Chief Data Officer
The Chief Data Officer is part of the Research Data Scotland (RDS) Leadership team, with responsibility for establishing and overseeing the range of programmes that source the portfolio of datasets available for use in research.
They will lead a cross-functional team to develop and execute the tactics that broaden and maintain a collection of research data. They'll work closely with senior leaders and colleagues across the public sector to drive system-wide operational efficiency and demonstrate trustworthiness in how data is used.
About you
This is a senior leadership position and central to the delivery of a wide-ranging data transformation agenda. Collaboration is vital in this role, so you'll feel confident to build strong enduring relationships and have natural skills to influence others and bring people on the change journey with you. You are ambitious, resilient and pragmatic, understanding the complexity of our environment means change is rarely linear!
About us
Research Data Scotland (RDS) is a charity set up by the Scottish public sector and leading universities. We help researchers find and make use of data that can improve the lives of people in Scotland. Working in partnership, we do this by widening the range of data available, creating new data assets and providing a single point of contact for safe, secure and effective access to public data in a trustworthy manner.
Key details
Role: Chief Data Officer
Salary range: £81,466 - £91,941
Hours: 32 per week (Full time - at RDS we offer a four day week for our full-time colleagues)
Location: Edinburgh (with remote-first ways of working)
Employment type: Permanent
Closing date: 7 September 2025
How to apply
We like to keep our application processes as simple and human-centred as we can.
To apply, we just need your CV and a cover letter outlining how your skills and experience match the job and person specification.
If you’re ready to apply, upload your CV and covering letter to the portal. Or email us at jobs@researchdata.scot for an informal chat about RDS and the role.
If we can make any adjustments to our standard application or selection process to make things easier for you, please let us know.
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Apply now
Click below to read the full job advert and apply. When you're ready, you'll be asked to upload a CV and cover letter outlining how your skills and experience match the job and person specification.
