Introducing the new Interim Chief Data Officer

Many colleagues will know Dr Shirin Tahzib as Director of Software Solutions in IT Services. Shirin has stepped into a new role as Interim Chief Data Officer until the end of 2025, reporting to Profession Anne Trefethen, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Digital. We caught up with Shirin to find out more.

How did this role come about and why is it needed?

Data is important to us all no matter what our role - whether we are consumers or producers, effective management of data should be a priority. The University is on a data journey and a lot of good work has been done; we have already introduced capabilities around data modelling and architecture, we have data governance in place, we have data integration and data warehousing capabilities supported by technical teams and we have an emerging central business intelligence (BI) capability. 

However, there is more to do. We need to collaborate deeper and wider to create trust and improve the management of data. Currently, technology often drives the solution design which means that engagement rarely moves beyond the central administrative function. We need to focus on outcomes that are helpful for divisions and departments and bridge the gap between the central data strategy and local needs. By creating this role, it is hoped that we can drive a cultural shift towards data-driven decision-making and promote the value of data as a strategic asset.

What are your responsibilities?

My main responsibility is to work with colleagues to design a framework that will allow us to better enable us to deliver the Data Strategy Implementation work that is underway in a sustained form. We need to have the capability that might be found in a Data Office in other places and I hope we will have a clear design for how we deliver this capability – perhaps in a Data Office or through the Digital Governance Unit (DGU).

I will serve as the main contact for strategic data issues, not least because they will inform the design of the Data Office capability. I will continue to be particularly engaged in the Data Strategy Implementation Programme. I hope to provide guidance and oversight on data-related initiatives, particularly as the University progresses with programmes such as the Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Smart campus and improvements to our digital identity services. 

I report directly to Professor Anne Trefethen as Pro-Vice Chancellor for Digital, but much of my time will be spent engaging with stakeholders across the University to understand their data needs and validate my proposed design for a Data Office for the University. Of course, I will continue to work with colleagues in IT Services, but also with other senior leaders to ensure our data vision and work is aligned with broader digital transformation efforts.

What do you hope to have achieved by the end of the year?

By gathering lots of input from stakeholders on their expectations, my ambition is to have an outlined design for the new Data Office capability, including delivery and operating model, supporting committees, skills and staffing requirements. This design will go the Information and Digital Committee for feedback and ultimate approval. The plan can then be handed over for implementation to the new Chief Data Officer as and when they are appointed.

What next?

I am looking forward to my retirement and to spending more time with family and my new granddaughter. I love to travel so hope to have more opportunities for that, plus I intend to find some new social action projects to invest energy in – particularly those that will give me the chance to be of some service and use to society.