Deputy Director, Central Data Science and AI - Office for National Statistics - SCS1 in Newport, Wales

The ONS operates a flexible hybrid working model across the UK, with colleagues linked to one of our contractual locations working between office and remote throughout the week. The locations for this role are Newport, Titchfield (Fareham), Manchester & London. All SCS colleagues are required to work from their contractually allocated site for at least 60% of their working time. The induction process for the role will be conducted in person.

About the job

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the UK’s largest producer of official statistics, covering a range of key economic, social and demographic topics. These include measuring changes in the value of the UK economy, estimating the size, geographic distribution, and characteristics of the population, and providing indicators of price inflation, employment, earnings, crime, and migration. Central Data Science and AI (CDS-AI) is part of Strategic Innovation and Analysis Directorate and applies data science, and builds skills, for public good across the UK and internationally. Our role is to apply data science and AI in impactful ways to improve statistics, the operations of the Office for National Statistics, and wider public sector (domestic and international) decision-making.

Established within the ONS in 2017, we’ve built up a strong team and a network of third-party participants in the mission of the CDS-AI and have established a series of impactful projects that improve the quality of our statistical production and provide insight into key policy themes. The CDS-AI is an internationally renowned centre of excellence with an international reputation in leading the data science and AI agenda, particularly as it applies to National Statistical Organisations such as the ONS. As well as supporting ONS to apply new techniques to understand the UK’s economy and society, the CDS-AI acts as a hub for government to gain practical advantage from the wider investment in data science research.

Alongside working closely with internal colleagues and external stakeholders on cross-cutting areas, the work of the CDS-AI is applied to and informs the statistics production and insights that the ONS produces. CDS-AI is looking for a new Deputy Director to help lead the next phase of data science capacity building throughout ONS and across government. CDS-AI and SIA is a friendly, diverse and collaborative environment, and this leadership role oversees established applied data science and programme teams situated across our four UK hubs. You will be passionate about using state of the art data science methods and a myriad of data sources available for public good. This post will give you the opportunity to improve the quality of ONS’s statistical production and inform vital public policy responses to cross-cutting and topical issues in the UK and internationally, working across multiple domains.

You will be responsible for over 80 CDS-AI staff – data scientists, developers, project delivery, and programme managers who deliver data science projects and programmes. Our remit stretches beyond improving official statistics and supports better decision making in the UK and internationally. In this role you will be responsible for a broad programme of multidisciplinary data science projects and programmes, and for managing resources to ensure effective delivery. Our programmes seek to apply data science and AI within the domestic and international public sector, providing faster and more meaningful analysis, enabling more effective decision making, and delivering significant impact on a national and international scale. Above all else, these projects are undertaken with integrity and trustworthiness, and underpinned by adherence to a rigorous ethical framework.

You will also lead the Data Science International team that develops and delivers a range of programmes to support the use of data science and AI in a range of countries and also international organisations such as the United Nations and the Statistical Insights and Analysis Hub which delivers analysis to support ONS’s priorities, and works with the Joint Data Analysis Centre (JDAC) to leverage ONS knowledge and experience to provide deeper insight about the economy and population to support Cabinet Office priorities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Be a proactive member of the Senior Leadership Team that leads the CDS-AI and Strategic Innovation and Analysis Directorate;
• Provide inclusive leadership to a multi-disciplinary data-science division, with four Grade 6s reporting into you, leading them in identifying areas in which to do impactful applied data science and AI work, and ensuring delivery of that work, with robust quality assurance and rigorous adherence to ethical standards;
• Lead your division in developing strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills to enable your division to prioritise resources against the most important and potentially impactful needs;
• Focusing the work of your team on improving the quality of our statistics production by building modern statistical pipelines, making use of cloud technology as part of delivering on the plan for ONS economic statistics and the ONS Survey Improvement and Enhancement Plan for Economic Statistics both of which were published in 2025. This will also include examining and developing AI based apps to safely integrate into statistical production workflows to improve quality and deliver efficiencies;
• Leading on ONS’s relationship with Cabinet Office in terms of the Joint Data and Analysis Centre (JDAC) where “Joint” is joint between ONS and Cabinet Office, leading the Analytical Hub which works closely with Cabinet Office data scientists and analysts on key Cabinet Office issues;
• Lead the CDS-AI work with the international community, working with colleagues in the ONS’s International Relation and International Development Teams and with colleagues in FCDO to develop and deliver a coherent portfolio of international work;
• Ensure proper project management and budgetary responsibility;
• Play a visible leadership role in the wider public sector data science community, working closely with the Government Analysis and Government Digital and Data Functions as needed;
• Be a proactive member of the Senior Civil Service, working closely with colleagues in ONS and across Government.

Person specification

Candidates are expected to evidence these criteria within their CV and Personal Statement:

• Experience of shaping strategy, policy, and operations, working with diverse set of internal and external senior stakeholders from problem-definition to delivery;
• A broad knowledge of the data science and AI landscape and the use and application of data science and AI within Government and other sectors;
• Experience providing inclusive leadership to lead and develop a high-performing multi-disciplinary technically strong division with a track record of creating a culture of innovation and continuous improvement and delivering impactful applied data science and AI work;
• Experience of cross-organisation working to take innovative prototypes and proofs of concept to full implementation into business systems;
• Experience of successful portfolio and delivery management;
• Excellent communication skills and senior stakeholder engagement skills to identify the value and limitations of data science and AI solutions.