Job summary
The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) is responsible for delivering a compensation scheme that has been long awaited by the infected blood community to provide financial compensation to victims of infected blood on a UK-wide basis.
Working at IBCA gives you a huge opportunity to make an impact on those who deserve compensation, and this role suits a candidate who can spearhead solutions from the ground up to take from ideation to reality so that data is an enabler to everything IBCA does.
Opportunities to move to the new Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA).
At the moment all IBCA roles are hosted by Cabinet Office within the Civil Service. However, once IBCA becomes operational, it is anticipated that most of these roles will transfer to IBCA, which is a new Arms Length Body (ALB) separate from the Cabinet Office. Roles that transfer to IBCA from Cabinet Office will maintain the same or substantially the same terms and conditions of employment that are overall no less favourable. It is anticipated that employees who move from Cabinet Office to IBCA will be able to continue to participate in the Civil Service Pension arrangements with no break in their pensionable service. Roles commencing after IBCA has become operational will be with IBCA itself on similar terms and conditions. All successful candidates will receive full details of the terms and conditions of employment for their role with their formal job offer.
Please note that the mission of IBCA means that it is likely to be operational for a period of approximately 5 to 7 years. When IBCA’s work begins to wind down, IBCA employees will receive support and practical guidance to find a new role, whether in the Civil Service, another Arms Length Body (ALB), or an external employer.
Job description
This role will lead our data platform architecture and modelling team within the Data Operations arm of the IBCA Data Directorate.
The Data Operations team is responsible for developing and running safe and secure data solutions that provide a single source of truth for those going through their compensation journey. They are designing and building a new data platform using Amazon Web Services (AWS) and data management and intelligence products using Databricks and Quantexa.
We are taking a product-centric approach treating data as a product and are building squads around our products, with a focus on paying compensation to those impacted by the infected blood scandal seamlessly.
As the Principal Data Architect for our data platform and products, you’ll be critical to delivering data architecture and modelling capabilities. You will mature the quality of our data architecture practices and should be committed to delivering high-impact, secure data solutions to achieve IBCA’s objectives. You will focus on designing scalable and flexible data solutions for data management processes (including data integration and master data management), ensuring data quality, and driving a culture of problem statement driven design.
This post is within a data delivery setting, especially one focussed on AWS, Quantexa and Databricks.
You will:
- Set the direction for data architecture and infrastructure and provide technical guidance for the development of designs for the data platform including integration and master data management encompassing secure by design principles;
- Ensure designs are scalable, secure and efficient;
- Lead efforts to integrate data from various sources of varying fidelity, ensuring data consistency, accuracy, and quality, and support the development and maintenance of these processes;
- Be responsible for the design and implementation of logical and physical data models, and the development of data standards and data management policies;
- Be responsible for ensuring we have the right data architecture teams in place across the data platform and its products and will collaborate with data delivery managers and wider digital service delivery teams to make sure data architecture practices are embedded consistently and to industry standard best practices;
- Help the data architecture practices thrive, you will call on your expertise in emerging data management approaches including on data centralisation and apply these to help the organisation deliver success;
- Develop our internal data architecture capability by developing L&D routeways, shaping careers paths and recruiting talent to the organisation;
- Provide leadership and guidance to a team of data architects and modellers, further developing your own data architecture, delivery management and leadership skills;
- Work with business stakeholders and across digital service teams, understanding their needs and translating them into high- and low-level architecture designs;
- Work with industry partners to leverage the best of new and emerging tools and approaches.
Responsibilities
- Strategic Planning: Develop and execute the data architecture and modelling strategy, aligning with business goals and data needs;
- Team Leadership: Use your expertise to build and maintain excellence in data architecture capabilities by building, leading, and mentoring a team of data architects and modellers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment;
- Data Solution Design: Design and model robust, scalable, efficient and cost-effective data solutions for data ingestion, transformation, and storage – and be the assurer of designs at architecture review boards such as Technical Design Authority;
- Data Quality: Ensure data quality and integrity across the data platform;
- Data Governance: Prescribe the level of data governance required, taking responsibility for assurance and make recommendations to ensure compliance with legal, regulatory and security standards;
- Collaboration: Work closely with business teams to understand data requirements and recommend design choices and provide technical expertise; and partner with senior leaders to provide assurance on solutions as they transition between design, implementation and live;
- Supplier Management & Oversight: Manage supplier relationships by setting performance standards, negotiating contracts, and ensuring high-quality outcomes;
- Capability Building:Make the data architecture practices thrive by exploiting new and emerging tools/approaches and using these to help the organisation deliver better services.
Person specification
Essential criteria
- Accomplished expert Data Architect with extensive hands-on experience at a senior level of working with and designing patterns/approaches for cloud platforms in AWS that host data management systems and processes such as data integration, data quality & transformation processes, data matching and master data management at scale. (Lead essential criteria);
- Strong proficiency in data modelling, database technologies and designs, building data pipelines, with strong knowledge of ETL, SQL, NoSQL, Data Lakes and AWS cloud-based data solutions;
- Strong expertise in the full end to end data lifecycle for design, build and test, with extensive knowledge of data architecture, modelling concepts for data warehousing, data lakes and data lake houses;
- Expert in setting strategic direction at organisational level for the design of data architecture approaches involving data fabric, and managing these standards through architecture peer review such as Technical Design Authority;
- Significant data architecture leadership and management experience in a data environment with the ability to motivate individuals to deliver user excellence using highly developed interpersonal communication skills;
- Experience of mentoring and leading teams in Agile/DevOps delivery and working across multi-disciplinary teams;
- Demonstrable experience of setting up organisational data architecture processes from scratch or of implementing large changes to existing processes within an organisation that operate in an environment of highly sensitive personal data;
- Strong knowledge and application of data governance and data security and privacy through architecture designs, with familiarity with the legal and regulatory requirements around data, especially GDPR and Cloud Security Principles;
- Working at senior leadership level, establishing and maintaining organisational level networks and actively engaging other senior leaders.
Desirable criteria
- You will have experience of working with the Quantexa Decision Intelligence Platform and Databricks;
- Management of contracts and 3rd party suppliers for software and professional services;
- Experience of leading a community of practice in a rapid delivery setting, setting up practice and community events and fostering a culture of learning and continuously improving ways of working.
Additional information:
A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although 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
- Communicating and Influencing
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Data governance (Expert)
- Turning business problems into data design (Expert)
- Data standards (Expert)
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £67,126, Cabinet Office contributes £19,446 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- 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
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
As part of your application you will be required to provide a CV setting out your career history and qualifications, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role.
You will also be required to provide a Statement of Suitability (1000words max.)
Please use your statement of suitability to explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria in the person specification section of the job advert.
Your CV and Statement of Suitability will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in the 'Person Specification' section of the job advert.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using your Statement of Suitability.Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Should you be successful at sift, you will be invited to attend an interview where you will be assessed on experience, behaviours and technical skills.
Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – WC 28th July 2025
Expected interview date/s – To be confirmed
Interview location – Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.
Reasonable adjustments
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 recruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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 interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Further information
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'contact point for applicants' section.
Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.
A reserve list will be held for a period of 3 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.
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/Disclosure Scotland/Access NI 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 Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk
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 to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
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 the Civil 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 :
- IBCA Data Team
- Email :
- ibcadatadirector@ibca.org.uk
Recruitment team
- Email :
- recruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact Government Recruitment Service by email at : recruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk. For further information on the Recruitment Principles and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.
Attachments
Cabinet Office Employee Offer
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(pdf, 302kB)Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20
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(docx, 94kB)
