Director, Central Data Service
| Posting date: | 31 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £71,566 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 28 April 2026 |
| Location: | University Of Keele, Keele |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 3 days per week |
| Company: | Keele University |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | KU00004973 |
Summary
The Director, Central Data Service will lead the strategic transformation of Keele’s data landscape. You will lead the development understanding of data within the institution from a mainly reactive ‘report-producing’ and compliance-oriented to a proactive ‘data-led’ culture. As the University’s chief data strategist, you will oversee the entire data lifecycle—from developing processes to ensure the fixing of root-cause quality issues at the source to, ensuring a data infrastructure capable of supporting AI aspirations, to deploying advanced visualization tools that empower academic and professional leaders to make real-time, evidence-based decisions.
Our data should be used for the benefit of our teaching and learning, and our research, as such it needs management and governance to enable as well as to protect. You will ensure that while our statutory obligations remain impeccable, our data is treated as a strategic asset that drives institutional development and student success.
This role will act as primary contact point to ensure the University develops a coherent approach to Data Services whilst recognising the different requirements across education, research and professional services.
As such the ideal candidate will have good communication skills, have evidential experience of driving change and be able to demonstrate a commitment to collaborative working.
The Benefits
The University recognises that its success depends upon the contribution and dedication of its talented staff. In return, we have a competitive benefits package available, including:
Generous annual leave entitlement with opportunities to purchase additional leave
Excellent staff pension scheme
Access to continued personal, professional and career development
On site ‘outstanding’ nursery
Discounted health & fitness facilities on site
Cycle to work scheme (subject to eligibility)
Agile working (blend of home and office based) would be considered for this role. Some out of hours working will be required in this role.
Please note that the starting salary will typically be at the bottom of the pay scale shown above
The University is committed to operating flexible working practices wherever possible.
The University
Keele University is renowned for its exciting approach to higher education, innovative research, beautiful campus, strong community spirit and excellent student experience. With a turnover in excess of £200 million, over 15,000 students and a total staff of approximately 2000, the University provides high quality teaching across a wide range of academic and vocational subjects and promotes world-class research. Further information can be found at https://www.keele.ac.uk/about/
Keele University values diversity, and is committed to ensuring equity of opportunity, and to proper and fair representation across its senior decision making groups. In support of these commitments, the University particularly welcomes expressions of interest and applications from women and from individuals of Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, for this post.
How to Apply
For full post details and to find out more about working at Keele please visit: www.keele.ac.uk/vacancies
For informal enquiries may be addressed to Daniel Perry, CIO & University Librarian, d.j.perry@keele.ac.uk. Applications to this address will not be accepted.
Interviews will be held on: To Be Confirmed. Successful applicants will be notified.
Our data should be used for the benefit of our teaching and learning, and our research, as such it needs management and governance to enable as well as to protect. You will ensure that while our statutory obligations remain impeccable, our data is treated as a strategic asset that drives institutional development and student success.
This role will act as primary contact point to ensure the University develops a coherent approach to Data Services whilst recognising the different requirements across education, research and professional services.
As such the ideal candidate will have good communication skills, have evidential experience of driving change and be able to demonstrate a commitment to collaborative working.
The Benefits
The University recognises that its success depends upon the contribution and dedication of its talented staff. In return, we have a competitive benefits package available, including:
Generous annual leave entitlement with opportunities to purchase additional leave
Excellent staff pension scheme
Access to continued personal, professional and career development
On site ‘outstanding’ nursery
Discounted health & fitness facilities on site
Cycle to work scheme (subject to eligibility)
Agile working (blend of home and office based) would be considered for this role. Some out of hours working will be required in this role.
Please note that the starting salary will typically be at the bottom of the pay scale shown above
The University is committed to operating flexible working practices wherever possible.
The University
Keele University is renowned for its exciting approach to higher education, innovative research, beautiful campus, strong community spirit and excellent student experience. With a turnover in excess of £200 million, over 15,000 students and a total staff of approximately 2000, the University provides high quality teaching across a wide range of academic and vocational subjects and promotes world-class research. Further information can be found at https://www.keele.ac.uk/about/
Keele University values diversity, and is committed to ensuring equity of opportunity, and to proper and fair representation across its senior decision making groups. In support of these commitments, the University particularly welcomes expressions of interest and applications from women and from individuals of Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, for this post.
How to Apply
For full post details and to find out more about working at Keele please visit: www.keele.ac.uk/vacancies
For informal enquiries may be addressed to Daniel Perry, CIO & University Librarian, d.j.perry@keele.ac.uk. Applications to this address will not be accepted.
Interviews will be held on: To Be Confirmed. Successful applicants will be notified.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.