Head of Data and Analytics in Cardiff

Walker and Sloan are proud to be working with a fully integrated marketing agency in Cardiff as they are keen to bring on board a Head of Data and Analytics to the team on a full time basis.

Location: Cardiff/ Hybrid

Role purpose

The agency is strengthening its data, measurement and analytics capability across the full PESO ecosystem to enable more effective planning, reporting and optimisation, incorporating emerging approaches in AI-driven optimisation (AIO). This role will design and lead that capability. You will create a clear, scalable framework for how campaign data is captured, structured, analysed and activated across paid, earned, shared and owned channels. By bringing together platforms, processes and people, the role will improve reporting quality, reduce manual complexity and turn data into insight that drives better media and communications decisions. This is a senior strategic role focused on developing the data architecture, standards and ways of working that support how data is captured, interpreted and used across Media. The role will help ensure our data capability is scalable, future-ready and aligned with emerging opportunities in automation and AI-driven optimisation.

Key responsibilities

• Define and Build and own the data & analytics blueprint
• Review and define how Media captures, structures and uses data across campaigns
• Map out data sources (e.g. CM360, platform data, third parties) and how they connect
• Design the overall data flow - from campaign setup through to reporting and insight, capturing micro and macro conversions/goals and identifying the conversion path and media touchpoints
• Establish clear processes covering data capture, cleansing, validation and reporting
• Create a scalable operating model that supports multiple clients and campaigns, rather than relying on bespoke one-off solutions.
• Improve measurement, reporting and insight
• Create reporting frameworks that support campaign performance tracking, post-campaign analysis, ongoing optimisation and client decision-making.
• Help move the team away from fragmented spreadsheets and manual reporting towards more consistent, scalable and reliable outputs.
• Ensure reporting is insight-led, commercially useful and focused on what teams and clients need to know.
• Clarify what can be measured directly, what can be modelled or inferred, and what cannot be measured reliably
• Provide clear guidance on data limitations, including platform restrictions, attribution challenges, privacy constraints and confidence levels.
• Ensure measurement and reporting approaches take account of consent, cookies, tracking permissions, data minimisation and other privacy considerations.
• Design data architecture, standards and governance
• Design the data flows that support campaign setup, tagging, validation, reporting, insight and optimisation.
• Establish consistent standards for naming conventions, campaign taxonomy, data mapping, tagging, tracking and data validation.
• Define what data needs to be captured at campaign setup stage to enable effective measurement and optimisation.
• Ensure data structures are robust, consistent and suitable for use across platforms, suppliers and reporting environments.
• Put in place practical governance processes to improve data quality, consistency and confidence.
• Ensure data handling practices support appropriate privacy, consent and compliance requirements, including GDPR, PECR and client-specific data obligations.
• Apply privacy-by-design principles when shaping data capture, tagging, tracking, reporting and optimisation processes.
• Define “what’s possible” with data
• Clarify what the team can:
• Measure directly
• Model or infer
• Not measure
• Provide clear guidance on data limitations (e.g. platform restrictions, privacy constraints)
• Explain the impact of GDPR, PECR, cookie consent, platform restrictions and signal loss on campaign measurement, attribution and audience targeting
• Develop simple, credible ways to explain this to clients
• Ensure decisions are made based on appropriate levels of data confidence
• Enable better optimisation across the PESO ecosystem
• Use data to help teams monitor performance, identify issues early and improve campaign delivery and effectiveness.
• Develop measurement approaches that reflect the different roles, strengths and limitations of paid, earned, shared and owned channels.
• Support teams in using data to challenge media suppliers, assess performance and make better optimisation decisions.
• Help shift reporting conversations from “what happened” to “what should we do next”.
• Develop practical ways to explain performance, contribution and optimisation opportunities to clients.
• Build internal capability and ways of working
• Work with analysts, planners, digital specialists, account teams and senior leaders to embed better data practices into day-to-day workflows.
• Help teams understand their role in capturing, maintaining and using high-quality data.
• Help teams understand their responsibilities when handling campaign, audience, client and performance data, including appropriate use, retention and sharing.
• Translate technical concepts into clear, practical guidance that non-technical teams can apply.
• Support the development of junior data and analytics capability within the Media team.
• Promote a culture where data is used confidently, consistently and commercially.
• Work with leadership, partners and clients
• Partner with the Media SLT to align data capability with strategic priorities and commercial goals.
• Work closely with paid, earned, shared and owned specialists, as well as third-party partners and suppliers.
• Ensure data capability supports stronger client conversations, clearer recommendations and more confident decision-making.
• Contribute to the development of Media’s overall proposition by strengthening measurement, insight and optimisation capability.
• Act as a senior point of view on how data, automation and AI can support better media outcomes.
• Build automation and AI-readiness
• Identify opportunities to reduce manual effort through improved processes, automation and better data integration.
• Ensure data structures, standards and governance are suitable for future use in automation and AI-assisted analysis.
• Work with internal teams to identify practical use cases for AI-driven optimisation across Media.
• Help define the guardrails needed for responsible, reliable and explainable use of automation and AI in media workflows.
• Ensure automation and AI-related data use is proportionate, explainable and consistent with privacy, confidentiality and client data requirements.
• Support the development of a future-ready capability that can adapt as platforms, technology and client expectations evolve.

