Head of Data Transformation

We’re looking for a Head of Data Transformation to lead the delivery of our enterprise data strategy and coordinate our transition to a truly data-led organisation.

This role is not about owning individual data capabilities, but about orchestrating transformation across multiple teams. You will act as the connective tissue across our data leadership - working in close partnership with the Data Director and leads of other data and technology teams to ensure aligned, prioritised, and measurable delivery of our data strategy.

You’ll bring structure, pace, and clarity to a complex transformation environment, ensuring that initiatives across data, analytics, governance, and technology come together into a coherent, outcome-driven programme.

What You’ll Be Doing

Lead the Data Transformation Programme

• Own and drive the end-to-end data transformation roadmap, ensuring alignment across all data and technology teams
• Coordinate delivery across multiple workstreams, including reporting, data migration, governance, and platform development
• Ensure dependencies are managed, risks are surfaced, and progress is transparent
• Establish and run the overall transformation governance and delivery cadence

Orchestrate Across Data Leadership

• Partner closely with data, technology and business stakeholders across the business to:
• Ensure alignment of priorities, roadmaps, and delivery plans across these areas
• Resolve cross-team challenges, trade-offs, and sequencing decisions
• Create a joined-up view of progress against the data strategy

Drive Value, Prioritisation & Accountability

• Define and embed frameworks to prioritise initiatives based on business value, risk, and strategic importance
• Ensure use cases and initiatives are clearly linked to measurable outcomes
• Track and report value realisation, adoption, and business impact
• Support senior stakeholders in making informed prioritisation and investment decisions

Embed the Data Operating Model

• Partner with the Data Director to establish and embed the Data Office operating model
• Define and run processes for:• Demand management
• Prioritisation
• Delivery tracking
• Executive reporting

• Provide clear artefacts and reporting to track:• Strategy execution
• Transformation milestones
• Adoption and value realisation

Lead Stakeholder Engagement & Change

• Act as the central point of coordination between business, data, and technology teams
• Translate complex transformation activity into clear, executive-level updates and decisions
• Drive organisational alignment and momentum behind the data strategy
• Champion a shift toward data-driven decision-making across the business

What Success Looks Like

Within 12–24 months, you will have:

• Established a well-governed, transparent transformation programme with clear ownership and delivery cadence
• Ensured alignment across Insights, Governance, and Technology, with reduced duplication and conflict
• Delivered a coherent and prioritised roadmap linked to measurable business outcomes
• Enabled successful rollout of:• A trusted single source of reporting and the business empowered through self-serve of data and insights (led by Data Insights)
• Improved data quality and governance (led by Data Governance)

• Increased adoption of data and analytics across the organisation
• Built strong confidence from executives in the progress and value of the data strategy

What We’re Looking For Essential Experience

• 8–12+ years in data, transformation, or programme delivery roles with leadership responsibility
• Proven track record of leading complex, cross-functional transformation programmes
• Experience working across multiple data domains (analytics, governance, engineering)
• Strong understanding of:• Data platforms and reporting ecosystems
• Data governance and quality disciplines
• Delivery frameworks (agile, hybrid, or programme-based)

• Experience operating in complex or regulated environments

Competence, Knowledge and Skills

Desirable

• Experience in financial services, fintech, or similarly regulated industries
• Exposure to AI-enabled analytics or data products
• Experience establishing or running transformation offices, PMOs, or Data Offices
• Familiarity with product-led and domain-oriented data operating models

About You

• A strong programme leader who thrives in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
• Highly organised, with the ability to bring structure and clarity to ambiguity
• A natural collaborator, skilled at influencing without authority

About AJ Bell

AJ Bell is one of the UK’s fastest-growing investment platform businesses, providing award-winning solutions for everyone, from professional financial advisers to first-time investors.

Today, over 723,000 customers trust us to manage more than £108.7 billion of assets. By continually striving to make investing simpler and more accessible, we’re helping more people take control of their financial futures.

We’re proud to be recognised as one of the UK’s Best 100 Companies to Work For for six consecutive years, and a Great Place to Work® in 2025 and 2026 a reflection of our supportive and collaborative culture.

What we offer

• 26 days holiday, increasing with service + buy/sell scheme + bank holidays
• 7% Pension with matched contributions
• Discretionary bonus scheme
• Share schemes (including free shares and BAYE)
• Health Cash Plan and discounted private healthcare
• Free onsite gym
• Enhanced family leave (subject to qualifying criteria)
• Travel and bike loan schemes
• Employee Assistance Programme

Life at AJ Bell

• Regular social events including summer and Christmas parties
• Learning and development opportunities tailored to you
• Casual dress code
• Friendly, supportive team environment

Our ways of working

We offer hybrid working, with a minimum of 60% of your working time per month spent in the office. For new starters, there’s an initial period of full-time office working to help you settle in and build relationships.

Inclusion & diversity

We’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected and able to be themselves at work. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and make hiring decisions based on skills, experience and potential.