Lead Data Scientist

Job summary

If you’re interested in making a difference to people’s lives, the Treasury can offer you an exciting opportunity to influence decision making that affects the whole of the UK. Working at the heart of government, we collaborate across government to promote responsible public spending and drive strong and sustainable economic growth.

Our work ranges from protecting customers through the regulation of the financial sector, helping to reduce carbon emissions and creating a greener economy, to promoting British trade around the world and supporting people across the country on jobs, growth and more.

Job description

The Lead Data Scientist is a key management role within NISTA Data and Insight team. You will balance technical expertise with leadership and communication skills, to develop bespoke data science products to be used across NISTA, HM Treasury and the wider UK government. Working in close partnership with others in NISTA’s Data and Insight management team, you will help shape the direction for how we use data, generate insight and develop AI‑enabled capabilities.

Collaborating closely with subject matter experts across NISTA, wider Treasury and the Project Delivery Function, you will ensure our data is high‑quality, relevant and transformed into insight products that genuinely meet user needs. You will champion data storytelling, leading by example to turn complex analysis into clear, engaging narratives that help leaders make confident, evidence‑based decisions and increase the value we deliver to decision makers across government. You will oversee and develop bespoke dashboards, including advanced real-time input dashboards, to meet both strategic and operational organisational priorities.

You will bring proven experience in developing data science products, such as analytical dashboards, machine learning models and AI tools. You will have strong coding abilities, and experience collaborating on large codebases, that you can use to model best practice across the team. Working closely with our Lead Data Engineer, you will own and develop our digital infrastructure and create opportunities for your team to work with emerging technologies. You will work closely with the Head of Insight and Data Science to drive forward the data science capability of the team, and the data maturity of the wider organisation and Project Delivery Function.

You will line manage a team of junior analysts and data scientists, and you will act as a technical lead for the wider team, providing advice and steer to help them develop their skills and improve our product offering. Alongside this, you will actively encourage a culture of data science innovation, coordinating innovation days and hackathons with our data science teams from across HM Treasury. The role also offers significant opportunity to deepen your own expertise, both technically and as a leader, within a supportive, ambitious and forward‑thinking environment.

Key Accountabilities for this role include:

• Leading our Insight Workstream
  • Maintaining, developing and deploying a range of data science products (including Python Plotly Dash apps, Next.js apps and advanced analytical tools using ML and AI) on our cloud-based technology stack (AWS)
  • Finding new opportunities to create value for the organisation and identifying emerging technologies to develop new products
  • Building and maintaining positive relationships with a range of partners, including colleagues across multiple departments, to embed user-centric data science products

• Working to expand and develop our advanced analytical offering for Project Delivery Function, including building and embedding advanced AI tools across government

• Providing guidance to team members on best practices in coding, analysis, and usage of data, including use of Git for version control and Data Engineering principles

• Being an excellent line manager, with the ability to motivate people to deliver and perform at their best even in challenging circumstances

• Fostering a culture of experimentation and learning, working with others in the management team to drive our Innovation workstream e.g. hackathons and innovation days

• Championing the role of data, digital and analysis in supporting organisational priorities and communicating data science outputs confidently to senior leaders and ministers

Candidate Drop-In Session

The hiring manager will be running a candidate drop-in session to give you greater insight about the role and HM Treasury, and ask any questions you might have. If you would like to join us, use the link below to join the call at the right time.

Monday 15th June, 2-3pm:https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/335033114842445?p=1pdeCxnzcQHIjWQ8PH

If you would like to speak to the hiring manager informally prior to the closing date, please contact Jessica Grindlay (jessica.grindlay@nista.gov.uk)

Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

Person specification

Application Form

Applications should consist of a CV including your employment history, and a 750-word statement setting out how you meet the shortlisting criteria below. Your CV and employment history won’t be scored. It’s used to give context to your application and support discussions at interview.

The panel will review applications and invite those that best demonstrate evidence of the shortlisting criteria for interview. Please keep this in mind when writing your application.

Please note that only applications submitted through Civil Service Jobs will be accepted.

1. Programming and Build: Ability to produce high-quality code in at least one language (e.g. Python) and experience working with a cloud computing platform (e.g. AWS)
2. Leading Data Science Projects: Experience leading data science projects to solve problems creatively.
3. Communicating Analysis: Ability to translate complex analysis into insights to communicate to non-technical audiences to achieve impact

Interview Stage

If you are successful at the application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Technical Skills

• • Programming and Build
  • Data Science Innovation

• Behaviours:
  • Changing and Improving
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Leadership

Interview Task / Presentation

Prior to your interview, we will contact you about a task / presentation that the panel would like you to deliver as part of the assessment. Further details will be communicated to you nearer the time.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Programming and Build
• Data Science Innovation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,670, HM Treasury contributes £16,706 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Generous Annual Leave - 25 days (rising to 30 after 5 years), plus public holidays and the King’s birthday.
• Outstanding Pension Scheme - Defined Benefit pension with employer contributions of 28.97%
• Parental Leave Packages - Including 6 months’ occupational pay for maternity/adoption, shared parental leave options.
• Flexible & Hybrid Working - Options include part-time, job-share, compressed hours, flexitime, and hybrid working (where business needs allow).
• Advance Schemes & Discounts - Rental deposit, cycle-to-work, SmartTech, season ticket loans, and access to HM Treasury’s benefits portal for a wide range of discount codes.

You can review HM Treasury’s full offer here.

Things you need to know

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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Candidate Guidance

Please review the candidate guidance for an overview of the Success Profiles and STAR approach, along with top tips for applications and interviews.

Recruitment Timeline

• Closing date: 21st June at 23:55
• Shortlisting: w/c 22nd June
• Interviews: w/c 29th June

This timeline is indicative and may be subject to change. We will inform you if there is a substantial change to the recruitment timeline.

If your contact details change at any time during the selection process, please ensure you update your Civil Service Jobs Profile.

Reserve Lists

You will be placed on a reserve list if your application is successful, but we cannot offer you a role immediately. Where more than one location has been advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to provide your location preference on your application form. Please note that a place on the reserve list does not guarantee an offer.

If you are offered a role in your first preferred location and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe, you will be removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances.

Those on the reserve list may also be approached for similar roles at a lower grade. If you are offered a role at a lower grade and choose to decline, you can remain on the reserve list.

Internal Fraud Database Check

Candidates cannot apply to roles in the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Successful candidates will be subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database. This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This also applies to those who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the database will be refused employment.

National Security Vetting

Everyone working with government assets must complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks. Additionally, successful candidates will be subject to National Security Vetting. The level of security vetting required for this role is Security Check (SC).

To allow for meaningful checks to be carried out, applicants will need to have lived in the UK for at least 3 out of the past 5 years. You will be asked to provide residency information within your application form, and eligibility for national security vetting will be checked once the advert closing date has passed. In certain circumstances, for example if you have been working abroad on a government posting, a lack of residency would not be a bar to security clearance however the Department will need to consider eligibility on a case-by-case basis once the advert closing date has passed.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Jessica Grindlay
• Email : jessica.grindlay@nista.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Further information

Complaints Process: Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment based on fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact HMT by email at: hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.

Attachments

463757 - Lead Data Scientist - Role Profile Opens in new window (pdf, 3028kB)