Head of Data Governance
Role details
Job location
Tech stack
Job description
We are hiring for a Head of Data Governance to lead the enterprise data governance function and be responsible for ensuring that data across the organisation is trusted, well-managed, and strategically aligned to business objectives. In this role you will report directly to the Chief Data Officer (CDO), this role owns the data stewardship framework, manages the delivery of data catalogues and governance tooling, and partners closely with business and technology leaders to embed governance principles into the enterprise data strategy and operating model., Leadership & Ownership
- Lead the development and continual improvement of the enterprise data governance framework in alignment with the CDO's strategy and organisational goals.
- Own the data stewardship model, ensuring every business unit and function has defined data owners and stewards with clear accountability.
- Manage and develop a team of data stewards and governance professionals, providing coaching and leadership.
- Collaborate with the CDO and the Head of Data Strategy to deliver key artefacts, including the Data Governance Strategy, Data Management Policy, and Enterprise Data Standards.
- Act as the organisation's subject matter expert for data ownership, stewardship, and governance best practices.
Operational Delivery
- Oversee and evolve the organisation's data cataloguing and metadata management capabilities, ensuring data assets are well-documented, discoverable, and governed.
- Define and maintain data quality metrics, lineage, and classification standards, supporting accountability through business data owners.
- Partner with architecture, platform, and analytics teams to embed governance controls and metadata management into data pipelines and platforms.
- Drive consistency and standardisation of data definitions and taxonomy across the enterprise.
Collaboration & Engagement
- Chair or support Data Governance Councils and Data Stewardship Forums, providing clear direction and follow-up on governance initiatives.
- Collaborate with compliance, information security, and legal teams to ensure governance policies align with data privacy and regulatory frameworks (GDPR, ISO27001, etc.).
- Partner with business unit leaders to promote a culture of data ownership, trust, and accountability.
- Provide executive-level reporting on governance maturity, data quality trends, and stewardship performance to the CDO and Data Leadership Team.
Requirements
Do you have experience in Metadata?, * Proven experience leading data governance or data management functions within complex or regulated environments.
- Deep understanding of data stewardship, metadata management, and data quality principles.
- Proficiency with data governance and cataloguing tools (e.g., Collibra, Alation, Informatica, Purview, or similar).
- Strong knowledge of data policy frameworks, including data privacy, compliance, and information security integration.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills; able to influence across business, technology, and executive levels.
- Track record of delivering scalable data governance operating models and measurable improvements in data quality and literacy.
- Strategic yet pragmatic: balances governance control with business enablement.
- Collaborative leader: empowers others and builds cross-functional alignment.
- Outcome-driven: focuses on measurable impact and business value.
- Trusted advisor: credible partner to executives and data leaders.