Head of Data Science and AI

• 12 month contract within the public sector

• Hybrid working (3 days per week onsite) – Somerset base

• £1200 per day outside IR35

• Active SC Clearance required

Head of Data Science and AI

Our public sector client is looking for a Head of Data Science and AI to join them to lead a team of data scientists and work with the team and stakeholders to build team capability and skills, ensure clear team objectives, and support with successful project delivery. You will provide organisational leadership on responsible AI governance, the use of commercial AI applications, and procurement of third-party products. Keeping the wider organisation informed about progress, advances in AI, and future possibilities is expected.

As the Head of Data Science and AI you will be responsible for building strong relationships with senior leadership and executives, educating them in the steps required to capitalise on the benefits of data science and AI in a safe and responsible way. You will oversee the building and maintaining of relationships with external parties, such as other government departments or outsourced delivery capability. You must be a strong communicator who can explain complex topics effectively to a wide audience.

Skills and Experience

• Expert level knowledge of data science and machine learning, including a range of different techniques such as supervised (e.g. decision trees, random forests), unsupervised (e.g. clustering), and deep learning. Knowledge of generative AI is desirable.
• Expert level of knowledge of statistics, applied mathematics and scientific analysis, with demonstrable experience of using a variety of techniques to deliver organisational benefits
• Expert level knowledge of exploratory data analysis and statistical analysis of large datasets.
• Practitioner knowledge of Machine Learning Ops and A/B testing different models
• Practitioner knowledge of responsible and ethical AI practices
• Practitioner skills in a scientific programming language such as Python, R, C++.
• Experience of innovating and solving business problems through the application of data science or machine learning
• Ability to think critically and break down complex challenges into addressable projects
• Experience of measuring benefits of data science solutions and road-mapping improvements
• Experience of leading projects with multiple contributors or leading teams
• Experience of mentoring and developing data scientists

Day to Day

• Delivering efficiency and customer benefits using data science and AI
• Strategising on the responsible use of data science and AI for automation or new insights
• Working with stakeholders to prioritise data science, AI and automation projects
• Driving operationalisation of data science and machine learning by guiding on effective experimentation, deployment of solutions, monitoring of performance, and scaling
• Team leadership and development for a team of data scientists, including technical and project guidance
• Line management of Principal Data Scientists and setting objectives for the data science team
• Working with Technology division senior leadership peers will contribute to the strategic direction of the function
• Staying up to date with government guidance on the responsible use of AI and translating this into best practise

Next Steps

If you have the relevant skills and experience, and are interested in finding out more about this role, please apply with your up to date CV and I will endeavour to get back to you.