Selena Wark, Associate Director of Digital, Data, and Technology, Mind

Describe your career to date

I am an innovative data and technology leader with 25 years’ experience of devising and implementing data driven transformation strategies and evolving organisation cultures to embrace the value of data. 

Working flexibly and collaboratively across organisational boundaries, I have a proven ability for advocating for the importance of data in the smooth running of operations and enabling the delivery of strategic goals; aligning business and data strategy; and embedding data transformation into business transformation. 

2024 will mark my 25th year in data and tech; but also, my 20th year in the not-for-profit sector, dedicating most of my career to improving outcomes for beneficiaries through data-enabled and insight-driven ways of working and audience experiences. 

Over this time, I have built a strong network of data professionals. I have worked with over 72 charities over the years (through of combination of permanent roles, fixed term contracts, consultancy, and pro bono support.) including some of the largest charities in the country such as The British Heart Foundation and some of the smallest including local hospices that give vital end of life care to their communities. These experiences have given me the opportunity to deeply understand the charity sector, their data, and the challenges they face. I pride myself in leaving charities in a better place than I found them, getting data on the agenda, bringing an understanding and appreciation for data at both leadership and grassroots levels, delivering efficiencies, building confidence in taking a data driven approach to business, and growing technical expertise and data fluency across the workforce. 

In 2020 I was attracted to the role of Head of Data and CRM at Mind as the pandemic deepened the nation’s enduring mental health crisis. At the time, Mind were without a Data Strategy and were grappling with a wide range of data and technology challenges. Now, three years into the role, I have successfully created a data strategy and blueprint for the organisation, delivered a comprehensive Data and Technology Transformation Roadmap that has revolutionised the way we think and work, and developed an award-nominated Data Fluency Programme (DataIQ Awards 2023) that is creating and mentoring new data professionals across the whole of the Mind network. I have campaigned tirelessly for data to move into remit of the C-suite. This campaigning effort has led to the creation of a new role that will put a Data Strategist at the heart of decision making, and I am delighted to have recently been appointed as the new Associate Director of Data, Digital, and Technology at Mind. 

With this new role, I have been tasked with devising and implementing ambitious plans; building on the last three years of success and continuing to bring data into the heart of our decision making and ways of working across the whole of Mind’s £250 million-a-year Federation. 

These plans are being developed in alignment with organisational strategy as we continue the creation of a sustainable data-driven workforce and reset our organisational culture. Data is at the heart of our cultural transformation efforts with decisions built on evidence and insight. Our new Data Centre of Excellence will continue to provide and grow our best practice resources and advice and foster an environment which is data-enabled and insight-driven. This will ensure we are able to maximise the impact of our charitable effort and provide vital mental health services to the lives of our beneficiaries in the most need for support. 

I am active in the wider data community, regularly sharing best practice advice and experiences to support other charities in their data transformation efforts, hosting and participating in roundtables and panel discussions, speaking at conferences, and mentoring and reverse mentoring others who wish to grow their data skills.  

I am involved of many industry groups and committees, including being a member of DataIQ for the last two years. 

I am big supporter of the mission of DataIQ, regularly attending conferences, events, and meet ups, and entering and attending the DataIQ Awards where I spent two years as a judge.