Senior Data Engineer

Job summary

The Division

The Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) directorate has recently been established in UKEF, drawing together the expertise in digital currently within the organisation to provide representation of digital services, user centred design, analytics and technology at the highest levels. The areas with the directorate work closely with all areas of the business such as the Business Group, Operations and Strategy and Policy.

About the Role

UKEF is committed to be a more customer-centric organisation, making it easier for customers to deal with us, offering improved response times, quicker decision-making and improved case-processing. To enable this, UKEF is committed to using digital as a primary means for managing relationships with a wider range of stakeholders. Focusing on developing end-to-end services that meet user need and enable business outcomes, this is an exciting new role showing the growth and drive of UKEFs digital ambition.

This role requires you to develop and maintain Data Integration solutions, identify opportunities for improving data infrastructure and processes, develop and maintain ETL processes and manage the deployment and release of data pipelines and applications.

Job description

Main Activities

• Monitor and troubleshoot data processing systems to ensure uptime and reliability.
• Develop and maintain data integration solutions for combining data from various sources.
• Provide quality assurance and code reviews of other developer’s work.
• Work with stakeholders to identify opportunities for improving data infrastructure and processes.
• Implement and maintain data backup and recovery processes to ensure data availability in case of system failures.
• Develop and maintain documentation and training materials to support data infrastructure and processing pipelines.
• Responsible for managing data platforms, such as data warehouses, data lakes, and other data storage systems.
• Responsible for developing and implementing data management processes, including data integration, data migration, and data storage.
• Responsible for ensuring that data is secure and compliant with relevant regulations, such as GDPR. This may involve implementing data access controls, data encryption, and data masking.
• Responsible for creating and maintaining ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes for structured and unstructured data.
• Responsible for the technical approach to data integrity and back-out plans for all changes to UKEF systems.
• Manage the deployment and release of data pipelines and applications.
• Contribute to the development and execution of the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
• Responsible for staying up-to-date with industry trends in data management and data engineering, ensuring that the organization is using the latest tools and technologies.

Person specification

UK Export Finance is looking for motivated individuals with a desire to learn about the business. Successful candidates will be provided not only with functional training to enable them to do well in their role, but also with personal development to help them to achieve their career ambitions. Please note that the person specification below outlines at which stage(s) you will be assessed on how you meet the criteria for the role(s) including:-

A = assessed at application stage I = assessed at interview stage T = assessed by test stage = assessed at presentation stage

Essential

Qualifications

• 5 GCSE passes (including Maths and English) at Grade 4 (C) or above; or relevant professional experience. (A)
• Evidence of continuing professional development. (A)

Knowledge

• Expert knowledge of SQL and T-SQL. (A, I)
• Knowledge of ETL and ELT tools. (A, I)
• Expert knowledge of Data warehouse architectures and Data modelling techniques. (A, I)

Skills/Ability

All skill levels are in relation toSenior Data Engineer - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework (ddat-capability-framework.service.gov.uk)

• Communicating between the technical and non-technical (Skill level: working) (A, I):
  • You can communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • You can support and host discussions within a multidisciplinary team, with potentially difficult dynamics.
  • You can be an advocate for the team externally and can manage differing perspectives.
    
    
• Data analysis and synthesis (Skill level: working) (A, I):
  • You can undertake data profiling and source system analysis.
  • You can present clear insights to colleagues to support the end use of the data.
    
    
• Data development process (Skill level: practitioner) (A, I):
  • You can design, build and test data products that are complex or large scale.
  • You can build teams to complete data integration services.
    
    
• Data innovation (Skill level: working) (A, I):
  • You can understand the impact on the organisation of emerging trends in data tools, analysis techniques and data usage
    
    
• Data integration design (Skill level: practitioner) (A, I):
  • You can understand the concepts and principles of data modelling.
  • You can produce relevant data models across multiple subject areas.
  • You can reverse-engineer data models from a live system.
  • You can understand industry-recognised data modelling patterns and standards, and when to apply them.
  • You can compare and align different data models.
    
    
• Data modelling (Skill level: expert) (A, I):
  • You can understand the concepts and principles of data modelling and can produce relevant data models.
  • You can work across government and industry, recognising opportunities for the reuse and alignment of data models in different organisations.
  • You can design the method to categorise data models within an organisation.
    
    
• Metadata management (Skill level: practitioner) (A, I):
  • You can design an appropriate metadata repository and present changes to existing metadata repositories.
  • You can understand a range of tools for storing and working with metadata.
  • You can provide oversight and advice to more inexperienced members of the team.
    
    
• Problem resolution (Skill level: working) (A, I):
  • You can respond to problems in databases, data processes, data products and services as they occur.
  • You can initiate actions, monitor services and identify trends to resolve problems.
  • You can determine the appropriate remedy and assist with its implementation, and with preventative measures.
    
    
• Programming and build (Skill level: practitioner) (A, I):
  • You can use agreed standards and tools to design, code, test, correct and document moderate-to-complex programs and scripts from agreed specifications and subsequent iterations.
  • You can collaborate with others to review specifications where appropriate.
    
    
• Technical understanding (Skill level: working) (A, I):
  • You can understand the core technical concepts related to the role and apply them with guidance.

Experience

Experience in the following disciplines (A, I) :

• Microsoft Fabric: Familiarity with Microsoft Fabric’s unified data platform capabilities, including integration with OneLake, Data Factory, and Synapse experiences. Understanding of how Fabric supports end-to-end data workflows, from ingestion and transformation to analytics and visualisation, within a single SaaS environment.
• ETL Tools: Experience using ETL tools such as Informatica IICS, with an understanding of how these can complement or transition into Microsoft Fabric’s Data Factory pipelines.
• Azure Cloud Computing: Experience using Azure services such as Azure Managed Instance, Azure Data Lakes, and Azure SQL to build scalable and secure cloud-based data solutions.
• SQL Coding: Proficient in T-SQL for querying, data manipulation, and performance tuning.
• MSSQL Stack: Hands-on experience with the Microsoft SQL Server stack, including SSMS, SSIS, SSRS, and SSAS.
• SQL Server Optimisation: Knowledge and practical experience in SQL Server optimisation techniques, including indexing strategies, query tuning, and execution plan analysis.
• Database Design: Skilled in designing efficient, scalable, and conformant relational database schemas.
• SQL Server Troubleshooting: Experience diagnosing and resolving performance and connectivity issues in SQL Server environments.
• Agile Methodologies: Practical experience working in Agile environments, including Scrum and Kanban frameworks, with a focus on iterative delivery and stakeholder collaboration.
• Unit Testing: Familiarity with unit testing practices for data pipelines and SQL procedures to ensure reliability and maintainability.

Qualifications

•5 GCSE passes (including Maths and English) at Grade 4 (C) or above; or relevant professional experience. (A)
•Evidence of continuing professional development. (A)

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership

Technical skills

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

• Technical interview
• Presentation - topic agreed by UKEF and will be provided to the relevant candidates

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £56,475, UK Export Finance contributes £16,360 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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.

The application must be completed by 23.55 on the day of the closing date for it to be accepted.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

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 ensure that you read through the Candidate Information Pack attached to this advert, before applying.

All applications will be sifted against our essential criteria outlined in the personal specification.

• Qualifications:
  • 5 GCSE passes (including Maths and English) at Grade 4 (C) or above; or relevant professional experience. (A)
  • Evidence of continuing professional development. (A)
• Statement of suitability - you should fully articulate in 1000 words how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification within the Information Pack.
• Technical questions - 500 words for each of the technical questions below:

1. Can you provide an example from your own experience where data engineering played a crucial role in driving business decisions? What impact did it have?
2. Could you explain a complex ETL process that you designed and implemented? What tools did you use and why?

For the initial sift your application will be evaluated against:

1. Experience - Application and Statement of Suitability
2. Technical questions - 500 words for each of the technical questions below:

• Can you provide an example from your own experience where data engineering played a crucial role in driving business decisions? What impact did it have?
• Could you explain a complex ETL process that you designed and implemented? What tools did you use and why?

In the event of a large response an initial sift will be carried out against the 2 technical questions (above) with applicants successfully benchmarking against these been taken forward to the full sift.

If you are successful following the initial sift your application will be taken through for a full sift and evaluated against:

1. Experience - CV and Statement of Suitability.

If you are successful following the sift stage, you will be invited to an initial technical interview, to be held via MS Teams, which will include the following assessment:

1. Technical Questions - you will be assessed across your technical expertise and acumen, in relation to the essential criteria.

If you are successful following the sift stage, you will be invited to an initial interview, to be held onsite at 1 Horse Guards Road; this will include the following assessment:

1. Behaviours / Experience- a formal panel interview where you will be interviewed across all three behaviours highlighted in Appendix 1.
2. Technical - you will be assessed across your technical expertise and acumen, in relation to the essential criteria:
   1. Presentation - topic agreed by UKEF and will be provided to the relevant candidates

Details of interview panel members will be e-mailed to all successful candidates who are invited for interview.

Timetable

Please note that the interview dates are indicative.

Closing date for applications

23:55 on Sunday 12 July 2026

Notification of outcome of application

w/c 20 July 2026

Technical interview via MS Teams

w/c 27 July 2026

Interviews in Westminster, London

w/c 3 August 2026

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.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 : Recruitment Team
• Email : Recruitment2@ukexportfinance.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment2@ukexportfinance.gov.uk

Further information

Should you have a complaint or wish to raise any concerns regarding the recruitment process, please e-mail your complaint to the Head of Pay and Resourcing (UKEF) at Recruitment2@ukexportfinance.gov.uk and include “Complaint” in the subject heading. Should you remain dissatisfied following UKEF’s investigation then you can refer your complaint to the Commission - http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/making-complaint.

Attachments

UKEF - Senior Data Engineer (June 26) Opens in new window (pdf, 4624kB)