G6 Head of Data Capabilities

Job summary

The COBR Directorate protects the UK from crises. Our work is varied, fast paced and always interesting. We work across the emergency management cycle, including to prepare for and resolve crises, learn lessons and make effective decisions. We also work on complex policy and delivery, leading from the centre of government to make the UK more resilient.

Job description

Senior role leading the development of the National Situation Centre's data science and geospatial data science capabilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing functional, professional data science leadership to SitCen's data scientists
• Providing line management to SitCen's G7-led Data Science, Response Data, Biothreats and Geospatial teams
• Ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the SitCen's analytical coding, and the quality and consistency of the SitCen's analytical codebase, by setting the standards, processes, packages and tooling used in development and overseeing the implementation of these processes and standards by SitCen's data scientists
• Building and maintaining data pipelines, including in SitCen's Colab framework, including: developing; testing; documenting; and deploying python code in-line with SitCen's processes and standards
• Leading the development of SitCen's geospatial data science, including near real-time geospatial reporting and, acting as senior analytical point of contact for our ArcGIS platform including: defining requirements for future development of the platform; adding and maintaining data layers within ArcGIS Portal; and working with SitCen's OS embed to ensure data held in our geospatial database is stored, accessed and managed appropriately
• On a voluntary basis, serve as G6 Duty Chief of Staff on the SitCen crisis response rota, overseeing delivery of analytical briefing products into COBR

Person specification

About you

Essential Criteria:

• Expertise in Python and other libraries including Pandas, Geopandas and Plotly
• Expertise in working with geospatial tooling and data including ArcGIS, geo databases and large spatial datasets
• Experience with unit testing, such as Pytest
• Understanding of AWS serverless tooling, such as Lambda and S3 and ETL pipeline development
• Understanding of software principles and design patterns, such as SOLID, Factory and Builder patterns
• Understanding of data management, governance and compliance
• Understanding of modern data architectures, in particular AWS architecture

Additional information:

Cabinet Office policy is that a minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. For some roles, due to their nature and the business need, this may be up to 100%. Requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £76,454, Cabinet Office contributes £22,148 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 which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.

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 and Experience.

Application process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and a 500 word (maximum) personal statement providing examples of how your skills and experience match those in the Person specification and Essential criteria.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the Personal Statement

Selection process

During the interview we will assess you against these behaviours:

• • Leadership
  • Managing a Quality Service
  • Delivering at Pace

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – w/c 19th October 2026
Expected interview date/s – w/c 26th October 2026
Interview location - 70 Whitehall, London SW1A 2AS

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Cabinet Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via [email removed] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing [email removed] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject