Data Governance Lead

Job Summary

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter‑terrorism, policing, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports. The Migration and Borders Group is responsible for policy, legislation and reform of the immigration systems and acts as a centre for excellence to deliver international interventions and engagement. This work touches many of the most high‑profile policy areas for the Home Office, including asylum, migration, nationality, extradition, citizens' rights, borders and international criminality.

The Data Excellence Capability (DEC) is a cross Migration and Borders function to provide data leadership, direction and drive collaboration across the key system enablers. DEC leads on co‑ordinating and directing system wide efforts and data improvements and provides enduring expertise to support the systems immediate needs along with building long term sustainable solutions. As Data Governance Lead, you will provide strategic leadership and guidance to ensure data is trusted, secure and high value across the Migration & Borders (M&B) System.

You will work closely with HO Data and Identity Directorate to embed the data governance frameworks, policies and practices that enable lawful, ethical and effective use of data - supporting critical functions across M&B including the role out of a Data Ownership Model and support these new Data Owners in the breadth of their responsibilities. We are recruiting a Data Governance Lead for Migration and Borders (M&B) in the Data Excellence Capability (DEC), as part of the M&B System Leadership Directorate.

This role will set the data ownership for M&B one of the most complex and highest profile parts of the UK Government. This is a high‑profile, strategic and stretching role. The successful candidate will proactively enable effective data governance and data management policies and guidelines within the team and across the organisation, monitoring and improving data management practices across M&B, defining and developing the use of data management tools, procedures and methods in compliance with data governance policies.

• Lead the implementation of data governance frameworks, policies, and practices to ensure lawful, ethical, and effective use of data.
• Drive improvements in data management practices, developing appropriate tools, and methods in line with governance policies.
• Deliver core data management capabilities, including data quality, metadata, master data, modelling, and standards.
• Maintain oversight of organisational data risks, coordinating with data owners and governance forums to resolve issues.
• Build strong relationships and communicate effectively with stakeholders, promoting data literacy and accountability.
• Represent DEC in cross‑M&B and Home Office governance forums, ensuring alignment and advancing organisational priorities.

Travel – Occasional travel to other work locations within the UK according to business needs may be required and may include overnight stays. All related costs will be reimbursed in line with Home Office policy.

As a Disability Confident employer, we generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. In certain recruitment situations such as high‑volume, seasonal and high‑peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non‑disabled people.

Due to the business requirements of this role, it is only available on a full‑time basis. However, job‑share and compressed hours are available.