Data Catalogue Lead

National Energy System Operator; Warwick; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus based on company performance

26 days annual leave

Pension scheme with employer matching

Job summary

National Energy System Operator (NESO) is seeking a Data Catalogue Lead to own and implement NESO's Data Catalogue program, ensuring alignment with data policies and governance across Digital, Data and Technology. The role involves coordinating with Data Owners and Stakeholders to document NESO’s Data Assets and ensure transparency for reporting and analytics.

The successful candidate will drive metadata management, define standard terms, and support the enterprise data governance tool while

Qualifications

• BA/BS degree in a data related field or equivalent work experience in Data or Metadata Management.
• Demonstrable experience and best practice knowledge of structuring, curating and managing the Data Catalogue, Data Dictionary and Business Glossary and modern Data Catalogue tools
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills and proven ability to build and sustain relationships with stakeholders at varying levels in the organisation.
• Strong understanding of data governance and data management best practice and standards.
• Technical knowledge and experience sufficient to ensure effective, peer to peer engagement with data specialists, architects and engineering team in relation to metadata management.
• Comfortable explaining metadata and catalogue concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Organised, detail-oriented, and proactive in identifying process and artefact gaps or enhancements.
• Ability to lead and facilitate discussions across functional teams and resolve complex requirements and develop practical solutions.
• Strong written, verbal and visual communication skills, with a proven ability to communicate complex information at an appropriate level for the audience.
• Awareness of energy industry challenges and the role data has in addressing the challenges.

Responsibilities

• Manage ongoing Data Catalogue with Data Stewards, Data Control Managers, Architects, Security, Data Engineers and Product Owner to align business metadata with technical metadata.
• Lead consolidation of Data Dictionary and define standard terms for describing NESO Data Assets; develop Business Glossary and supporting information.
• Apply data governance frameworks, including GDPR compliance and Ofgem Data Best Practice to the Data Catalogue and support Data Stewards and Data Owners.
• Collect and categorise functional and non-functional requirements for Data Catalogue tool in collaboration with Product Owner.
• Maintain documentation (Process Guide, SOPs, Roles & Responsibilities) as a key control in NESO’s risk management.

Skills

Data governance

Metadata management

Stakeholder management

Data catalogue

GDPR compliance

Communication skills

Education

BA/BS in data field

Tools

Data Catalogue tools

Job description

About The Role

NESO is seeking a highly skilled, passionate and experienced Data Catalogue Lead. This exciting opportunity will allow the successful candidate to own and manage Data Catalogue development and implementation across our organisation and ensure compliance with Data Best Practice guidance and internal Data Policies.

NESO is seeking a highly skilled, passionate and experienced Data Catalogue Lead. This exciting opportunity will allow the successful candidate to own and manage Data Catalogue development and implementation across our organisation and ensure compliance with Data Best Practice guidance and internal Data Policies.

Data Catalogue Lead will engage with varying stakeholders across Digital, Data and Technology Directorate (Data Architects, Data Control Managers and Lead Data Stewards, Product Team) and Data Owners to identify and document in collaboration with Data Users NESO’s Data Assets.

The ambition of NESO is to deliver a centralised, searchable inventory of NESO Data Assets to provide to current and potential Data Users visibility and transparency on Data Assets available in the organisation for reporting and analytics, in line with architectural view of the Data and systems and business processes across NESO.

Data Catalogue Lead is expected to provide subject matter expertise in relation to metadata capture, work closely with Data Catalogue Product Owner to support functional and non-functional requirements gathering for Enterprise Data Catalogue tool and evolve the Data Catalogue as an effective control against Data Risks, ensuring the cataloguing process, business procedure and documentation is fit for purpose.

The successful candidate will require a strong combination of data management experience and depth (specifically in metadata management), strong team collaboration skills, and relationship management with the ability to work with and influence stakeholders in achieving strategic priorities.

This is a unique opportunity to be part of a company with a vision to be a digital leader in the industry and be a key contributor to the delivery of NESO’s Data & Analytics strategy.

The role will be based in Warwick, and we continue to offer hybrid working with the expectation of at least 2 days per week in the office. It may require travel to NESO’s other offices in Wokingham, London, and Glasgow as needed.

