Head of Data Engineering
| Posting date: | 03 October 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £74,480 to £85,964 per year |
| Additional salary information: | This post is part of the Scottish Government Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) profession, as a member of the profession you will join the professional development system. This post currently attracts a £5,000.00 annual DDaT pay supplement, applicable after a 3-month competency qualifying period. The payment will be backdated to your start date in the role. Pay supplements are reviewed regularly and there is one currently underway. Changes will be communicated when the review is concluded. |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 19 October 2025 |
| Location: | EH11 3XD |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 3 days per week |
| Company: | Scottish Government |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 1846 |
Summary
Are you ready to join a team as passionate about public service and technical excellence as you are?
The Agriculture and Rural Economy (ARE) Directorate of the Scottish Government is part of the DG Net Zero family of Directorates. ARE’s mission is to work together with stakeholders to enable vibrant and thriving communities and businesses, that protect and enhance Scotland’s nature.
ARE relies on digital services to deliver its commitment to support Scotland’s sustainable economic growth in agriculture, the food industry and in rural areas. It does this through direct payments; a broad range of best practice support and education; and ensuring compliance with regulations. For example, approximately £600 million is paid annually to customers using the major Rural Payments and Services (RP&S) digital platform and other supporting systems. ARE Digital and Data (AD&D) is responsible for providing the capability and capacity that ensures these digital services are reliable, secure and up to date. This requires a broad range of technical competencies, mostly provided by in-house and contracted specialists working in multidisciplinary teams.
In this newly created role you will build and lead the divisions data engineering function, setting its strategic direction as ARE transitions from a legacy data platform to a new cloud based Unified Data Platform (UDP). The UDP is a green field development and as such you will have full autonomy over the definition of processes, tooling and technology to enable the successful delivery of this business critical platform. As a key member of the Division's Senior Management Team you will work under the direction of the C3 Head of Digital Service Operations and collaborate closely with the divisions Platform Engineering, Software Engineering, Cyber Security and Architecture teams to deliver the Directorates key data outcomes.
The Agriculture and Rural Economy (ARE) Directorate of the Scottish Government is part of the DG Net Zero family of Directorates. ARE’s mission is to work together with stakeholders to enable vibrant and thriving communities and businesses, that protect and enhance Scotland’s nature.
ARE relies on digital services to deliver its commitment to support Scotland’s sustainable economic growth in agriculture, the food industry and in rural areas. It does this through direct payments; a broad range of best practice support and education; and ensuring compliance with regulations. For example, approximately £600 million is paid annually to customers using the major Rural Payments and Services (RP&S) digital platform and other supporting systems. ARE Digital and Data (AD&D) is responsible for providing the capability and capacity that ensures these digital services are reliable, secure and up to date. This requires a broad range of technical competencies, mostly provided by in-house and contracted specialists working in multidisciplinary teams.
In this newly created role you will build and lead the divisions data engineering function, setting its strategic direction as ARE transitions from a legacy data platform to a new cloud based Unified Data Platform (UDP). The UDP is a green field development and as such you will have full autonomy over the definition of processes, tooling and technology to enable the successful delivery of this business critical platform. As a key member of the Division's Senior Management Team you will work under the direction of the C3 Head of Digital Service Operations and collaborate closely with the divisions Platform Engineering, Software Engineering, Cyber Security and Architecture teams to deliver the Directorates key data outcomes.