Data Strategy Manager -

SALARY:  Up to £ 85,000  pa dependent on experience  

LOCATION:  Milton Keynes, MK15 8HG  

HYBRID WORKING :  Our current hybrid working policy requires a minimum of 60% of working time to be based in the Milton Keynes office. Flexibility is expected to meet the needs of the business and the role.  

HOURS / CONTRACT TYPE (FTC DURATION/PERM):  Full Time Permanent – 35 hours per week  

CLOSING DATE:  06/03/2026

This role will suit a seasoned data professional who has worked in the senior leadership team of a CDO or similar enterprise-wide data capability and can demonstrate the ability to deliver strategic value using a range of data capabilities.

We’re  searching for a  Data Strategy Manager  who’s  ready to take the lead in  shaping ,  executing  and  managing  the organisation’s data strategy. This influential role sits at the heart of our transformation, ensuring data is managed and used to unlock value, accelerate  innovation  and support strategic  d ecision making  across the enterprise.  

Working closely with the Head of Data and collaborate with functions across the business,  you’ll  guide our vision, steer  data  driven change, and champion a culture where everyone has the confidence and capability to use data well.  

What  you’ll  be doing:   

• Operate across both Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Ltd. and VW Bank GmbH,  complying with  all applicable FCA, ECB,  PRA  and E OHB regulatory requirements.
•   Lead the design and delivery of a comprehensive data strategy and multiyear roadmap. Ensuring strong alignment with business goals and securing stakeholder  buy - in  for investment,  budget  and headcount.
• Drive data literacy across the organisation, shaping training and engagement programmes tailored to different data personas and fostering a culture of curiosity,  capability  and accountability.
• Champion and strengthen data culture, assessing and enhancing skills and capabilities across the data team, analyst community and wider organisation through targeted learning pathways and external partnerships.
• Oversee demand management processes, building robust business cases for strategic investment and  identifying  opportunities for data monetisation, supported by clear KPIs.
• Manage a portfolio of  data - driven  change, including the data transformation programme and data delivery within strategic programmes and product teams.
• Ensure alignment with organisational governance,  project  and programme management frameworks, and all relevant controls.
• Oversee enterprise data risks, managing the Data team’s risk and control  self-assessment  and ensuring effective tracking and mitigation.  
• Lead key data forums and committees. Acting as secretariat and deputising for the Head of Data as  required , ensuring alignment with VWFS UK and VWG governance structures.  

A full job description is available on request. 

What  you’ll  bring:  

You’re  a seasoned data professional with the credibility and communication skills to influence at every level.  You’ll  combine strategic thinking with  h ands-on  delivery experience and a passion for building strong data culture.  

Essential experience & skills 

•   Proven project and programme management experience, delivering complex data or change initiatives using both waterfall and agile methodologies.
•   Broad understanding of modern data capabilities, including BI/performance reporting, analytics, data governance, information governance, data architecture, data  platforms  and data engineering.
•   Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to build trusted relationships that drive  d ecision-making  and influence outcomes.
•   Experience within Financial Services or a regulated environment.
• C ommercial acumen and strategic thinking with the ability to translate ideas into compelling propositions 
•   Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor communications for multiple stakeholder groups (e.g. Senior Leadership, the data community and front-line teams); convey specialist concepts in simple terms through a range of techniques (e.g. diagrams, data visualisation, infographics) and present effectively to board-level.
• High  proficiency  with MS Office, particularly PowerPoint.

Desirable

•   Experience leading data culture or data literacy initiatives.
•   Qualification in data management, business analytics, or similar.
• Experience in Automotive Finance or consumer finance (B2C or B2B).
• SAFe  or equivalent agile certification.
• Programme management certification (e.g., MSP).

What’s  in it for you?  

Bonus:  Discretionary 10% on-target bonus (based on personal and Group company performance)  

Pension:   Employer pension contribution of 9% (based on employee contribution of 3%). VWFS will pay 6% if employee chooses a 2% employee contribution.  

Car schemes*:  Choice of Employee Car Ownership (ECO) scheme for petrol/diesel and hybrid vehicles   plus car insurance and fuel card   

OR  Company Car scheme for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) plus car insurance cover for you and a partner/eligible family member.  

Other benefits:  From day 1 we provide  income protection, life assurance  (4x salary),  retail discount vouchers , access to  Care Concierge  (a service to support carers of adults), along with other salary sacrifice options including a  will writing service  and  cycle to work  (subject to scheme restrictions).  

Following successful completion of probation, you will have access to  private medical insurance  for you (with the option to buy additional family cover),   access to our loan car scheme for up to 2 cars  for your partner or eligible family members (subject to scheme restrictions) and during our annual benefit window you can purchase  critical illness cover  and  dental cover , so you can select the benefits that matter to you.  

We invest in our people and are passionate about driving development.  You’ll  have access to  LinkedIn Learning  via our Degreed platform as well as a host of  professional development programmes and opportunities  to build your technical and soft skills so you can further develop your career. We also offer  mentoring schemes  and  reciprocal partnerships  recognising that we can all learn from each other in the flow of work.  

Why join VWFS UK? 

You’ll  have the opportunity to make a difference by helping us to achieve our mission.  

Our mission is straight forward; we want to be 'The Key to Mobility'. That means we make getting from A-to-B as easy and simple for as many people as possible. To truly meet the mobility needs of people in a changing world, our offering goes beyond traditional vehicle financing. We do this by  providing  a range of finance and aftersales products on Volkswagen Group vehicles, as well as developing innovative mobility products designed to solve real problems and support our customers.  Data  is  recognised as  one of  the  key dimensions  of  our cor porate strategy  and u nderpins  many o f the strategic outcomes that we  plan  to achieve.  No candidate will meet every single desired qualification. If your experience looks a little different from what  we've  identified  and you think you can bring value to the role,  we'd  love to learn more about you!  

VWFS is proud to be an inclusive employer and encourages applications from a diverse range of candidates. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion  isn’t  just a statement for us, we encourage and aspire for all our colleagues to be their 100% self. If you need any reasonable adjustments to  assist  you with the application and/or recruitment processes, please contact our Resourcing Team.