Key Accountabilities

• Responsible for ongoing management of Data Catalogue – liaising with Data Stewards, Data Control Managers, Architects, Security, Data Engineers and Product Owner to ensure alignment between business metadata, including the Data Ownership and Stewardship information and technical metadata alignment with key architecture artefacts (conceptual and logical entity models, metadata model), evolve the Data Catalogue and appropriate metadata definitions and support configuration of the data catalogue in the enterprise data governance tool.
• Accountable for Data Dictionary and Business Glossary management – lead the work on consolidation of Data Dictionary and liaise with key stakeholders to define key standard terms required to describe the NESO Data Assets. Define approach and deliverables required for accompanying Business Glossary and other Supporting Information (as per Ofgem’s Data Best Practice) to ensure the information in the Data Catalogue is transparent and understandable for current and potential Data Users.
• Accountable for applying data governance frameworks, including GDPR compliance and Ofgem Data Best Practice to the Data Catalogue and acting as a subject matter expert and support to Data Stewards and Data Owners regarding all queries and instructions for populating Data Catalogue.
• Responsible for collection and categorisation of functional and non-functional requirements for Data Catalogue digital tool in collaboration with Data Catalogue Product Owner.
• Data Catalogue is defined as one of key controls in NESO’s Risk Register, therefore the Role Holder will be accountable for ensuring the required documentation (Process Guide, Standard Operating Procedure, Roles and Responsibilities) is up-to-date and correctly reflects enterprise data ambition, including a well-defined process for effective Data Catalogue control, Data Catalogue maturity roadmap and any required improvements.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK by the start of employment. Visa sponsorship may not be available for this role and will be considered in line with business requirements.

About You

We’re forging the path, and we know we can’t do it alone. That’s why we need visionary minds like yours to join us on this transformative journey. In this case, we’re looking for someone who:

• BA/BS degree in a data related field or equivalent work experience in Data or Metadata Management.
• Demonstrable experience and best practice knowledge of structuring, curating and managing the Data Catalogue, Data Dictionary and Business Glossary and modern Data Catalogue tools
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills and proven ability to build and sustain relationships with stakeholders at varying levels in the organisation.
• Strong understanding of data governance and data management best practice and standards.
• Technical knowledge and experience sufficient to ensure effective, peer to peer engagement with data specialists, architects and engineering team in relation to metadata management.
• Comfortable explaining metadata and catalogue concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Organised, detail-oriented, and proactive in identifying process and artefact gaps or enhancements.
• Ability to lead and facilitate discussions across functional teams and resolve complex requirements and develop practical solutions.
• Strong written, verbal and visual communication skills, with a proven ability to communicate complex information at an appropriate level for the audience.
• Awareness of energy industry challenges and the role data has in addressing the challenges.

What You'll Get

A competitive salary of £50,188 - £55,000 dependent on experience and capability. As well as your base salary, NESO's core benefits are the essential perks and advantages that form part of your employee package.

• You will receive a bonus based on company performance
• 26 days annual leave as standard
• A competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%
• Annual Enrollment to NESO Savings Plan, when you save between £20- £500 a month from your take-home pay, we will pay a 50% matching contribution

Benefits

NESO's flexible benefits programme provides you with more flexibility around your health, lifestyle and protection benefits, here's just a few available:

• Flexible Bank Holidays & Holiday Trading
• Additional Birthday Day Off
• Cycle to Work Scheme, Retail & Gym Discounts
• Private Medical Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance & Personal Accident Insurance

About Us

At the National Energy System Operator (NESO), we play a vital role in tackling climate change and securing Great Britain's energy future. We already operate the world's fastest decarbonising electricity system and are working towards our ambition to run it carbon-free for a short period this year - provided the market supplies electricity exclusively from renewable sources. Alongside this, we provide expert advice to government on how to deliver a clean power system by 2030.

In autumn 2024, the Electricity System Operator (ESO) transitioned to become NESO - an independent, expert public corporation with a whole-system view across electricity, gas, and hydrogen. NESO operates independently and transparently, always acting in the best interests of all energy users.

Licensed and regulated by Ofgem, we make impartial decisions that balance sustainability, affordability and security. Our organisation is fully independent from government, the regulator and all commercial interests, with a clear focus on system-wide benefit, long term thing and public value.

The time to deliver is now. Join the energy transformation and help shape the future.

Your energy. Our future. Together

National Energy System Operator (NESO) recognises the potential of bright and talented individuals, and we encourage you to join us as Great Britain’s energy system undergoes an ambitious, exciting, and vital transformation. Together with industry, we are creating a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

More Information

Research shows that some people may hesitate to apply unless they meet every single requirement. At NESO, we believe potential comes in many forms and we're committed to a fair, inclusive recruitment.

We're committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve, and a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential. If this role sparks your interest but you're not sure you tick every box, we still want to hear from you. process where everyone has the opportunity to show their talents. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds.