Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Data Governance Manager
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Bristol, Darlington, Manchester, Wolverhampton
Job Summary
We are MHCLG
Here at the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), we work on things that make a real difference to people’s lives. Whether it's through the homes we live in, the work of our local councils, or the communities we’re all part of, our work is at the top of the political agenda. We have ambitious and far-reaching outcomes to achieve this year and, if you’re thinking of joining us, there’s never been a more exciting time.
As a Data Governance Manager in the Chief Data Office, part of the Data and Information Division in the Digital Directorate at MHCLG, you will support delivery of the department’s Data Asset Management Policy requirements, data acquisition activity and wider data governance improvements. You will help teams catalogue, monitor and identify data assets that are essential to the organisation’s operations and services, so that data can be found, understood, trusted and used appropriately across the department.
You will work closely with the Data Catalogue Product Manager to support effective use of the Data Catalogue and the Data Governance Lead to embed data governance into routine processes. You will support data owners, data stewards, ALBs and delivery teams to assign clear data ownership, strengthen RACI arrangements, improve metadata and data quality, manage data-related risks and promote better data literacy across the organisation. You will help deliver the MHCLG Data Strategy by making sure data is well managed, appropriately governed and treated as a high-value asset.
Find out more about our Digital teams and what they are working on through our MHCLG Digital blog. Please note that MHCLG do not offer visa sponsorship and applicants will need a valid visa for the duration of your employment.
Job Description
As a Data Governance Manager, you'll:
- Support delivery of the Data Asset Management Policy by helping teams understand and meet policy requirements for data ownership, stewardship, metadata, quality, reporting and clear RACI arrangements
- Work with data owners, stewards and ALBs to catalogue, monitor and identify critical data assets, gather accurate information about those assets and support timely returns to the Government Digital Service
- Support teams to assess and improve data quality using agreed tools, standards and guidance, helping them apply practical data governance throughout the data life cycle
- Help teams use standardised metadata so that data assets are easier to find, understand, reuse and govern through the MHCLG Data Catalogue
- Work alongside the service owner and data stewards to support data acquisition activities, including commercial and external data, by helping teams apply proportionate governance, documentation, approval and risk processes
- Work with the Product Manager to improve how data is identified, recorded and maintained in the Data Catalogue, including improvements to data quality information and metadata
- Work alongside the Data Governance Lead, Change Management, capability, communications, project management and technical design colleagues to embed data governance into routine organisational processes
- Provide clear advice, guidance and practical support to teams, advocating for better use and management of data and encouraging improved data literacy across the organisation
Person specification
As a Data Governance Manager, You'll Have
- Experience supporting data governance, data management or information management activities, with an understanding of how good governance improves the safety, quality, trustworthiness and value of data
- Understanding of data ownership, stewardship, RACI arrangements, metadata, data quality and data standards, and how these support effective management of data assets
- Ability to work with data owners, data stewards, ALBs and delivery teams to identify critical data assets, understand requirements, improve information about data and support adoption of agreed governance standards
- Ability to translate policy, governance or technical requirements into clear, practical guidance that can be understood by both specialist and non-specialist audiences
- Experience using evidence, data, user feedback or operational insight to support decisions, identify data risks, improve ways of working and strengthen data governance practice
- Ability to communicate clearly, build effective working relationships and support teams to understand, adopt and meet their data governance responsibilities
- Ability to organise work, manage competing priorities and make progress in a changing delivery environment, including escalating data risks and issues where needed
- Confidence to take ownership of tasks, work collaboratively across teams and advocate for continuous improvement in the use, management and governance of data
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Alongside your salary of £45,773, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £13,260 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
At MHCLG we offer many benefits that range from tailored career pathways and flexible working to MyLifestyle Childcare Voucher and Cycle to Work Schemes. For more information, please click here.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
Application and Selection
The application process will be split into 2 stages, testing the following Success Profiles:
- Behaviours
- Experience
- Strengths
- Technical
Please ensure your CV does not contain any personally identifiable information.
Note: We do not consider direct CV applications. All applications must be submitted via the provided application link.
Important: Your CV and Cover Letter must be merged into a single document before uploading.
Stage 1: Sift (CV & Cover Letter)
Experience & Technical: Your covering letter should be no more than 1 page referencing how you meet the criteria set out in the job description.
Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.
In the event that we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead sift question listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to interview.
Lead sift question (Experience): Please tell us about your experience of Data Governance and why it is important to an organisation?
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Stage 2: Interview
- Behaviours: Working Together, Making Effective Decisions, Changing and Improving
- Technical: Technical questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.*
- Strengths: The strength-based questions will require natural responses from the candidates.
Candidates will be asked to prepare a 5-10 minute presentation, further details will be provided on invitation to interview.
Sift and Interview Dates
- Sifting is envisaged to take place the week commencing 12th October 2026.
- Interviews are envisaged to take place shortly after and are currently being held remotely via videocall. This could be subject to change.
How We Recruit
Find out everything you need to know before applying here.
Applying
- Sifting
- Interview
- Interview Results & Feedback
- Reserve List
- Near Miss
- Civil Service Grades
We are a DCS, RIS & GPTWV employer
Reasonable Adjustments
How To Apply
What you need to know before applying.
- Security Clearance Requirements
- Civil Service Nationality Requirements
- Right to Work
- Artificial Intelligence
- Civil Service Code and Recruitment Principles
- CV Declaration
- Sponsorships
- Salary and Grade
- Existing Civil Servants
- Conflict of Interest
- Location and Flexible Working
- Fixed Term Contracts
- Internal Fraud Database - Internal Fraud Register
- Appeals and Complaints
- Conflict of Interest
Security Clearance Requirements
National Office: BPSS
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme
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