Data Strategy Consultant

As a consultant at Actica, you will have the opportunity to work with a wide range of high-profile UK public sector and defence organisations. Our position as an independent, trusted, client-side advisor means that this role requires significant stakeholder engagement, dealing directly with the client, so excellent interpersonal and influencing skills are essential. So too are your written skills, as you will be involved in producing high quality, formal written deliverables. Your help will enable Actica’s clients to get the maximum benefit from their digital investments and transformation and, in doing so, will play a key role in nationally critical projects which make a real difference to people’s everyday lives. You will use your data strategy skills across a range of consulting projects and clients. With expertise in using data strategy practices to enable large, complex businesses to best exploit their data, you will help clients to make informed decisions that provide real benefit.

Key Responsibilities

• Working either individually or as part of a larger Actica team, you will undertake a number of consultancy assignments, which could include:
• Creating conceptual and logical data models;
• Defining data architecture frameworks, principles, standards and policies;
• Advising on the design and implementation of data governance and management across the full data lifecycle;
• Defining or mapping data flows, i.e., which parts of the organisation generate data, which require data to function, how data flows are managed, and how data changes in transition;
• Creating data solutions designs, or advising on procurement and implementation of technologies such as big data analytics or master data management.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

The following attributes and areas of experience are essential for this role:

• Data architecture and modelling;
• Experience in using architectural practices to enable a large, complex business to best exploit its data;
• A flexible, consulting mindset. The fast-moving nature of the ICT environment, together with the need to resource multiple, ad-hoc assignments, requires our consultants to be quick thinkers, proactive and self-motivated and have the ability to apply a structured approach to often unfamiliar subject matter;
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation and written communication skills.

The following desirable attributes and areas of experience will make you particularly suited to this role with Actica:

• Experience in the public sector or defence, preferably within the ICT context on enterprise solutions;
• Consulting experience in the public sector or defence;
• An appreciation of technologies related to big data and analytics capabilities;
• Experience with TOGAF, BizzDesign, ArchiMate and/or Sparx EA;
• Broader architectural expertise in related domains.

The nature of Actica’s business means that a wide and varied background is preferable and the capability to adapt quickly to change is always required. You might not feel that your skills precisely match the requirements of this job specification; however, we encourage you to apply if this is a role that appeals to you. We require individuals with a broad skillset, so there may be other aspects of your experience which are equally important to us, but that are perhaps not listed in the role specification.

Career Development

You will be given the opportunity to further your career in consulting, specialising in the application of a broad range of methodologies and technical specialisations to a wide range of business problems. You will typically work on client sites, co-located with other project members, including client staff, Actica colleagues and other suppliers. For most clients, consultants spend 2-3 days working remotely and 2-3 days co-located with colleagues, either at a client site or at our office in Guildford. For some projects, there will be a requirement to work up to 5 days a week co-located with colleagues. All work is team based, with a high level of engagement with other Actica and client team members. Consultants are encouraged to get involved in internal activities and to attend company team events whenever possible.

Benefits

• A discretionary, performance-based bonus, paid twice a year;
• 25 days annual leave plus UK public holidays;
• Private Health Care for the employee (subject to completion of a probation period);
• Twice yearly performance appraisals/pay reviews (while at Consultant and Senior Consultant grades, annually thereafter);
• Investment in training relevant to an individual’s development and Actica’s business needs;
• Membership in our stakeholder pension scheme;
• Participation in a cycle to work scheme;
• Membership of an Employee Assistance Programme;
• Participation in an Electric Vehicle leasing scheme (subject to completion of a probation period).