Data Lead

Job Title: Data Lead

Reporting To: Director of Digital Operations

Role Summary

The Data Lead oversees the Data Production department, our largest and most diverse department in terms of skills and technical capabilities. The image data, textual data, and descriptive and structural metadata produced by this department form the basis of the downstream value generated by R.O.A.D. Without the digital collections to view, search, and re-present in innovative media formats, the public has limited access to its cultural heritage, while internal teams, from research to programming, lack the raw materials required to perform their work.

The Data Production department comprises two large, overlapping teams, with shared competencies across Photography and Metadata. Each team has its own sub-team leads, supported by operators with leadership skills and technical competencies in these domains. The Data Lead oversees these sub-team leads as well as the QA & Data Custody team.

The Data Lead's role is to ensure the smooth, uninterrupted production of large volumes of high-quality data across this large department. This involves designing and managing production sprints, including high-priority collections; interfacing with external software and technology vendors to address issues that could affect uptime; and designing and executing experiments to optimise workflows through the introduction of new technologies and techniques.

The role also involves meeting regularly with teams and sub-teams to ensure that standards are communicated, understood, and adhered to; managing the systems used to upload, validate, both automatically and through human QA, and manage large collections; and maintaining a strong working knowledge of the technical systems used throughout the operation and the cultural heritage collections being transformed.

The Data Lead must therefore have sufficient technical knowledge of the data production operation to guide the teams within the department in achieving internationally recognised quality standards while meeting ambitious throughput targets. The successful candidate will combine empathetic and inspirational leadership with the discipline and rigour required to manage specialised equipment, systems, infrastructure, and high-volume production.

Key Responsibilities

Data Production & Operations

• Oversee daily production across the Photography, Metadata, and QA & Data Custody teams, ensuring the smooth and uninterrupted production of large volumes of high-quality data.
• Design and manage production sprints, including high-priority collections, and set and monitor throughput benchmarks against project timelines.
• Manage the department's systems used to upload, validate, and manage large collections, including automated validation and human quality assurance.
• Maintain and communicate quality standards aligned with internationally recognised standards for quality, preservation, and access, and verify adherence through regular review.
• Design and execute experiments to optimise workflows through the introduction of new technologies and techniques, and roll out proven improvements across the department.
• Interface with external software and technology vendors to address issues that could affect uptime, escalating significant risks to the Director of Digital Operations.
• Coordinate with the Software & Systems department on system requirements, integrations, and infrastructure needs.
• Monitor the condition and utilisation of capture equipment and other infrastructure, ensuring disciplined, rigorous, and cost-effective use.
• Track and report production metrics, including throughput, quality, and error rates, to management.
• Maintain documentation of departmental workflows, standards, and standard operating procedures.
• Ensure the safe handling of archival materials and the integrity of the digital record throughout the production chain.

People Management

• Line-manage the Photography, Metadata, and QA & Data Custody sub-team leads, meeting regularly with them and their teams.
• Ensure that standards are communicated, understood, and adhered to at every level of the department.
• Plan staffing and scheduling across teams in response to changing project priorities, making effective use of cross-training.
• Identify training needs and arrange ongoing professional development aligned with international digitisation and cultural heritage standards.
• Conduct performance evaluations against the department's competency framework and support progression through its levels.
• Lead recruitment for the department in collaboration with sub-team leads and management.
• Identify and address performance issues, workplace conflicts, and potential disciplinary concerns promptly, fairly, and in accordance with organisational policy.
• Foster a collaborative, production-focused culture that balances empathetic leadership with accountability, discipline, and rigour.
• Communicate the significance of the department's work in preserving Barbados' documentary heritage and recognise the contributions of team members to this work.

Requirements

Essential

• Demonstrated experience leading a production team, including the management of team leads or supervisors.
• Working knowledge of digitisation workflows across both image capture and metadata production.
• Experience planning and managing production against throughput and quality benchmarks.
• Experience with quality assurance processes applied to large volumes of data.
• Strong leadership, organisational, and communication skills, including the ability to convey technical standards to teams with varying levels of experience.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain discipline and rigour in the use of specialised equipment and infrastructure.
• Ability to manage competing priorities across several teams simultaneously.
• Ability to document workflows, standards, and procedures clearly and efficiently.
• Calm, professional, and compassionate approach, particularly when handling difficult situations.
• Commitment to preserving cultural heritage materials.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Experience working with archival, historical, museum, library, or other cultural heritage collections.
• Experience managing a large-scale digitisation programme.
• Familiarity with international standards for imaging quality and preservation, such as FADGI, and with descriptive and structural metadata standards.
• Experience managing vendor relationships and support contracts.
• Experience designing and running workflow optimisation experiments.
• Experience with sprint-based or otherwise Agile production planning.
• Familiarity with historical manuscripts and the safe handling of archival materials.
• Experience recruiting, training, and developing production staff.
• Experience reporting production metrics to senior management.

Technical Skills

• Goobi: Digitisation workflow management, including configuration and monitoring of production workflows, batch ingest, and task assignment across teams.
• ArchivesSpace: Archival description and collection management.
• Capture One: Understanding of calibration, capture, and export processes sufficient to assess and advise on workflow optimisation.
• Golden Thread: Understanding of FADGI standard scientific image quality assessment reports sufficient to assess and advise on workflow optimisation.