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Barnsley is rapidly establishing itself as a hub for digital innovation. Now we need a visionary Head of Innovation to lead the council’s use of data, AI and automation, turning insight into action and delivering tangible benefits for residents and partners.
Head of Innovation - £75,059 - £83,148
The Head of Innovation is a senior, high-profile leadership role with responsibility for setting the strategic direction for innovation, data, AI and automation across the council.
You'll work at the heart of the organisation, helping to embed intelligence-led decision-making, encourage curiosity and experimentation, and ensure innovation is applied in a purposeful, ethical and value-driven way.
Joining at a formative moment, you'll have genuine scope to shape both the role and its impact. We're not looking for someone to arrive with a fixed blueprint; instead, we want a leader who can horizon-scan, challenge assumptions, and help the organisation think differently about where change sits and how it should be delivered.
You'll work closely with established technical teams across data engineering, analytics and AI, allowing you to focus on identifying the right problems, building momentum and scaling innovation across services, partnerships and the wider system. You'll provide strategic leadership on data governance, ethical AI and compliance, ensuring robust guardrails are in place while still enabling pace, creativity and learning.
This role is as much about influence and communication as it is about strategy. You'll act as an advocate for insight-led decision-making, building confidence and capability among senior leaders, elected members and the wider workforce, and helping to embed a culture where data, evidence and innovation are central to how decisions are made.
About you
We're open to candidates from a wide range of sectors and professional backgrounds. What matters most is your ability to operate at a strategic level in complex environments and to lead innovation that delivers real, lasting impact.
You'll bring a strong track record of shaping and delivering innovative solutions to complex challenges, with the credibility and political awareness needed to work effectively with senior leaders, elected members, partners and communities. You recognise the opportunities data and AI provide, but your expertise lies in translating insight into action, fostering innovation, and driving organisational change.
You'll be a compelling communicator and natural evangelist, able to inspire confidence, build momentum and bring people with you. Above all, you'll bring curiosity, energy and credibility, with the confidence to ask the right questions, challenge the status quo and help Barnsley continue to evolve as a high-performing, forward-thinking council.