Project Manager (Data Science and AI) - Leeds Regional Centre - Wellington Place

Project Manager (Data Science and AI) - Leeds Regional Centre - Wellington Place

About the job

Job summary

Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you're seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it's really like to work at HMRC.

Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential.

This is an exciting opportunity to join HMRC's CDIO (Chief Digital & Information Officer) data science team working in Data Studios, the project management arm of CDIO Data Science and AI delivering analytical solutions to business problems. These solutions could be anything from generative AI, traditional AI, or power platform projects.

Job description

You will manage a group of small-medium AI projects with responsibility for all project management aspects. This includes project documentation and governance per project.

You will schedule and facilitate agile ceremonies e.g., requirement gathering workshops, show and tells etc.

You will facilitate conversations to ensure data protection impact assessments (DPIA) or equivalent data operational processes are completed in partnership with data scientists and business subject matter experts for compliance purposes.

You will also identify and look to remove obstacles/risks and/or escalate issues outside of your control.

You will have responsibility for the ongoing management of project benefits, including their identification, monitoring, and regular updating to reflect current progress in alignment with the data science workflow app and working in partnership with the customer.

Our project managers lead, develop and motivate multidisciplinary teams to deliver value. They create the right environment for teams to succeed, helping them self-organise and create a culture of learning, collaboration, and transparency. We use a range of project methodologies, mainly within an agile setting, to monitor and forecast Studio work as well as create a motivating environment to focus on what is most important to the delivery for project success.

You will lead a Data Studio team throughout the data delivery lifecycle, to deliver value and change, usually within the context of wider AI projects and programmes. For example, you will support the responsible delivery of AI solutions, ensuring ethical considerations and compliance with relevant standards and policies are embedded throughout the project lifecycle.

Regarding your own personal development, you will have opportunities to develop your skills in AI/agile delivery, and leadership through collaboration with experts and access to learning resources, all of which are considered very important for all CDIO Data Science colleagues.

There will be occasional travel involved with this role.

Person specification

• Support the delivery of AI, data science and analytical projects from initial idea through to implementation and handover.
• Act as a key link between business stakeholders and technical teams, ensuring business needs and objectives are clearly understood.
• Facilitate workshops, requirements gathering, sprint planning, stand-ups, retrospectives and show-and-tell sessions.
• Help assess, triage and prioritise incoming requests based on suitability, impact, strategic fit and urgency.
• Work collaboratively with data scientists, engineers and business stakeholders to define requirements and validate technical feasibility.
• Maintain project documentation, governance and assurance activities, ensuring compliance with relevant standards and processes.
• Identify, manage and escalate risks, issues, dependencies and blockers that could impact delivery.
• Monitor project progress, benefits and outcomes, supporting continuous improvement and benefits realisation.
• Support testing, stakeholder engagement, solution adoption and transition into live service or business-as-usual operations.
• Promote a collaborative, agile and customer-focused culture while contributing to knowledge sharing and team development.

Essential Criteria

• Proven track record of working in a complex fast paced project/programme environment, together with a working knowledge and understanding of project management methodologies.
• Ability to communicate and influence at ease, both written and verbally, flexing style to suit the target audience, providing constructive challenge where required.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to build trusted relationships and credibility, to engage confidently, work collaboratively with wide ranging and diverse stakeholders and colleagues to generate common focus.

Desirable Criteria

• One or more qualifications that supports your ability to manage projects and teams e.g. Certified ScrumMaster, Association of Project Management qualifications.
• Experience in one or more of the following disciplines: Business analysis, benefits management and change management.
• Familiarity with emerging technologies such as GenAI.
• Project experience specifically in IT and/or data projects.
• Familiarisation with Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework.

Further Location Information

Please ensure that you only apply for a location that you are willing and able to work from, as we will only make one offer of employment. Any additional notes included in a 'Further Location Preferences (optional)' field within the application form, will not be considered. Please be aware that you cannot change your location preference after submitting your application.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 45,544, HM Revenue and Customs contributes 13,194 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.

We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.

• Pension - We make contributions to our colleagues' Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
• Family friendly policies.
• Personal support.
• Coaching and development.

To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it's really like to work for HMRC hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

How to Apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:

• A name-blind CV including your job history and previous experiences. Your CV should cover up to your last 5 roles, detailing your responsibilities and key achievements (max 100 words per role).
• A 500-word Personal Statement. Your Personal statement should clearly demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the essential criteria.

Please evidence any Desirable Criteria where applicable (up to 250 words max). This is not essential for the role but may be considered by the vacancy holder where candidates have the same score at interview.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

In the event of a large number of applications being received, an initial sift may be held on your CV.

At full sift your CV and Personal Statement will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.

We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.

Interview

Candidates who pass the full sift will be invited to interview. The interview will be 45 minutes in duration and will be held on Teams. During the panel interview, you will be asked experience-based questions linked to the following behaviours:

- Delivering at Pace
- Communicating and Influencing
- Leadership

When answering you will be required to provide a specific example from your career which demonstrates the experience in question. You would be advised prepare specific examples from you career in advance.

You will be advised to apply the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique when delivering examples. You would be encouraged to prepare demonstratable examples of your experience ahead of the interview to ensure meaningfulness and completeness.

Please note that circumstances may arise that require the planned interview format to change. We will endeavour to provide you with as much notice of any change as possible.

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. Mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we may not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, or have withdrawn yourself in error and need your application reinstated whilst the campaign is still live, please contact us via: [email protected] - Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example - 'Please re-open my application - (insert vacancy ref) & vacancy closing date (insert date)'.

To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.

Exceptionally, candidates who are not successful at this grade may be considered for appointment to similar roles at a lower grade where the eligibility criteria are met. If this applies, we will contact you directly.

The HMRC app can help you with your application

The HMRC app can provide you with your past 5 years' employment history, making the process of filling in your application quicker and easier.

If successful in your application, you will need your National Insurance number for the onboarding process.

Download the HMRC app now and save your National Insurance number to your digital phone wallet.

How to download the HMRC app and sign up for an account

Download the free HMRC app from the App Store or Google Play store.

If you have an HMRC online account already, sign straight in using your ID and password. If not, you can prove your identity by answering some questions or providing your photo ID.

You'll then be able to access the app quickly and easily by signing in using a 6-digit PIN, your fingerprint, or facial recognition.

You can find guidance for technical issues on GOV.UK: Technical support with HMRC online services.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles - if this applies to you, we'll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

Merit List

After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.

Criminal Record Check

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

Hybrid working at HMRC

HMRC is an office-based organisation, and colleagues are expected to spend 60% of their working time in the office. Our offices provide opportunity for interaction, collaboration which aids learning and development and a sense of community. Where the role allows it, and where the home environment is suitable, colleagues can work from home for up to 2 days a week, averaged over a calendar month (or a proportionate amount of time for colleagues who work less than full time).

Reasonable Adjustments

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact the UBS Recruitment team via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the "Assistance required" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Technical Support

If you are experiencing problems that cannot be resolved by our 'help' section, then technical support is available. You will receive a reply in 2 working days.

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers

This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need. Please consider the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the 'location preferences' section that you can travel to.

Terms and Conditions

Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.

HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.

Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.

Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.

Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band.

Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.

If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

For more Information for people applying for, or thinking of applying for, roles at HM Revenue and Customs, please see link: Working for HMRC: information for applicants - GOV.UK.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a standard (or equivalent) criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).