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Job summary

Main area
Data Architect
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Contract
Permanent
Hours
  • Full time
  • Flexible working
37.5 hours per week
Job ref
914-BSA4801-A
Employer
NHS Business Services Authority
Employer type
NHS
Site
Stella House
Town
Newcastle Upon Tyne
Salary
£53,755 - £60,504 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
09/01/2025 23:59

Employer heading

NHS Business Services Authority logo

Data Architect

NHS AfC: Band 8a

Job overview

If you are really passionate about data, understand the power that data can have and want to use your knowledge in a role that can make a
difference, the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) have the role for you! We are looking for a Data Architect to join our Digital, Data &
Technology Directorate. It’s the perfect opportunity to take the next step in your career whilst supporting the NHS.

If you are excellent at problem solving, great at building relationships and have outstanding technical data architecture skills, you have what this
role needs! You will join the Data Strategy & Governance team, as part of a newly developed data architecture function. You will work in
partnership with stakeholders, analysing how data is modelled and collected, understanding gaps, and making recommendations for
improvements. You will help design, develop, and implement data principles and standards across the organisation. You will need to be
enthusiastic, a logical thinker and have a drive to succeed!

What do we offer?

  • 27 days leave (increasing with length of service) plus 8 bank holidays
  • Flexible working (we are happy to discuss options such as compressed hours)
  • Flexi time
  • Hybrid working model (we are currently working largely remotely)
  • Career development
  • Active wellbeing and inclusion networks
  •  Excellent pension
  • NHS Car lease scheme
  • Access to a wide range of benefits and high street discounts!

Main duties of the job

  • Undertaking a review of NHSBSA’s critical data assets, cataloguing data items and their sources. Working closely with the product
    teams to define their data requirements based on the data architecture standard.
  • Build and manage the repository of NHSBSA’s data assets and help define/manage/maintain data standards for NHSBSA
  • Develop robust data models to meet customer needs creating technical design documentation that reflects data standards
  •  Continually researching emerging technologies and best practices to ensure standards are maintained
  • Understands a variety of metadata management tools and can design/maintain the appropriate metadata repositories to enable the
    NHSBSA to understand their data assets
  • Collaborate with partners across functions to ensure solutions adhere to architectural principles, best practice, and meet the desired outcomes of the customers
  • Providing SME input to the development and evolution of the NHSBSA data architecture standards, policies, and practices
  • Evaluating technical proposals from external suppliers, making implementation recommendations to senior stakeholders
  •  Explaining the concepts and principles of data modelling; producing, maintaining, and updating relevant data models for specific
    business needs
  • Contribute to and prepare proposals for change including producing necessary estimates, mandates, and business cases within the relevant departments.

Working for our organisation

Here at the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), what we do matters. 

We manage the NHS Pension scheme, process prescription payments and much more. Our services are used by NHS organisations, contractors and the public: we take pride in being part of something so meaningful, that touches millions of lives.

 Just as we design our services around the needs of our customers, we place our people at the heart of our organisation. That’s why when you join us, you’ll be empowered and given the right support to help your career grow.

 As one of the UK’s Best Big Companies to work for, we’re all connected to our values: Collaborative, Adventurous, Reliable and Energetic. We care about our people, our purpose, and your progress.

We strive to offer a fantastic colleague experience, where every voice is heard, and every colleague is supported and respected. Wellbeing, diversity and inclusion is at the centre of this, so when you join us, you can connect with our Lived Experience Networks who help us to bring our authentic selves to work.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and circumstances. We are committed and proud to be a flexible employer and will endeavour to offer a working pattern that suits you wherever possible, whether that be hybrid working, flexible hours, job sharing and more.   

Ready to join us on our journey to be a catalyst for better health? Apply today and see where the NHSBSA can take you. 

We are people connected to care.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

In this role, you are accountable for:

  1. Undertaking a review of NHSBSA’s critical data assets, cataloguing data items and their sources
  2. Working closely with the product teams to define their data requirement based on the enterprise data architecture standard.
  3. Build and manage the repository of NHS BSA’s data assets.
  4. Help define / manage/ maintain the data standard for NHS BSA
  5. Take business and technical requirements and implement the data tier of a solution in compliance with data strategy
  6.  Development of robust Data Models to meet customer needs
  7. Identifying viable solution options offering value for money delivery
  8. Continually researching emerging technologies and best practices to ensure standards are maintained.
  9. Creating technical design documentation, that reflects the data standards.
  10. Understanding a variety of metadata management tools and can design and maintain the appropriate metadata repositories to enable the organisation to understand their data assets
  11. Recommending suitable terminology and metadata standards and supporting the management of coherent, consistent, and accessible data dictionaries
  12. Logging, analysing, and managing problems in order to identify and implement the appropriate solution ensuring that the problem is fixed.
  13. Undertaking data profiling and source system analysis, presenting clear insights to colleagues to support the end use of the data.
  14. Making recommendations on technology platforms to enable near-real time data linkage
  15. Developing requirements specifications and business cases to support projects as required
  16. Collaborate with partners across functions to ensure solutions adhere to architectural principles, best practice, and meet the desired outcomes of the customers
  17. Providing SME input to the development and evolution of the NHSBSA data architecture standards, policies, and practices.
  18. Evaluating technical proposals from external suppliers, making implementation recommendations to senior stakeholders as required
  19. Explaining the concepts and principles of data modelling; producing, maintaining, and updating relevant data models for specific business needs
  20. Supporting the development of talent within the team by delivering specialist training and providing ongoing coaching to trainee Data Architects.
  21. Contribute to continuous business plans including budget monitoring
  22. Contribute to and prepare proposals for change including producing necessary estimates, mandates, and business cases within the relevant departments
  23. Developing outputs to demonstrate uses of data using modern business intelligence and reporting tools
  24. Taking responsibility for collaborating and supporting in wider governance not just data governance; assuring and integrating data services to meet the needs of multiple business services
  25. Working proactively to ensure the organisation designs architecture that considers all users and uses of data
  26. Developing and setting data standards across multiple subject areas and liaising with the NHSBSAs Design Authority where appropriate.

