Head of Data Science and AI | NICE - The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
| Posting date: | 04 May 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | £66,582 - £77,368 per annum |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 04 June 2026 |
| Location: | Manchester, M1 3BN |
| Company: | NICE - National Institute for Health and Care Excellence |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 7972654/907-866 |
Summary
Do you want to do meaningful work that makes a genuine difference to society? Our main purpose here at The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is to improve health and wellbeing by putting science and evidence at the heart of health and care decision-making. As an organisation we all collaborate to achieve this goal by empowering our workforce to do great things!
Please note that this role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route. Please refer to the DirectGov website for more information on eligibility.
We reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive sufficient applications, so please don’t delay your submission.
The Head of Data Science and AI provides strategic leadership for data science and artificial intelligence across the organisation. The role sets direction, builds organisational capability, and ensures that data science and AI are applied ethically, effectively, and at scale to deliver meaningful impact for health and care decision-making. The post holder acts as a senior advocate for data-driven innovation, bridging technical expertise and business needs, and influencing internal and external stakeholders.
What the successful candidate will bring:
• Provide clear strategic leadership for data science and AI, setting vision, priorities, and long-term roadmaps aligned to organisational goals.
• Build and lead high-performing multidisciplinary teams, developing capability, professionalism, and a strong culture of innovation.
• Champion ethical, responsible, and transparent use of data science and AI, ensuring robust governance and compliance with legal standards.
• Translate complex analytical insights into clear, compelling messages that influence senior leaders and decision-makers.
• Drive the adoption of data science and AI to deliver tangible value, improving services, outcomes, and decision-making.
• Oversee data science platforms, pipelines, and products to ensure quality, sustainability, and scalability.
• Develop strong partnerships with internal teams, external stakeholders, academia, and suppliers to advance innovation.
The Architecture & Data team sits at the heart of NICE’s digital transformation, setting the direction for how data, analytics and architecture are used across the organisation. As a centre of excellence, the team defines standards, embeds strong data governance, and enables high-quality, impactful delivery. Working closely with teams across NICE, it supports responsible innovation and ensures data is used effectively to improve health and care outcomes.
We can offer you a great place to work with good benefits, flexible working, and a supportive, friendly, and inclusive environment.
NICE benefits include:
Generous NHS Pension – Secure your future with one of the most rewarding pension schemes in the UK.
Flexible Working – Enjoy a healthy work-life balance with options like remote working, compressed hours and flexible start/finish times.
Exclusive Discounts – Save on shopping, dining and more with a Blue Light Card.
Time to Recharge – Start with 27 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays.
Inclusive Staff Networks – Join supportive communities like Women in NICE, Race Equality Network, Disability Advocacy and NICE and Proud – we celebrate diversity.
Tailored Development – Grow your career with personalised learning and development opportunities.
If you feel this is the type of environment you will enjoy working in, apply today!
To be considered for this role, you should be able to particularly demonstrate the person specification criteria in the job advert in your application. However, applicants should be able to demonstrate all essential criteria through the entirety of the recruitment process to be considered for the job.
Please see job description attached for full list of responsibilities.
This advert closes on Monday 18 May 2026