Head of Data

Job Title: Head of Data

Location: London - Hybrid working

Salary: £140k - £170k depending on experience

Our client, a leading Bank, requires a new Head of Data & Reporting for the successful delivery of data platforms, data products, and regulatory data capabilities. The role ensures that data initiatives are delivered on time, to scope, and to the required quality, while meeting UK regulatory expectations and enabling strategic business outcomes. This is a senior leadership role combining delivery management, regulatory accountability, and stakeholder leadership, operating across multiple portfolios, domains, and third-party partners.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

1. Lead and develop a high-performing data delivery organisation.
2. Drive a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement in delivery execution.
3. Drive both BAU reporting as well as developing advanced analytics and data science capabilities.
4. Translate data strategy into executable delivery roadmaps with clear milestones, dependencies, and outcomes.
5. Own end-to-end delivery of the data change portfolio, ensuring clear business value and ROI.
6. Lead architectural development of the data platforms, selecting and deploying automation, analytical and AI toolsets.
7. Manage delivery risk, interdependencies, and prioritisation across competing initiatives.
8. Define and manage SLAs for production metrics or deliverables.
9. Maintain strong data governance and controls to ensure Data Loss Protection is first and foremost and only appropriate data access is provisioned.
10. Embed data product lifecycle management (design → build → run → retire).
11. Ensure all data deliveries meet UK regulatory expectations (e.g. FCA, PRA), including auditability, traceability, and data quality.
12. Provide senior accountability for delivery aspects of regulatory programmes (e.g. BCBS 239, IFRS, recovery & resolution, conduct initiatives).
13. Own remediation delivery where data issues or regulatory findings are identified.
14. Support internal audit, regulatory reviews, and supervisory engagement as required.
15. Ensure data delivery enables compliance with FCA Consumer Duty, particularly through trusted, timely and accurate data.
16. Ensure post-implementation monitoring demonstrates good customer outcomes in practice.

Key Measures and Indicators of Success

1. Delivery of strategic data initiatives.
2. Demonstrable ROI on Data Science and Advanced Analytics function.
3. SLA scorecards.
4. Internal audit reporting.
5. Stakeholder feedback and team 360 reviews.

Key Requirements for the role

1. 10 or more years in IT and Financial Services (Banking, Asset Management, FinTech).
2. Extensive expertise in Data Products, Data Platforms, Regulatory Data.
3. Extensive leadership experience running Data teams, Data Change delivery and Transformation.
4. Experienced in managing cross-functional teams or projects, and influencing senior-level management and key stakeholders.
5. Commercially aware and benefits realisation driven.
6. Degree background in either Computer Science, Data Science, Info Systems or Mathematics/Statistics

Skills Required

1. Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
2. Excellent stakeholder presentation (verbal/written) and relationship-building skills.
3. Self-motivated and able to work at a professional level unsupervised.
4. Ability to collaborate, build rapport and influence at peer and senior levels.
5. Leadership and great team working skills, an Innovator.