Senior Data Scientist

Applicants need not have experience in managing others, and experience within the NHS or wider health field is not required. Of most importance is a good grasp of applied modelling approaches underpinned by degree-level qualification(s) in a quantitative discipline. Experience of coding in statistical languages, especially in R, is strongly desirable. The role-holder should have an open and inquisitive mind and be prepared to think innovatively and creatively. Experience or ability to facilitate training and development is also desirable.

Flexible working options are available, subject to a required minimum 50% working in the central Bristol office. Occasional travel to sites around the South West may be expected.

Job description Job responsibilities

Applicants need not have experience in managing others, and experience within the NHS or wider health field is not required. Of most importance is a good grasp of applied modelling approaches underpinned by degree-level qualification(s) in a quantitative discipline. Experience of coding in statistical languages, especially in R, is strongly desirable. The role-holder should have an open and inquisitive mind and be prepared to think innovatively and creatively. Experience or ability to facilitate training and development is also desirable.

Flexible working options are available, subject to a required minimum 50% working in the central Bristol office. Occasional travel to sites around the South West may be expected.

Person Specification

Knowledge, Training and Expereince Essential

• Educated to masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area.
• Extensive knowledge of specialist areas, acquired through post graduate diploma or equivalent experience or training plus further specialist knowledge or experience to master's level equivalent
• Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development
• Have specialist thorough knowledge of the principles of mathematics and statistics.
• Must have an understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciate the implications of this on engagement
• Should have an appreciation of the relationship between the Department of Health, the Strategic Health Authority and individual provider and commissioning organisations
• Member of relevant professional body

Communciation Skills Essential

• Must be able to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups
• Negotiate on difficult and controversial issues including performance and change.
• Excellent presentational skills for conveying complex concepts. Ability to use informed persuasion to influence others.
• Persuade board and senior managers of the respective merits of different options, innovation and new market opportunities.
• Be able to effectively lead training and development programmes for internal and external persons.

Analytical Essential

• Ability to identify risks, anticipate issues and create solutions and to resolve problems in relation to project or service delivery.
• Ability to understand a broad range of complex information quickly and making decisions where opinions differ/no obvious solution
• Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands
• Ability to analyse complex facts and situations and develop a range of options
• Takes decisions on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action.
• Strategic thinking - ability to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise

Planning Skills Essential

• Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly
• Good use of available information sources to enable efficient and effective planning

Desirable

• Comprehensive experience of project principles techniques and tools such as Prince 2 and Managing Successful Projects

Management Skills Essential

• Abilities for financial and staff management
• Abilities for financial and staff management Skills for managing relationships with a range of different stakeholders.
• Ability to oversee and influence workloads and deliverables in other teams within the function
• Skills for delivering results through managing through others and using a range of levers in the absence of direct line management responsibility.
• Ability to liaise and work with lead analysts /relevant stakeholder across multiple organisations in order to ensure that the work programme is well communicated and delivers outputs, as expected.

Autonomy / Freedom to Act Essential

• Must be able to use initiative to decide relevant actions and make recommendations to Sponsor/ Manager, with the aim of improving deliverables and compliance to policies.
• Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues, working to tight and often changing timescales
• Experience of identifying and interpreting National policy. Experience of researching best practice (globally, private and public sector), interpreting its relevance and processes/ practices which could be implemented successfully to achieve system reform (advising on policy implementation)

Physical Skills Essential

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office with intermediate keyboard skills.
• Proven abilities and strong working knowledge of specialist statistical software for modelling, analytics and visualisation.

