Posted to IASSIST on: 2015-07-28
Employer: UK Data Service / UK Data Archive
Employer URL: http://ukdataservice.ac.uk/
Description
The Functional Director for Access is responsible for the strategic development and delivery of the Access and Resource Discovery functions of the UK Data Service. In this senior role they will be expected to be the public face for these functions at high level external meetings, committees and events. It is an exciting opportunity to undertake research and development, and to help shape the data access landscape, also with new communities of users in mind.
The post-holder will be located at the UK Data Archive and will be responsible for overseeing activities at various sites of the UK Data Service. They will ensure that the Service maintains streamlined access to data via a variety of access points, with data ranging from open to restricted-access, following robust procedures.
They will take responsibility for developing and maintaining data access policies, reviewing current access mechanisms and developing new data discovery and access tools that incorporate big data solutions. This will include both back office and public facing tools.
The post holder will lead on metadata strategy for the Service, incorporating relevant metadata schema for social science data that include DDI and SDMX and Inspire, and will lead on data citation data strategies and implementation.
Essential:
- Degree in a relevant subject
- Postgraduate degree or equivalent experience in either a relevant data-using discipline or information management
- Appreciation and knowledge of social science landscape
- Experience of the UK research environment
- Experienced project/strategic manager
- Experience in management, preferably in a research or academic setting, with strong motivational skills and ability to engender and manage effective teamwork
- Knowledge of data owners’ needs and challenges
- Experience supporting data users
- Knowledge of a wide range of information systems and standards, including data security, data management, data curation, metadata standards, internet technologies, and a variety of data access platforms
- Knowledge of UK (and international) data access infrastructures
- Experience of overseeing and directing the development and delivery of services to agreed time frames and standards
- Demonstrable leadership skills
- Excellent communication skills both written and spoken, for conveying information to a wide range of stakeholders and audiences with differing levels of expertise and understanding
- Ability to use initiative to address complex issues
- Ability to work collaboratively
- Strong IT skills, MS Pro, manipulation of data in Excel
- Ability to deliver clear and concise presentations and be a face of authority on the topics under discussion
- Can fulfil the staff vetting procedure for Government contracts (see general information for more details)
- Ability to meet the requirements of UK ‘right to work’ legislation*
Desired:
- Experience in the specification, development and user experience testing of new systems and services
- Experience in international collaborative work and a sensitivity to national and cultural differences
- Experience of working with a range of external stakeholders, relevant to the post
- Extensive existing personal network among stakeholders, effective working contacts among government departments, academic units, funding councils, and sister data service organisations nationally and internationally
Archived on: 2015-07-30