Head of Research Data and Digital Services
This leading UK university is looking for a Head of Research Data and Digital Services within their Research office to oversee the digital and data services that support research infrastructure. You’ll be driving change, in a digitally immature landscape, through innovation and modernisation, ensuring the delivery of end-to-end services.
What’s in it for me?
They’re offering a salary of up to £77,476 (with potential flexibility for the right candidate), 41 days annual leave (including bank holidays), a generous pension, and support with relocation costs if needed. They’d ideally want someone in the office (based in Cambridge) twice a week.
What will I be doing?
You’ll be joining a digitally immature landscape to lead the transformation of digital services within research, unifying two existing teams into a single, cohesive unit. Acting as the Service Owner, you’ll drive a 5-year programme to modernise existing services and replace legacy systems with end-to-end digital solutions, ensuring research services are efficient, integrated, and aligned with the universities goals. Working closely with IT and business leaders, you’ll support other initiatives while setting governance standards and ensuring resources are well managed.
What experience do I need?
Ideally, you’ll have experience in service ownership or digital transformation within a complex, structured environment such as higher education, government, or the public sector.
Experience managing change in a digitally immature landscape, ideally involving legacy systems would be hugely beneficial. They’re not expecting you to be highly technical but you’ll need to understand what you’re implementing and why.
Strong analytical skills, proven success in problem-solving, and experience in strategic planning are required. Familiarity with governance principles, service delivery standards, and digital frameworks such as GDS would be a plus.
If you have experience managing change and digital transformation within a research space, that would be ideal however don’t worry if you don’t have that experience – they’re able to provide support there.
A key part of this role is delivering end-to-end services, you must be able to articulate what you’re doing and why in delivering and implementing these services. Including overseeing all aspects of the service delivery, from planning through to execution and continuous improvement.