Job summary
- Main area
- Data & Digital Services
- Grade
- Band 8b
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 028-AC109-0626
- Employer
- Public Health Wales NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Public Health Wales
- Town
- Cardiff
- Salary
- £67,583 - £78,530 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 22/06/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 03/07/2026
Employer heading
Lead Data Services Manager
Band 8b
Welcome to Public Health Wales, the national public health organisation for Wales
Our vision is Working to achieve a healthier future for Wales
To find out more visit Public Health Wales and watch this video about our Strategic Plan
Working together, with trust and respect, to make a difference
Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram
Applicants are invited to apply in Welsh, any application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application made in English. To support our all Wales service, we particularly welcome applications from Welsh speakers.
Important Note for vacancies offered on a fixed-term or secondment basis.
Individuals who hold permanent (substantive) employment within the NHS may only be appointed via secondment. Approval for a secondment must be obtained from your current line manager prior to submitting an application.
Job overview
Are you an experienced digital and data leader who can help shape how Public Health Wales harnesses data to improve population health? We’re looking for a Lead Data Services Manager to play a pivotal role in transforming our data capabilities, strengthening our digital foundations, and ensuring that our services remain safe, effective, and future‑focused.
As a Lead in our Digital Services team, you will lead multi‑disciplinary digital, data and information specialists who design, operate, and improve the data systems underpinning our national public health outcomes. From delivering modern data environments to leading major digital programmes, you’ll be central in ensuring that high‑quality data drives meaningful insight and impact across our services.
The role sits within the Research, Data and Digital Directorate and contributes directly to the organisation’s strategic goals. You’ll work closely with cross-functional teams, senior leaders, and external partners to help shape effective, future-ready services across the health system.
If you're passionate about national-scale digital and data transformation and public health innovation—this is your opportunity to make a real difference.
Main duties of the job
The Lead Data Services Manager provides strategic and operational leadership across Public Health Wales’s digital, data and information functions. They’ll lead and manage the Informatics and Data Services (IDS) Team and ensure alignment with the organisation’s long-term strategy and the Digital and Data Strategy. You will be a part of the senior leadership across the division and the organisation, enabling successful cross-function partnerships.
Alongside this strategic leadership, the role is responsible for driving the delivery of complex digital and data projects, overseeing the design of data flows, and supporting the adoption of modern cloud platforms. The post‑holder communicates highly complex information to technical and non‑technical audiences and ensures compliance with national data standards and legislation. They will work closely with information governance, cybersecurity, and clinical safety teams to support the mitigation of risks and manage incidents.
For further information on Public Health Wales please visit https://phw.nhs.wales/
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.
Working for our organisation
We are Public Health Wales – the national public health agency in Wales. Our purpose is ‘Working together for a healthier Wales'. We exist to help everyone in Wales live longer, healthier, happier lives. Together with our partners, we work to increase healthy life expectancy, improve health and well-being, and reduce inequalities for everyone in Wales, now and for future generations.
Our teams work to prevent disease, protect health, and provide leadership, specialist services and public health expertise. We are the leading source of public health information, research and innovation in Wales. In a world facing complex health challenges, our work has never been so important.
We are guided by our Values, 'Working together, with trust and respect, to make a difference'. We are committed to building an inclusive workplace that values equality and diversity. We welcome applications which represent the rich diversity of the communities we serve and are supportive of flexible working arrangements, including part time roles and job sharing.
To find out more about working for us and the benefits we offer please visit https://phw.nhs.wales/careers/
For guidance on the application process, please visit https://phw.nhs.wales/working-for-us/applicant-information-and-guidance/
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
About the Role
As a Lead in our Digital Services team, you will lead multi-disciplinary data and digital specialists who design, operate, and improve the data systems underpinning our national public health mission. From delivering modern data environments to embedding best practice governance and leading major digital programmes, you’ll be central in ensuring that high quality data drives meaningful insight and impact across our services.
What You’ll Do
-
Lead and develop specialist data and information teams, fostering an agile, collaborative culture, maintaining clear roadmaps for data systems and architectures
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Oversee and collaborate on the delivery of major digital and data projects, working across PHW with clinical, operational, and technical teams
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Communicate complex information to diverse stakeholders and produce clear technical documentation
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Collaborate across the directorate to support quality assurance, risk mitigation, and incident response for data and digital services
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Ensure compliance with information governance, GDPR, NHS standards and data protection requirements
What You Bring
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Significant leadership experience within data, digital, or technical environments
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Deep expertise in modern data platforms and interoperability standards
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A passion for Agile approaches, continuous improvement, and delivering high‑quality digital services and programmes
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Strong communication skills, able to translate complex concepts for diverse audiences
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The ability to lead collaboration across clinical, operational, and technical teams.
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click “Apply now” to view in Trac.
Person specification
Qualification and Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Degree in computer science, data analysis, data engineering, information management or equivalent experience
- Highly specialist knowledge acquired through postgraduate study or equivalent experience to Master’s level in digital, data or information systems
- Skilled in modern data environments and platforms, such as SQL, relational databases, and modern BI tools
- Knowledge of interoperability standards (HL7, FHIR)
- Knowledge of programme and project management
- Understanding of data policy (e.g. GDPR) and its impact on our digital services
Desirable criteria
- Familiarity with healthcare coding standards (ICD, SNOMED CT), and reporting frameworks.
Experience
Essential criteria
- Proven experience of working in a senior management position leading technical or data teams
- Experience of working and engaging with senior clinical/managerial staff to shape data requirements
- Significant experience of effective delivery of large, highly complex projects or products
- Experience with migrating data to cloud environments
Desirable criteria
- Experience working within NHS Wales or other UK health systems.
- Familiarity with Agile delivery, DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and containerisation
Skills and Attributes
Essential criteria
- Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the proven ability to inspire, mentor, and coach a technical team.
- Excellent communication skills, capable of engaging with both technical and non-technical stakeholders across NHS Wales
- Committed to continuous improvement, innovation, and professional development.
- Collaborative and inclusive, with a strong focus on delivering value to service users and healthcare professiona
Other
Essential criteria
- Prepared to travel to sites across Wales
Applicant requirements
Welsh language skills are desirable
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dafydd James
- Job title
- Head of Digital Experience and Services
- Email address
- [email protected]
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