Data job role personas

“Data is more important than ever, and maintaining the public’s trust is a critical enabler in ensuring that quality information is available for informed decision making and service delivery. We have an opportunity to work together to support innovative ways to collect, share and use data responsibly to meet the needs of the day.”

- Dr David Gruen AO

This product forms part of the APS Data Profession’s work to develop a universal understanding of data professional roles, capabilities and alignment within the APS. The APS Data Profession is designed to source, grow and mobilise data expertise across the APS.

Data Job Role Personas will provide the building blocks for identifying data capability requirements and career pathways for the data profession.

Attached is a suite of 12 Data Job Role Personas. The existing suite includes: Data Analyst, Data Manager, Data Scientist, Data Engineer, Geospatial Analyst, and Statistician.

In July 2024, 6 new Data Job Role Personas were added: Data Steward, Data Project Manager, Data Governance Officer, Metadata Specialist, Data Architect, and Data Translator.

How to understand and use the Data Roles

Each persona highlights key descriptors, providing common language in addition to outlining keywords at a glance, industry standards, key technologies, potential domain interactions, and connections across the data lifecycle.

Each persona further explores core activities, linked capabilities and proficiency levels required to carry out those activities. Capabilities are referenced from both the APS Data Capability Framework (DCF) and Skills for the Information Age (SFIA 8).

In the attached Guidance, you’ll find a couple of case studies to help you use the Data Job Role Personas to:

• Learn about what different data personas do in the APS
• Understand what capabilities are needed by professionals assuming particular personas
• Identify linked capabilities required to undertake particular activities, informing career progression
• Assess capabilities in preparation for performance reviews
• Create consistency across different APS agencies in relation to personas
• Carry out human resources and workforce planning

Finding your fit

The core basis of a data persona will be captured in the published personas, however we understand that there are differences across APS agencies, particularly with different application of domain knowledge, processes and deliverables.

The data personas will not provide a completely holistic view of any singular role – rather they are intended to identify the fundamental requirements for someone assuming that persona at its highest level (unless otherwise specified).

We recognise that people are often more capable than what is formally required for their role or assumed personas and encourage data professionals to tailor their use of the data personas to inform their own circumstances.