Exciting challenges lie ahead – new digital technologies and alternative ways of working are transforming the way we protect our communities and bring people to justice. We design products and deliver services that help our officers to combat crime, protect the vulnerable and enable safer communities, making a difference that matters.

Data is pivotal to achieving the above and driving organisational change. The ability to consume data from a greater variety of sources at a more granular level can help identify new insights while the linking of siloed information can uncover previously undiscovered commonality and patterns, introducing fresh perspectives. Putting data and analytics at the forefront, Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police are transforming the way they operate by recognising the importance and potential for using data driven insights to make better strategic and operational decisions.

The Organisation/Department

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department is a shared function that provides services for all information technology, communications devices and applications across Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police while collaborating closely with our neighbouring South Easterly regionally integrated police forces (SERIP) and adhering to national directives. 

Click here to watch a video about the ICT Department and what it means to work with us. 

The Team

We are increasing the headcount across Application Services and have created new functions to further increase our ability to deliver high-value solutions against multiple, innovative, pioneering programmes aligned to strategic directives. Specifically delivering solutions that meet the objectives set-out within Digital Public Contact, Digital Transformation, Data and Technological Enabling programmes - all of which make a tangible difference to front-line policing and supports back-office functions.

We uphold ourselves against the highest ethical and professional standards while adhering to the policing principles, including; Accountability, Integrity, Openness, Fairness, Leadership, Respect, Honesty, Objectivity and Selflessness which underpin our decision making and forge a culture of achievement and improvement.

The role

In this Principal Data Engineer role you will be part of a newly created Data Solutions team, responsible for the definition and creation of data architectures, data models, options and solutions to meet business objectives. Woking within a team that is accountable for ensuring that the design and development of capabilities and solutions are efficient, sustainable and fit-for-purpose. You’ll work with stakeholders from across the organisation and you will collaborate/interface closely with architectural and delivery teams in both the definition, design and production of data centric solutions. The horizon is broad; your scope could be to work on product delivery, R&D projects or product innovation for local, bi-lateral or regional projects & programmes.

Firstly the focus will be working on a Data Enablers programme, focusing on the availability and collection of data to deliver capability that underpin strategic force directives. This programme is made up of Data Architecture, Data Visualisation, Data Governance and Data Protection projects. We are part way through an initial 3 year programme which has comprised of a number of short discovery projects and Proof of Concepts to inform individual business cases proposals, moving into full project delivery. This has resulted recently in the implementation of an enterprise deployment of Power BI (SaaS & Report Server) enabling greater visualisation and delivering insights of crime and performance data from a shared data mart. Next will be to harness a greater variety of sources, combining them and exposing them via both traditional and modern technologies and modelling techniques – all of which allow for self-service and flexibility but must conform to tightly defined internal and national governance e.g. GDPR and MOPI RRD guidelines and regulation.

Who we are looking for

You will be a natural problem solver of an inquisitive and innovative nature who enjoys recognising where technology and data architectures can and delivering business-focussed data solutions to solve problems and exploit opportunities. You will have knowledge of data/information modelling theories and techniques, data structures, database and ETL design, data warehousing, data standards and data management. Ideally you will also have an understanding of modern data platform concepts, technologies, visualisation, analytic & mining tools and the programming languages that are commonly used to enhance, extend and integrate products beyond their out-of-box ability.

You will also be somebody who is unafraid to learn, experiment, applying your skills and experience hands-on to business situations, but also somebody who is able to take a strategic view, see the bigger picture, and able to balance risk and opportunity. This is an end-to-end role where you can cover the initial ingestion, processing and final analysis, so, whether you’re continuing to build upon strong relationships with stakeholders or ensuring that data products, solutions and platforms are aligned to enterprise strategy and technical direction, you’ll be working to deliver real and demonstrable value for all areas the business and the communities they serve.

You will get exposure to working with a variety of platforms, products and languages including Microsoft Azure, Dynamics CRM, Power Platform, RESTful API, Relational/Non-relational databases and Enterprise level ETL solutions. To be someone well suited for this a role within the team, you will be an experienced practitioner at much of our core technology stack but not necessarily all. Any level of exposure to alternative tools & technologies would be advantageous.

We recognise that professional progress is important the type of candidate that would find the level of influence, autonomy and responsibility this role brings appealing and therefore, you will have the opportunity to take advantage of an array of training modules to aid continual development.

Core experience, technologies, tools and skills

• Microsoft SQL Server 2016 +
• T-SQL
• Data Integration and ETL Tools (SSIS)
• Data Modelling and Reporting Tools (SSAS, SSRS)
• IDE (Visual Studio, SSMS, SSDT or Azure Data Studio)
• Azure Data Platform components
  • Data Factory Pipelines
  • Azure Data Lake
  • Azure SQL DB
  • Azure Synapse
  • Azure Analysis Services
• Microsoft Power Platform
  • Power Apps
  • Power Automate
  • Power BI

Advantageous experience, technologies, tools and skills

• CLR Languages (C#)
• Statistical Languages (Python, R)
• Common Data Service (CDS), Common Data Model (CDM)
• Azure Analytics
• Azure AI & Machine Learning
• Azure Integration Services
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM
• Apache projects used for the storing, analysing and training of large datasets

You will be able to demonstrate:

• Proven track record of collaborating with development teams in an agile environment
• Ability to integrate data feeds in order to map, transform, test and produce new data products which translate into valuable insights that inform decisions.
• Experience of involving teams in analytics and synthesis to increase consensus and challenge assumptions. Identifies and utilise the most appropriate analytical techniques whilst having an understanding of analytical tools.
• Is aware of and keeps up to date with advances in digital analytics tools and data manipulation products which collects, collates, cleanses, synthesises and interprets data to derive meaningful and actionable insights
• Experience of producing data models and understands where to use different data model types. Understands different tools and can compare between different data models. Able to reverse engineer a data model from a live system. Understands industry recognised data modelling patterns and standards
• Experience of creating and populating data structures (data warehousing, data marts, OLAP cubes and ETL)

The Benefits

• 24 days holiday (increasing after 5 years’ service) + up to 12 Flexi days annually + Bank Holidays (all pro-rata)
• Ability to enrol in the LGPS pension scheme where TVP contribute 13.5% of pensionable pay into members pension fund
• Availability for flexible working
• Annually procured Visual Studio Enterprise subscription providing monthly Azure credits and access to software, licences and training content
• Part of a forward thinking, focused and highly autonomous team

If you have not held residency in the UK for at least 12 months within the last 3 years, we will not be able to process an application from you.

If you have any questions about the job please email Tracy Ryder on Tracy.Ryder@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

To apply please send your CV together with a cover letter explaining your reasons for wanting to work with Thames Valley Police and why you feel you are suitable for the role in line with the job requirements to RecruitmentStaffICT@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk quoting reference 16479.

If you have any queries please contact People Services Recruitment Department on 0845 2 66 66 77 – Option 1 (internal 301 6500) quoting the job reference number.

The closing date for enquiries and receipt of completed applications is Sunday 29th March 2020.