Head of Data
Willen
Role: Head of Data Location: Milton Keynes (Hybrid – 2 Days On-site Weekly) Salary: £50,000 - £60,000 Benefits: Bonus, Company Cars, Flexible Benefit Package Network IT is recruiting for a Head of Data to join a leading automotive brand's UK IT function. In this senior role, you’ll lead a high-performing data management team, drive technical delivery across enterprise data platforms, and ensure compliance, scalability, and performance within a global standards-based ecosystem. Reporting to the Head of IT, you’ll take ownership of operational excellence, stakeholder engagement, and vendor performance across a broad data estate including Azure Data Factory and Data Lake technologies. The role will combine hands-on technical understanding with strategic planning, people leadership, and commercial management. Key Responsibilities: - Lead and manage a data-focused IT team, driving delivery excellence across operational support, change and innovation. - Act as the key liaison between IT and business stakeholders, aligning data solutions with strategic business goals. - Own delivery and integration of enterprise data pipelines and platforms, ensuring stability and scalability. - Maintain rock-solid operational standards, aligned with ITIL, ISO27001, and internal security policies. - Shape and influence data architecture, process standards, and reusable frameworks including AI and RPA capabilities. - Oversee vendor management and service contracts, ensuring SLA performance and ongoing value delivery. - Drive adoption of planning culture, managing delivery timelines, resource utilisation, and budgets (circa £2m+). - Promote compliance, data governance, and continuous improvement across all data management activities. - Provide leadership and coaching to direct reports and indirect teams, fostering a high-performance culture. Required Experience: - 7+ years in IT consulting or technical leadership roles, ideally within complex enterprise environments. - Strong experience in IT service management, strategy planning, and business process alignment. - Hands-on knowledge of Azure Data Factory, Data Lake, and data pipeline architecture. - Proven experience managing data security, access, and regulatory compliance. - Familiarity with automation tools (AI, RPA) and Agile project delivery (e.g. Scrum, Kanban). - Demonstrated ability to lead teams and third-party vendors, with accountability for SLA and budget management. - Excellent stakeholder engagement, communication, and negotiation skills. - First degree in an IT-related discipline. |  |  |  |
Recruiter: Network IT
Salary: £50,000 to £60,000 Per Annum
Reference: 272106680