Data Governance Lead

Government Digital Service; Manchester; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Government Digital Service seeks a Data Governance Lead (Data Protection) to design privacy controls and lead DPIAs, ensuring compliance across GOV.UK platforms and data analytics. You will collaborate with internal teams and bodies like the ICO to balance innovation with robust data protection.

The role requires proven leadership of data protection teams, strong communication, and risk management in fast‑paced public sector delivery, offering opportunities to shape privacy practice at scale.

Qualifications

• Data protection qualifications or relevant experience.
• Experience leading data protection teams to achieve strategic objectives.
• Ability to deliver at pace while meeting deadlines and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead on delivering Data Protection Excellence across GDS products and services.
• Design and deliver Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) and privacy notices.
• Provide training and raise awareness of data protection obligations across GDS staff.
• Maintain strong relationships with stakeholders, including ICO, to address queries.
• Balance legal requirements with innovative public services delivery.

Skills

Data protection leadership

Privacy by design

DPIAs

Strong communication

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Education

IAPP (CIPP/E, CIPM) or BCS (ISEB) privacy qualifications

Job description

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government. We are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.

Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:

• joining up public sector services
• harnessing the power of AI for the public good
• strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
• elevating leadership and investing in talent
• funding for outcomes andprocuringfor growth and innovation
• committing to transparency and driving accountability

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.

We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.

The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.

Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You'll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need.

The Data Governance Team, as part of the GDS Product, Strategy, Planning and Performance directorate, provides specialist expertise and leadership across the Government Digital Service. GDS has specialist data protection requirements and needs extensive data governance controls to be designed and incorporated into product development. Strong privacy controls designed and built from the outset maintain users' confidence in the digital services delivered by GDS.

The Data Governance team has an excellent track record for their enabling and pragmatic attitudes to support delivery teams in achieving GDS’s strategic objectives at a fast pace whilst balancing robust data protection compliance. The postholder will lead on delivering data protection excellence across GDS products such as the GOV.UK web platform, App, GOV.UK One Login, data analytics and GOV.UK Chat.

As a Data Governance Lead (Data Protection), you will:

Leadership:

• line manage and play an active role in the Data Governance leadership team

Data protection compliance:

• design and implement privacy and data protection controls for the products and processes GDS creates, including the delivery of Data Protection Impact Assessments to ensure the GDS Product Group complies with data protection law by delivering flexible and pragmatic governance practices that enable delivery at pace

Privacy by design and risk management:

• lead and deliver high quality Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), Privacy Notices and Records of Processing Activities for new projects at pace

Training and awareness:

• oversee training to ensure GDS staff understand data protection obligations and best practices, fostering a culture of data privacy at all levels

Excellent communication and relationship management:

• work closely with GDS colleagues to build trust. Deliver high quality written and verbal briefings to all levels, including delivery managers and senior management. Explain technical detail to non technical staff
• work closely with external stakeholders such as the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and privacy groups to ensure compliance and address queries

Support the deputy head and head of data governance:

• provide proactive support to the heads to manage and lead on compliance, identify risks, the development of data governance strategies and deliver strategic objectives

Workload management and prioritisation:

• prioritise your time effectively to manage a high volume, fast paced and frequently evolving workload. Manage workloads to ensure that priorities align with strategic and team objectives and that deadlines are met

Cutting edge technologies:

• provide expert advice and direction on complex and novel forms of processing, especially on AI. Balance legal requirements against the need to deliver innovative solutions to benefit the public, supporting timely delivery of demanding GDS targets

Person specification

We’re interested in people who:

• have data protection & privacy qualifications - holding a relevant privacy qualification such as IAPP (CIPP/E, CIPM) or BCS (ISEB), or have relevant experience
• demonstrable experience of leading data protection teams to enable the organisation to achieve its strategic objectives, underpinned by a positive, proactive leadership approach with a commitment to collaboration and governance
• experience at delivering at pace, meeting challenging and changing operational and legal deadlines
• strong communication, presentation and interpersonal skills to build effective working relationships in a flexible and fast-changing environment
• a good understanding of new and emerging technologies and the opportunities they provide to improve the delivery of public services in the UK, including AI
• experience of risk management and the ability to balance risks against operational, technical and commercial requirements

Sponsorship

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.