Head of Data and Analytics

Walker and Sloan are proud to be working with a well known 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.

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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Clarify what the team can:
• Measure directly
• Model or infer
• Not measure
• Provide clear guidance on data limitations (e.g. platform restrictions, privacy constraints)
• Develop simple, credible ways to explain this to clients
• Ensure decisions are made based on appropriate levels of data confidence

• 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…