Data Career Vs Healthcare and Charity Sector.

When we think about data jobs, we usually picture big tech companies or Wall Street. But some of the most important and rewarding data work happens right inside organizations that help people every day.

On a recent episode of the BDPN Podcast, Ian Benjamin talked with Kwesi Afful about his 17-year career moving up the ranks in the National Health Service (NHS), and why he recently moved to the charity sector. Kwesi’s story is a great guide on how to build huge digital systems, manage large teams, and use data to make workplaces more fair.

Black doctor discussing insights with a colleague while utilizing data-driven technology in a modern medical setting.

Moving Up in Public Health.

Climbing the career ladder in any big company is hard. It is even harder when you do not see anyone who looks like you in leadership roles. At the NHS, Kwesi became an Assistant Director, managing huge budgets and leading over 70 people.

But the higher he went, the less diverse the rooms became. Kwesi remembers going to big national meetings with 30 leaders where he was one of only two or three Black professionals.

To handle this, he focuses on three things:

• Beating Self-Doubt: It is easy to feel like you do not belong when you are the only one in the room. Kwesi says you have to remind yourself that you earned your place through hard work.

• The Power of Mentorship: Having trusted guides who understand your background can give you the confidence to take on big leadership roles.

• Opening Doors for Others: Once, when Kwesi was hiring for a senior role, he made sure the entire interview panel was Black. Even for the people who didn’t get the job, seeing an all-diverse panel of bosses changed what they thought was possible for their own futures.

How the NHS Learned to Love Data

Data was not always seen as important. Back around 2010, the UK government tried a few massive technology projects that failed badly. They failed because leaders made assumptions instead of looking at what the data actually said.

Today, data helps save both public money and human lives. For example, doctors now use artificial intelligence (AI) to look at patient trends. This helps them spot complex diseases like cancer years before they fully develop.

Kwesi’s biggest project was getting 42 regional healthcare groups ready for major digital changes. It was a massive task. He had to coordinate eight different tech companies that had never worked together before. Together, they tested 112 different computer systems, everything from cancer tracking networks to the main payroll system that pays 1.7 million NHS workers.

Moving to the Charity Sector.

After nearly twenty years in healthcare, Kwesi took a new job as an Executive Director at Scope, a major UK disability charity.

Disability is a huge topic in the UK. One in four people live with a long-term physical or mental condition. It touches almost every family, including many Black families dealing with conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.

For Kwesi, this move was personal. In the late 1990s, his uncle, who had cerebral palsy, worked at Scope. Back then, it was incredibly hard for a disabled Black man to find a good job. Years before that, Kwesi's grandmother had to visit football clubs just to raise money to buy that same uncle a proper wheelchair. Becoming a boss at the exact charity that helped his family felt like finishing a journey his family started decades ago.

Advice for Tech and Data Professionals:

If you want to grow your career in data, here are three simple tips from Kwesi:

1. Never Stop Learning: Continuous learning is the most important thing you can do. Look for free or cheap data courses on big platforms like Amazon or Microsoft.

   
   

2. Interview Your Future Boss: When you go to a job interview, ask them directly about their training budgets. Make sure they are willing to pay for your official data certificates.

   
   

3. Look into Healthcare: The NHS is building a massive new data platform to connect healthcare groups across the country. This means local health boards will be looking to hire a lot of data analysts very soon.

   
   

The doors are opening for diverse talent to take on senior roles. The secret is to stay curious, keep building your technical skills, and find a community that supports you.

To hear the full conversation on leadership, data, and diversity, you can watch the full interview on The BDPN YouTube Channel.