Analytics & Data Science Intelligence Manager

Job content

Analytics & Data Science Intelligence Manager (req7918)

Fixed Term, 24 months

Full Time, 37 hours per week

Up to £63,291 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Anywhere worker

Closing Date: 24th July 2022

The Data & Analytics team at Essex County Council have been on a mission to embed best practice analytics and data science across the local public sector. We have ambitions to be the very best public sector analytics function, implementing excellence across the entire cycle of a data project. From engaging with stakeholders to connect business problems to data driven solutions, to applying appropriate and robust analytical methodologies that influence decision making and result in demonstrable positive impact to our residents, our services, and our county.

Job Purpose

This is an exciting opportunity to help us achieve our aspirations. As Intelligence Manager you will be part of a management team committed to accelerating the use of data and analytics for social good and leading a team of experienced analysts to help shape the future of the county with evidence and actionable outputs.

We are looking for our candidates to be motivated by improving public services, with experience and interest in applied analytics for accomplishing improved outcomes. Candidates must possess an inherent understanding of data, from best practice data management to a comprehensive knowledge of statistics and data science methodologies and how they can be applied effectively.

Our candidates will be able to demonstrate how they have worked with senior leaders, operational leads, and/or commissioners, to successfully understand business priorities and provide a clear strategic plan for optimising the use of data and analytics to tackle challenges. Our successful candidate will be an analytics’ advocate and will influence with insight. They will continuously find opportunities to increase the use of data across our organisation and beyond, and inspire our team members to do the same.

Functional Responsibilities:

Customer Engagement & Stakeholder Management

· Responsible for building & maintaining relationships with service leads, spotting opportunities where data and analysis can influence future strategy and supports delivery against our organisational outcomes.

· Leading insightful, proactive, analysis and evidence-based recommendations that support the achievement of strategic priorities within the organisational plan and functional business plans.

· Focus on effective management principles identifying ways to increase service efficiency by early intervention, service innovation, the involvement of the community or better working with partners.

Demand Management

· Managing service areas growing demand upon the data & analytics team, as well as the work programme of the team itself, to ensure we provide high quality and timely intelligence.

· Promotes the need for robust and reliable data, and is accountable for ensuring the team’s outputs and the data used are credible and trustworthy

· Responsible for providing the Council with the latest intelligence to manage risk and target resources effectively, reduce avoidable demand and influence behaviour change to improve outcomes for the local population.

· Continually monitoring the use and impact of the team’s outputs, ensuring projects are replicable, scalable, and transferable by using best coding practice to implement ‘replicable analytical pipelines’

Line Management & Supporting Development

· Supporting team members to manage their time and projects effectively, enabling best practice across all stages of a project life cycle, both through leading and/or quality assuring, supporting the team to complete activities to a high standard.

· Responsible for the quality of analytical outputs, ensuring the team is making optimal use of data and appropriate analytical methodologies.

· Supporting the development of a continuous improvement and learning culture, coaching, and supporting other team members to develop a culture of personal ownership and accountability.

Building Organisational Literacy

· Help build data literacy and understanding of analytics across all services, demonstrating the value that data and analytics can bring in supporting the success of functional plans.

· Knowledgeable on range of analytics and data science methodologies, can find suitable applications, and can interpret outputs clearly and accurately to a range of stakeholders.

· Supporting the delivery of the council’s data strategy, and the design of an analytics strategy, to accelerate the use of data and evidence across the organisation. Embedding data and analytics into the culture of decision making.

Leading Best Practice Analytics

· Building customer trust in team’s work and enhancing reputation through implementing a quality assurance framework that ensures outputs have statistical integrity, are compliant with information governance, and adhere to ethical guidelines.

· Driving the development of analytical capability across the team & council, proactively sharing knowledge and building networks, to build a more sustainable workforce and draw on capacity to manage demand for insight.

· Keeping abreast of emerging developments in data, analytics, and data science, so that the team can innovate with purpose, and meet our aspiration of becoming a ‘best in class’ analytics function.

Dimensions:

Budgetary responsibility (direct or indirect impact): None

People management (including direct reports): line management of approximately 7-10 staff depending on subject matter.

Key skills competencies: Digital, Data and Technology Professional Competencies Framework

• Analytical and problem-solving skills . You can help an organisation adopt a wide range of analysis and synthesis techniques and continually assure, improve and innovate their practices to generate clear and valuable findings.
• Communication skills . You can mediate between people and mend relationships, communicating with stakeholders at all levels. You know how to manage stakeholder expectations and facilitate discussions across high risk and complexity or under constrained timescales. You can speak on behalf of or represent the community to large audiences inside and outside of government.
• Data management . You understand data governance and how it works in relation to other organisational governance structures. You can participate in or deliver the assurance of a service.
• Experience & motivated . You have significant experience undertaking data analysis and/or providing an intelligence service to a large complex organisation with evidence of successfully delivering high quality outputs that impacted on strategic decision making. You are passionate about data science for social good and the improvement of public sector services.
• Leadership.You promote diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity. You encourage, welcome and respond to views and challenges from others, despite any conflicting. You actively seek out shared interests beyond own area of responsibility, understanding the extent of the impact actions have on the organisation. Inspire and motivate teams to be fully engaged in their work and dedicated to their role.
• Logical and creative thinking skills . You can anticipate problems and know how to prevent them. You understand how problems fit into the larger picture. You can describe problems and help others to do the same. You can build problem-solving capabilities in others.
• Making Effective Decisions.You clarify your own understanding and stakeholder needs and expectations, before making decisions. You ensure decision making happens at the right level, not allowing unnecessary bureaucracy to hinder delivery. You encourage both innovative suggestions and challenge from others, to inform decision making.
• Project management skills . You have knowledge and experience in the application of project management methodologies. You are a recognised specialist and adviser in project management, including user needs, generation of ideas, methods, tools and leading or guiding others in best-practice use.
• Quality assurance, validation and data linkage abilities. You have a deep understanding of relevant data sources, tools and systems. You can use appropriate approaches for verifying and validating data and analysis. You know how to influence senior stakeholders in data approaches. You can coach and mentor others.
• Statistical methods and data analysis skills . You understand, teach and supervise a wide range of practices, or may have deep expertise on a narrower range of specialisms. You can apply emerging theory to practical situations.

To read more about the wider Chief Executive’s Office function, please visit https://www.workingforessex.com/role/chief-executives-office

To view our Organisational Behaviours information please follow this link .

Benefits

Essex County Council is proud to offer an excellent benefits package to all its employees. More information can be found on https://www.workingforessex.com/working-here/pay-reward

Apply and next steps

Please apply via the Working for Essex website, ensuring you upload an up to date CV and supporting statement when prompted.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk