Service Owner (Data Maturity) - Government Digital Service - G6

Location

Bristol, London, Manchester

About the job

Job summary

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government. We are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government. 

Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by: 

1. joining up public sector services
2. harnessing the power of AI for the public good
3. strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
4. elevating leadership and investing in talent
5. funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
6. committing to transparency and driving accountability

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government. 

We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol. 

The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale. 

Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You'll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need 

Within GDS, the Office of the Chief Data Officer (OCDO) provides cross-government leadership on data strategy, governance and capability. OCDO works with departments to ensure data is treated as a strategic asset and used to deliver public value.  

This role is the Service Owner for the cross-government Data Maturity Service, accountable for its vision, performance, outcomes and continuous improvement. The service supports departments to understand and improve how they manage, govern and use data — shifting data maturity from a compliance exercise to a practical enabler of delivery, interoperability, trusted data sharing and AI readiness.  

Job description

As Service Owner (Data Maturity), you will have end-to-end accountability for the Data Maturity Service used across government. You will own and evolve the service to ensure it delivers meaningful, decision-ready insight that drives real improvement and underpins delivery of the Blueprint for Modern Digital Government, the Strategic Data Roadmap and the AI Opportunity Action Plan.  

• act as Head of the Data Maturity Service, accountable for end-to-end service performance, adoption, outcomes and continuous improvement  
• define and maintain a clear service proposition, covering how departments are supported to undertake assessments, interpret results and prioritise improvement  
• lead the transition from compliance-led, episodic assessments to a proportionate, insight-driven service focused on priority capability gaps  
• own and embed a capability-based data maturity model that is credible, understandable and consistently applied across government  
• ensure assessments generate decision-ready insight, informing departmental prioritisation and cross-government strategy  
• use maturity insight to identify systemic barriers and opportunities for collective action  
• build strong, trusted relationships with departmental CDOs, senior data leaders and transformation teams  
• oversee digital tooling supporting the service, ensuring technology enables insight and usability rather than driving the model 
• represent the Data Maturity Service in cross-government forums, including CDO Council activity  
• lead and develop the OCDO data maturity team  
• accountable for what happens with insight, not just its collection

Person specification

We’re interested in people who can demonstrate experience of: 

• leading complex digital, data or assurance services across organisational boundaries  
• working with senior leaders to influence, explain, interpret and challenge evidence based assessments to resolve issues and enable progress 
• translating complex data or technical governance and assurance processes for teams so that narratives are clear to ensure standards are met  
• supporting and coaching others in creating and implementing a successful long-term strategy and tactical approach to ensure delivery 
• coordinating teams both internally and externally at different levels of maturity to operate and iterate a service 
• using insight and evidence to inform prioritisation, decision-making and investment  
• leading teams in ambiguous, evolving environments and consulting with the right people at the right time to move through the life cycle and deliver value