Equality & Diverstiy Essential

• Needs to have a thorough understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems

Financial and Physical Resources Essential

• Previously responsible for a budget, involved in budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes

Other Essential

• Used to working in a busy environment
• Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change
• Willing to engage with and learn from peers, other professionals and colleagues in the desire to provide or support the most appropriate interventions
• Professional calm and efficient manner
• Effective organizer, influencer and networker
• Demonstrates a strong desire to improve performance and make a difference by focusing on goals
• Completer/Finisher

Person Specification Knowledge, Training and Expereince Essential

• Educated to masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area.
• Extensive knowledge of specialist areas, acquired through post graduate diploma or equivalent experience or training plus further specialist knowledge or experience to master's level equivalent
• Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development
• Have specialist thorough knowledge of the principles of mathematics and statistics.
• Must have an understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciate the implications of this on engagement
• Should have an appreciation of the relationship between the Department of Health, the Strategic Health Authority and individual provider and commissioning organisations
• Member of relevant professional body

Communciation Skills Essential

• Must be able to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups
• Negotiate on difficult and controversial issues including performance and change.
• Excellent presentational skills for conveying complex concepts. Ability to use informed persuasion to influence others.
• Persuade board and senior managers of the respective merits of different options, innovation and new market opportunities.
• Be able to effectively lead training and development programmes for internal and external persons.

Analytical Essential

• Ability to identify risks, anticipate issues and create solutions and to resolve problems in relation to project or service delivery.
• Ability to understand a broad range of complex information quickly and making decisions where opinions differ/no obvious solution
• Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands
• Ability to analyse complex facts and situations and develop a range of options
• Takes decisions on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action.
• Strategic thinking - ability to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise

Planning Skills Essential

• Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly
• Good use of available information sources to enable efficient and effective planning

Desirable

• Comprehensive experience of project principles techniques and tools such as Prince 2 and Managing Successful Projects

Management Skills Essential

• Abilities for financial and staff management
• Abilities for financial and staff management Skills for managing relationships with a range of different stakeholders.
• Ability to oversee and influence workloads and deliverables in other teams within the function
• Skills for delivering results through managing through others and using a range of levers in the absence of direct line management responsibility.
• Ability to liaise and work with lead analysts /relevant stakeholder across multiple organisations in order to ensure that the work programme is well communicated and delivers outputs, as expected.

Autonomy / Freedom to Act Essential

• Must be able to use initiative to decide relevant actions and make recommendations to Sponsor/ Manager, with the aim of improving deliverables and compliance to policies.
• Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues, working to tight and often changing timescales
• Experience of identifying and interpreting National policy. Experience of researching best practice (globally, private and public sector), interpreting its relevance and processes/ practices which could be implemented successfully to achieve system reform (advising on policy implementation)

Physical Skills Essential

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office with intermediate keyboard skills.
• Proven abilities and strong working knowledge of specialist statistical software for modelling, analytics and visualisation.

Equality & Diverstiy Essential

• Needs to have a thorough understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems

Financial and Physical Resources Essential

• Previously responsible for a budget, involved in budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes

Other Essential

• Used to working in a busy environment
• Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change
• Willing to engage with and learn from peers, other professionals and colleagues in the desire to provide or support the most appropriate interventions
• Professional calm and efficient manner
• Effective organizer, influencer and networker
• Demonstrates a strong desire to improve performance and make a difference by focusing on goals
• Completer/Finisher

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board

Address

Bristol, Gloucester and hybrid working

Floor 2, North Wing, 100 Temple Street

Bristol Gloucester

BS1 6AG

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://bnssg.icb.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board

Address

Bristol, Gloucester and hybrid working

Floor 2, North Wing, 100 Temple Street

Bristol Gloucester

BS1 6AG

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://bnssg.icb.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Associate Director, Data Science

Dr Richard Wood

[email protected]

Details

Date posted

20 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

461-ICB-6237TG-A

Job locations

Bristol, Gloucester and hybrid working

Floor 2, North Wing, 100 Temple Street

Bristol Gloucester

BS1 6AG

United Kingdom

Job overview

The post-holder will play a lead role in providing analytical solutions for the South West England region, using data provided by the South West Secure Data Environment (SDE).

Main duties

The SDE provides an environment to link patient-level data from various health and care settings for up to 6 million individuals within the South West region. The post will be hosted within the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB), from where the SDE is led.