Deputy Director, Central Data Science and AI

Office for National Statistics

Newport

2 months ago

Applications closed

Location: The locations for this role are Newport, Titchfield (Fareham), Manchester & London.

We operate a flexible hybrid working model across the UK, with colleagues linked to one of our contractual locations and working between office and remote throughout the week. All Senior Civil Service colleagues are required to work from their contractually allocated site for at least 60% of their working time.

Closing Date: Apply before 11:55pm on Sunday 1st March 2026

Central Data Science and AI (CDS-AI) is part of Strategic Innovation and Analysis Directorate and applies data science, and builds skills, for public good across the UK and internationally. Our role is to apply data science and AI in impactful ways to improve statistics, the operations of the Office for National Statistics, and wider public sector (domestic and international) decision-making. The CDS-AI is an internationally renowned centre of excellence with an international reputation in leading the data science and AI agenda, particularly as it applies to National Statistical Organisations such as the ONS.

CDS-AI is looking for a new Deputy Director to help lead the next phase of data science capacity building throughout ONS and across government. CDS-AI and SIA is a friendly, diverse and collaborative environment, and this leadership role oversees established applied data science and programme teams situated across our four UK hubs.

You will be responsible for over 80 CDS-AI staff – data scientists, developers, project delivery, and programme managers who deliver data science projects and programmes. Our remit stretches beyond improving official statistics and supports better decision making in the UK and internationally.

For a full job description and details of the skills & experience we are looking for, please click the APPLY button to see our full advert on Civil Service Jobs.

Benefits

✔A market leading pension scheme - our employer contribution rate is around 29%
✔Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of 26 weeks full pay (subject to qualifying criteria)
✔Opportunities to learn new technology & skills on the job, utilising blocked out Protected Learning Time in your weekly schedule and taking advantage of the support of our Communities of Practice
✔Employee Assistance Programmes
✔Diversity Network Groups
✔Mental Health Allies
✔Civil Service Sports and Social club
✔Generous holiday allowance – 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years service in addition to 9 public holidays

For more information about this role, a full application pack, and to apply, please hit APPLY to be taken to Civil Service Jobs.

#J-18808-Ljbffr

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

Apr 9, 2026

Products

Where to Advertise Machine Learning Jobs in the UK (2026 Guide)

Advertising machine learning jobs in the UK requires a different approach to most technical hiring. The candidate pool is small, highly specialised and in demand across AI labs, financial services, healthcare, autonomous systems and consumer technology simultaneously. Machine learning engineers and researchers move between roles through professional networks, conference communities and specialist platforms — not general job boards where ML roles compete with unrelated software engineering positions for the same audience. This guide, published by MachineLearningJobs.co.uk, covers where to advertise machine learning roles in the UK in 2026, how the main platforms compare, what employers should expect to pay, and what the data says about hiring across different role types.

Mar 24, 2026

Jobs

New Machine Learning Employers to Watch in 2026: UK and Global Companies Driving ML Innovation

Machine learning (ML) has transitioned from a specialised field into a core business capability. In 2026, organisations across healthcare, finance, robotics, autonomous systems, natural language processing, and analytics are expanding their machine learning teams to build scalable intelligent products and services. For professionals exploring opportunities on www.MachineLearningJobs.co.uk , understanding the companies that are scaling, winning investment, or securing high‑impact contracts is crucial. This article highlights the new and high‑growth machine learning employers to watch in 2026, focusing on UK innovators, international firms with significant UK presence, and global platforms investing in machine learning talent locally.

Feb 11, 2026

Careers

How Many Machine Learning Tools Do You Need to Know to Get a Machine Learning Job?

Machine learning is one of the most exciting and rapidly growing areas of tech. But for job seekers it can also feel like a maze of tools, frameworks and platforms. One job advert wants TensorFlow and Keras. Another mentions PyTorch, scikit-learn and Spark. A third lists Mlflow, Docker, Kubernetes and more. With so many names out there, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you must learn everything just to be competitive. Here’s the honest truth most machine learning hiring managers won’t say out loud: 👉 They don’t hire you because you know every tool. They hire you because you can solve real problems with the tools you know. Tools are important — no doubt — but context, judgement and outcomes matter far more. So how many machine learning tools do you actually need to know to get a job? For most job seekers, the real number is far smaller than you think — and more logically grouped. This guide breaks down exactly what employers expect, which tools are core, which are role-specific, and how to structure your learning for real career results.