Job Title: Head of Data (Grade 11) – 12 Month Fixed Term Contract
Location: Service Headquarters, Tovil, Maidstone, ME15 6XB – Hybrid working with minimum 3 days per week in the office
Hours: Full Time – 37 Hours per Week,
Pension: Automatic membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme – career average pension scheme with 16.5% employer contribution
Holidays: In addition to bank/ public holidays you will receive 32 days holiday
Base Salary: £73,590 - £79,604 per annum depending on experience
Reference: R001067
Being a part of Kent Fire and Rescue Service
Everyone is unique. Everyone has value. Everyone helps to make Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) a great place to work. We are one team. Together with our customers we are creating a safer future for Kent and Medway.
Being the Head of Data
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Head of Data on an initial 12 Month Fixed Term Contract with a view for extension / permanent based on success of the role. The Head of Data will be Responsible for establishing and leading KFRS's enterprise data capability, ensuring data is managed as a strategic organisational asset and is trusted, accessible, secure and fit for purpose.
You will develop the Enterprise Data Strategy; define the data architecture and engineering standards enabled by Microsoft Fabric; establish governance and quality capability; and create foundations for advanced analytics, automation and responsible AI
The Head of Data will lead the architecture, engineering and integration capability enabled by Microsoft Fabric, including reusable data products, semantic models, lakehouse /warehouse patterns, data pipelines and controlled data flows. In addition, reduce manual workarounds and fragmented reporting by improving how data is connected, transformed, validated, documented and shared across KFRS
What you’ll do
- Develop and deliver the Enterprise Data Strategy and affordable long-term roadmap aligned to the Corporate Plan, CRMP, Digital Strategy and strategic investment priorities
- Define the enterprise data operating model, architecture, principles, standards and governance arrangements required to manage data as a trusted organisational asset.
- Establish an inventory of critical data assets, systems, flows, owners, stewards, quality risks, manual workarounds and dependencies; escalate unowned or unverified data as an explicit decision-making risk.
- Establish accountable ownership and stewardship for critical data, standard definitions, metadata, cataloguing, lifecycle management, master data and data change control.
- Lead the architecture, engineering and integration capability enabled by Microsoft Fabric, including reusable data products, semantic models, lakehouse/warehouse patterns, data pipelines and controlled data flows.
- Reduce manual workarounds and fragmented reporting by improving how data is connected, transformed, validated, documented and shared across KFRS
- Engage with senior leaders, IT, Digital, Data Owners, suppliers and partners, providing clear advice on data value, risk, affordability, architecture and delivery confidence
What you’ll bring
- Degree-level qualification or equivalent professional experience in data, information management, computer science, technology, mathematics, business or a related discipline.
- Relevant senior professional experience leading data capability or major data transformation
- Relevant professional certification in data management, cloud data, architecture or information governance (Desirable)
- Ability to set strategic direction and convert an enterprise data vision into a prioritised, affordable and deliverable roadmap.
- Lead the design and adoption of governed data architecture, data products and engineering standards, working with IT on enabling platforms
- Able to Build OR transform an enterprise data function, beyond managing reporting alone
- Establishing governance, ownership, stewardship, standards, catalogues and quality arrangements.
- Leading or overseeing data architecture and engineering, including ETL/ELT, integration, pipelines, models and reusable data products
- Experience of Microsoft Fabric, OneLake or equivalent cloud data environment at scale (Desirable)
- Experience of leading multidisciplinary technical teams and creating a sustainable operating model.
- Comfortable Influencing executive stakeholders on risk, investment, affordability and change
Benefits
- Automatic membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme
- Enhanced Annual Leave entitlement
- Annual Salary increase - Increase of 1 scale point per year within Grade to the top of the Grade.
- Blue Light Card discount scheme supported by a number of high street retailers
- CSSC Card - Discount provider for civil servants and public sector workers
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) - Confidential support service designed to help manage personal or work-related issues that may affect health, wellbeing, or job performance.
- A range of family friendly policies promoting work-life balance
- Free to join internal clubs and colleague forums
- Access to health and wellbeing services and advice
- Access to Gym Facilities
- Free parking
- Above all you’ll become part of a service that is committed to the safety of our community
How to apply
Please complete an online application and CV by 10th September 2026.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy upon receiving a sufficient number of applications. If you are interested in this role, we recommend that you submit your application at the earliest opportunity.
Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. We know that great minds don’t think alike, so we rely on diverse thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and backgrounds to create the best working environment that we can possibly offer.
Kent Fire and Rescue Service, its employees, and volunteers are committed to safeguarding, protecting, and supporting children, young people, and adults at risk. As part of our safer recruitment process, we will undertake pre-employment checks to verify your suitability for the role. These checks will include your references and a standard or enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Enhanced DBS check with barred lists are carried out for roles with direct and unsupervised access to children, young people, and adults at risk. Risk assessments will be undertaken on any disclosures identified as part of the pre-employment checks.
As a Public Sector organisation with added responsibilities under the Equality Act, 2010 the candidate must demonstrate an understanding of what is meant by Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion and how this fits in with their everyday work.
Pay: £73,590.00-£79,604.00 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Enhanced paternity leave
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site gym
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
- Work from home
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Maidstone ME15 6XB