Initial priorities

• Assess the current Media data landscape, including platforms, processes, reporting outputs, data sources and pain points.
• Define the target data architecture and operating model for Media.
• Establish core standards for tagging, naming conventions, data capture, validation and reporting.
• Review current approaches to consent, tracking, cookies, audience data, data sharing and retention, and identify any practical improvements required.
• Identify opportunities to reduce manual reporting and improve automation.
• Develop a practical roadmap for scalable reporting, insight, optimisation and AI-readiness.

What success looks like

• A clear, documented data and reporting framework used across Media
• Reduced reliance on manual spreadsheets and one-off reporting
• Clear data handling standards embedded across campaign setup, reporting, optimisation and supplier workflows
• Improved confidence that media data is being used responsibly, lawfully and transparently
• More consistent, reliable and usable campaign data
• Improved ability to optimise campaigns and organic content using real-time insight
• Clear understanding internally of what data is available and how to use it
• Greater confidence in reporting from both teams and clients
• Data playing a visible role in strengthening the Media proposition to build better insights to improve campaign performance.

Skills and experience

Essential

• Expertise in media analytics, marketing analytics, digital performance or similar
• Proven ability to design data or reporting frameworks, not just produce reports
• Strong understanding of campaign measurement, reporting and optimisation
• Experience working with reporting tools and data platforms (e.g. GA4, GA360, CM360, Funnel, Power BI, or similar)
• Good working knowledge of UK GDPR, PECR and privacy-safe approaches to digital measurement, tagging, audience data and reporting
• Experience handling large, complex datasets across multiple sources
• Strong data structuring and problem-solving skills
• Ability to translate technical concepts into clear, practical language
• Experience working across multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced environment

Desirable

• Experience within a media or digital agency
• Experience building or improving a data/analytics capability
• Understanding of campaign tagging, tracking and attribution
• Experience improving reporting efficiency or automation
• Experience mentoring or supporting junior analysts
• Experience working with consent management platforms, cookie governance, server-side tracking or privacy-enhancing measurement approaches

Person profile

We’re looking for someone who:

• Can bring structure to complexity and create simple, scalable solutions
• Thinks in systems and processes, not just outputs
• Is comfortable working in a developing capability where not everything is defined
• Has strong commercial awareness and understands how data supports better decisions
• Can work across technical and non-technical teams with equal confidence
• Communicates clearly and can make complex topics accessible to others
• Takes ownership and drives progress, rather than waiting for perfect clarity

Why this role matters

As our Media business grows, so do the expectations around measurement, reporting and effectiveness. We need to move from fragmented reporting towards a more structured, credible and scalable data capability. This role will be central to making that happen - helping us deliver better campaigns, stronger insight and more confident client conversations.