Head of Digital Evidence and Performance
Birmingham City Council
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Please note this vacancy is only available to Birmingham City Council employees.
Head of Digital, Evidence and Performance, Children and Families Directorate
Permanent
Grade 7 - £66,627 - £85,845
Consultation grade - subject to formal evaluation under the Pay Equity Review
Full-time, 36.5 hours per week (hybrid working – typically 1–2 days per week based at the Council House, with regular in-person attendance at key meetings across Birmingham)
The Children and Families Directorate at Birmingham City Council is seeking a Head of Digital, Evidence and Performance to lead a high‑impact, multi‑disciplinary service at the centre of our improvement journey. Birmingham is delivering an ambitious children’s services improvement programme and robust digital capability, trusted data and clear performance insight are fundamental to success. This role ensures leaders and practitioners have the intelligence, assurance and systems they need to safeguard children, improve education outcomes and reduce inequality.
About the role
As Head of Digital, Evidence and Performance, you will set the strategic direction and provide assurance across digital systems, data quality, performance management and analytical insight for Children and Families. You will lead an integrated service that underpins frontline practice, statutory delivery, inspection readiness and strategic decision‑making. Working closely with Directors, Assistant Directors, service leaders and corporate partners, you will embed digital, data and evidence as core enablers of accountability, improvement and transformation across the directorate, with influence spanning operational delivery, Cabinet reporting, Ofsted and CQC assurance and multi‑agency partnership working.
Key responsibilities
You will provide visible leadership for the Digital, Evidence and Performance Service, holding clear accountability for digital systems, data governance, performance intelligence and statutory assurance across Children and Families. You will oversee the quality, integrity and use of data and information, ensuring compliance with statutory, regulatory and information‑governance requirements, including inspection and audit readiness. You will ensure timely, trusted performance insight informs operational management, commissioning decisions, improvement planning and transformation activity, with particular focus on priority areas such as SEND, inclusion, attendance, exclusions, education safeguarding and the Virtual School. You will lead and develop a high‑performing, multi‑disciplinary workforce, manage resources effectively within agreed budgets and model inclusive, compassionate and high‑standards leadership that builds capability and supports continuous improvement.
About you
You will be a credible senior leader with a strong track record in digital, data, performance or intelligence functions, ideally within a complex public‑sector or children’s services environment. You will bring significant experience of leading teams and services at scale, strong understanding of data, analysis, performance frameworks and regulatory requirements, and confidence working with senior leaders and partners to influence decision‑making in complex settings. Above all, you will demonstrate a clear commitment to safeguarding, reducing inequality and improving outcomes for children and families.
Why join us?
This is a rare opportunity to shape how one of the largest local authorities in the UK uses digital, data and evidence to improve children’s lives. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and aim to reflect the communities we serve.
Interviews for this post will take place in-person. Shortlisted candidates will be provided with further information.
Please upload your up-to-date CV via the attachments part of your application, this is required for shortlisting. Unfortunately, we cannot consider any applications without a CV attached
We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities we serve. Our data tells us that for this level of role, ethnic minorities are underrepresented and therefore we will use positive action to support us to achieve diverse shortlists. This may mean that recruitment times are a little longer, but we think this is worth it to achieve our aim.
Birmingham City Council is an accredited Disability Confident Leader employer, and we are committed to employing, retaining and developing all of our people.
We want to ensure your recruitment journey with us is a positive and equitable one, so please let us know if there are any reasonable adjustments, additional support, accessibility needs, or if there is any way in which we can support you through your application.
For any informal enquires please contact the Resourcing Team <Resourcing@birmingham.gov.uk>
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be undertaken.
Proof of Right to work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed.
Birmingham City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our citizens and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. You can view our Corporate Safeguarding Policy | Birmingham City Council here.