Chief Data Officer

We have an opportunity for a Chief Data Officer to join our Data Strategy Team within Sector Performance Directorate.

We are Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, a non-ministerial government department responsible for regulating the water sector in England and Wales.

This is an exciting opportunity to deliver a complex transformation and modernisation programme in a critical leadership role within our Sector Performance directorate. The Sector Performance directorate is responsible for driving a step change in water company and sector performance through effective and intelligent oversight and action. Our mission is to regularly, visibly, and proactively challenge companies on their performance, using data-driven insights and operational expertise.

You can find out more about why you should join Ofwat, our strategy, values and our framework for success in the attached Information for Candidates Pack.

The Role

This is a critical leadership role - you will set strategic direction, and inspire and empower a team of 20 direct reports around a common goal. Reporting into the Senior Director for Sector Performance, we need you to own and drive the full potential of data as a strategic asset both for Ofwat and for the wider Water Sector.  

This includes the way in which we obtain and use data from companies and how we work with fellow regulators and government to manage data effectively. The role will include significant external leadership and collaboration through delivery of our data vision and Open Data aspirations.  It will involve work with water companies in the sector to create and foster open data sharing and maturity.

Key deliverables:

In this role you will be expected to: 

• Data Collection & Quality Assurance – Oversee the secure collection, validation, and integration of regulatory data to maintain accuracy, consistency, and reliability.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Data Sharing – Establish data-sharing agreements with industry bodies, government agencies, and regulated entities while ensuring security and transparency in line with internal governance. This includes delivery of our policy approach to Open Data and the broader water sector open data maturity.
• Digital Transformation – work collaboratively with the IT function (and lead from a data and modelling perspective) to positively contribute to the continued automation and digital transformation of regulatory insight and reporting
• Data Governance & Compliance – Lead the team to develop and implement a robust data governance framework, ensuring compliance with GDPR, FOI, and sector-specific regulations. This includes delivery of our data strategy.
• Performance Monitoring & Continuous Improvement – Define the team’s KPIs, track compliance trends, and refine data policies to enhance regulatory effectiveness.
• People Leadership & Development – Build and lead a high-performing data team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning while ensuring staff have the skills and support needed to deliver regulatory priorities.

Ofwat is an agile working environment, so you can expect opportunities to support other directorates and to move around the organisation as work priorities shift.

To be successful in this role you will need the below essential attributes, experience, skills and knowledge:

Experience, skills and knowledge 

1. Lead criterion 1: Comprehensive experience in a leadership role(s) delivering complex data modernisation and transformation programmes, including the delivery of solutions to enhance data-driven decision-making.
2. Lead criterion 2: Demonstrable experience in engaging with cross functional senior organisational leadership including boards, to advise, set policy, influence strategic direction and deliver on data strategy.
3. Extensive experience in leading and managing large, cross functional data teams, driving high performance through clear goal-setting, accountability, and continuous improvement.
4. A degree in a relevant field such as, Data Science, Computer Science, Information Management, Statistics, Business Analytics, or a related discipline. This may also include industry certifications such as Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP), Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP), or GDPR Practitioner.
5. Experience of developing and operating data platforms including data warehousing, open data, Big Data and data integration as well as technology used for data governance, analytics and AI / ML, both on-premise and cloud-based.
6. Strong background in risk management and data security, including compliance with GDPR and other regulatory requirements.
7. Proven ability to manage and lead inclusively, fostering a respectful and supportive environment that values diversity, promotes equity, and enables individuals from all backgrounds to contribute and thrive.
8. Experience in setting strategic objectives and translating them into operational plans, engaging multiple stakeholders with the capacity to anticipate future challenges and opportunities to drive long-term success.
9. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the proven ability to convey complex or technical information clearly and effectively to diverse, non-technical audiences.
10. Proven experience developing and implementing data governance frameworks, including data quality, metadata, and master data management, alongside expertise in data management, analytics, and business intelligence to support evidence-based decision-making and deliver data use cases.