Standard (GovS006) , monitor performance, and maintain a central library of best practice-the NOVA Functional Reference Model to share, improve and drive efficiency in the delivery of finance services.

NOVA contains a full suite of functional design artefacts-Processes, KPIs, Business Glossary and a comprehensive Data Dictionary-to be adopted by all government organisations through the delivery of shared services and back-office systems.

We are committed to enhancing finance performance by supporting the adoption of the NOVA finance functional design and its data standards. Driving up finance data maturity, improving data architecture, and creating data integration solutions are central to our GFF 2030 Strategy and ambition for an Insightful and Data Driven finance function.

The seventeen-person team works across a wide range of partners, providing the individual with the opportunity to be part of creating positive and long-lasting change across finance function communities. The role offers exposure across Whitehall, including the chance to work and influence at the highest levels of the Civil Service. The team prides itself on providing an encouraging working environment, which role models flexible working and inclusivity, with opportunities to build networks within the finance function and beyond.

About the Job

The key responsibilities are :

• Define a Government Finance Data Strategy, vision, and development roadmap, ensuring alignment with departments and wider Government Digital and Data Strategies and Shared Services Strategy and reporting on progress as outcomes are achieved and benefits are realised.
• Deliver a Finance Data Lineage, assessing and capturing the current critical data elements / data sets and systems used across the Government Finance Function. Build a clear understanding of the data lineage between key central reports, with a specific focus on Public Spending data structures including HM Treasury's OSCAR reporting system.
• Own the Finance Data Standards, hosted in NOVA and engage with, support and lead on the finance data requirements and design for any future systems required for central financial reporting within Government and HM Treasury.
• Showcase excellent metadata quality management and embed effective processes and procedures in product lifecycles to drive high quality outputs and standards, utilising Project, and Programme Management methodologies, best practices, and ways of working.
• Design and implement data pipelines by building data systems to extract, transform, and load (ETL) data from various sources (e.g., MS Fabric or other).
• Lead and facilitate strong stakeholder engagement for effective Data Management, Data Integrity, and Data Governance, across Government and 3rd Parties but particularly with Functional and Department Data Leads.
• Engage and support Data communities to share knowledge and approaches, and provide training, guidance, and support for Data Management best practices.

About You

You will be qualified in Digital Data Architecture - Experience delivering cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or GCP, with relevant TOGAF qualification (e.g., Enterprise Architect, Data Scientist etc.) and Programming -Strong proficiency in SQL and other programming languages, such as Python or Java, with an associated qualification (e.g., Microsoft Azure SQL, Oracle SQL, IBM SQL etc.)

You will have proven experience of establishing data standards, metadata management, data structures, and expertise in data analysis. Experience of Digital Solutions such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Platforms) and EPM (Enterprise Performance Management) Technology, including the best practice application of Data Standards.

Some of the Benefits our people love!

• 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 after 5 years), plus 8 public holidays and the King's birthday (unless you have a legacy arrangement as an existing Civil Servant). Additionally, we operate flexitime systems, allowing employees to take up to an additional 2 days off each month
• Flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours)
• Generous parental and adoption leave packages
• Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions of 28.97%
• Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme and season ticket advances
• A range of active staff networks, based around interests (e.g. analysts, music society, sports and social club) and diversity

For more information about the role and how to apply, please follow the apply link.

If you need any reasonable adjustments to take part in the selection process, please tell us about this in your online application form, or speak to the recruitment team at .