 

In addition to the above accountabilities, as post holder you are expected to:

  1. Undertake additional duties and responsibilities in line with the purpose of your role and as agreed by your line manager.
  2. Demonstrate NHSBSA values and core capabilities in all aspects of your work.
  3. Encourage an environment where your own and colleagues’ safety and well-being is promoted.
  4. Contribute to a culture which values diversity and inclusion.
  5. Follow NHSBSA policies, procedures, and protocols as they apply to your role

 

Working relationships

Responsible to: Enterprise Data Architect

Key relationships and connections:

  1. Team members / Data Governance Team
  2. Business stakeholders
  3. Senior managers
  4. Service delivery teams
  5. Service Managers
  6. Suppliers
  7. Peer Networks

Person specification

Personal Qualities, Knowledge and Skills

Essential criteria
  • Data modelling - Understand the concepts and principles of data modelling and able to produce relevant data models. Reverse engineer data models from a live system.
  • Ability to identify the conformity of data across different systems
  • Data Analysis & Synthesis - Undertakes data profiling and source system analysis and can present clear insights to colleagues to support the end use of the data
  • Data Governance - Knows how to assure and integrate data services to meet the needs of multiple business services. Works proactively to ensure the organisation designs architecture that considers data.
  • Turning business problems into data design – working with business and technology stakeholders to translate business problems into data designs, through iterative processes and alignment of user needs with organisational objectives
  • Ability to break down complex problems and projects into manageable goals
  • Ability to get to the heart of a problem and make sound and timely decisions to resolve it
  • Ability to develop people, skills in coaching, mentoring, and teaching on the job
  • Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills
  • Enthusiasm, motivation and resourcefulness, with the initiative to recognise and escalate problems and opportunities
Desirable criteria
  • Ability to manage adversity and challenging situations
  • Ability to develop cooperative and constructive working relationships
  • Self-motivated and have an energetic approach
  • An understanding of data linkage methodologies and technologies
  • Knowledge of DAMA DMBOK

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Proven work experience in data architecture and data modelling.
  • Knowledge of industry best practices for database development and administration of relational and multi-dimensional database design
  • Knowledge and experience of working with large datasets in relational database systems such as Microsoft SQL Server, PL SQL, PostGres etc.
  • Experience of eliciting and documenting user requirements from a wide range of stakeholders
  • Experience of working with or advising on the development of coherent and consistent terminology, definitions, dictionaries, or business glossaries.
  • Expert level knowledge of industry best practices for database development and administration of relational and multi-dimensional database design
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge and experience of business intelligence and reporting tools for data visualisation
  • Knowledge and experience of advising on links between relational/transactional and dimensional/reporting databases such as Data Warehousing, Extract Transform and Load processes, and reporting systems
  • Knowledge and experience of open-source big data tools
  • Recent experience of integrating large, complex datasets
  • Experience of working with standard terminologies such as SNOMED CT or the NHS Data Model and Dictionary
  • An understanding of data linkage methodologies and technologies
  • Experience of analysing and validating requirements through the lifecycle of a project or an on-going service
  • An understanding of GDPR
  • Experience of Data Governance & Data Quality tooling

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • An IT related degree or equivalent, plus significant demonstrable experience in two of the following: Data Architecture (digital and service) , System Design, Business and Technical Analysis, Data Profiling and/or Data Modelling
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge of GDS principles
  • Experience of working in an agile environment
  • TOGAF Certification or equivalent

Employer certification / accreditation badges

LGBTQIE Top 100 2023LGBTQIE Gold Award 2023Menopause Friendly EmployerDisability confident leaderArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardENEI Gold '22Better Health at Work AwardStep into healthCarer Confident -AccomplishedStonewall Top 100 Employers in 2023UK's 25 Best Big Companies 2023Care Confident EmployerNot-for-profit bodies Top 5 organisations 2023

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Samujjwal Basu
Job title
Data Warehouse & BI Lead Architect
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
+44 7810 714822
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