Chief Data Officer

Can you set a bold, organisation-wide vision for data that drives better outcomes for citizens and strengthens public trust?

Have you led on complex data transformation issues aligning strategy, governance and technology to deliver measurable impact?

Are you passionate about championing data as a strategic asset, promoting innovation, ethical use and a culture of evidence-based decision-making at the highest levels?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

As Chief Data Officer, you will lead the strategic direction of data across the organisation, ensuring alignment with the wider government data strategy and priorities. Working at executive level, you will shape and deliver a coherent data vision that embeds strong governance, high-quality standards and responsible use, while unlocking the full value of data to inform policy, improve services and drive innovation.

You will lead a multidisciplinary data community, building capability and fostering a culture where data is trusted, shared appropriately and used confidently to support transparent, insight-driven decision-making across the organisation.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at: Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency - Department for Transport Careers, Provide strategic leadership for DVLA’s data agenda, aligning organisational strategy with government priorities to drive efficiency, innovation and public service delivery. Champion data literacy and a culture that treats data as a strategic asset. Lead robust data governance, ensuring compliance, effective risk management, and high standards of security, quality and assurance. Collaborate across government, oversee secure data sharing and customer controls, and advise senior leaders on data risks, breaches and third-party access decisions.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Strategic Leadership
• Data Governance and Assurance
• Cross-Government Collaboration
• Innovation and Data Sharing
• Operational Oversight, Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 35 hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

Occasional travel to other offices may be required, which may also require overnight stays.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details)., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions, At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:
• Behaviours – Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Making effective decisions
• Strengths

The interviews will take place from Thursday 28th April.

This interview will be conducted in person at our Swansea office. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site .

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.

We will also hold a 12-month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes., A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service within the last 12 months, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage.

All External applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:

Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour

Threats or acts of violence

Illegal activity or substance misuse

Sexually explicit material

Extremist views or affiliations

Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public.

Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It’s not about judging your personality or lifestyle—it’s about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture.

If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what’s being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Feedback Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .

See our vetting charter . People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks., * UK nationals

• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Do you have experience in Presentation skills?, To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Evidence of developing and implementing an organisational data strategy aligned to wider corporate or government priorities.
• Experience advising or influencing Board-level or Executive-level stakeholders on data strategy and risk.
• Experience implementing formal data sharing agreements and governance controls.
• Experience overseeing breach response procedures., * Evidence of developing and implementing an organisational data strategy aligned to wider corporate or government priorities.
• Experience advising or influencing Board-level or Executive-level stakeholders on data strategy and risk.
• Experience implementing formal data sharing agreements and governance controls.
• Experience overseeing breach response procedures.

Pulled from the full job description

• Annual leave
• Employee discount
• Company pension, Alongside your salary of £69,501, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency contributes £20,134 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies .