Deputy Director, Data Science and AI - Office National Statistics - SCS

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

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.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is theUK’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 UKeconomy, 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 provides 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 of 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 also the Statistical Insights and Analysis Hub which delivers analysis to support…