Data governance manager

This describes the role of a data governance manager and the skills required, including:

• an introduction to the role, telling you what you would do in this role and the full list of skills
• a description of the levels in this role, from data governance manager to head of data governance, specifying the skills you need and the corresponding skill levels (awareness, working, practitioner, expert)

This role is part of the Digital, Data and Technology Profession in the Civil Service.

Introduction to the role of data governance manager

A data governance manager plans, monitors and enforces the management of data assets.

In this role, you will:

• catalogue, monitor and identify data assets that are essential to the organisation’s operations or services
• assign ownership of data, ensuring there is a clear RACI (responsible, accountable, consulted and informed) matrix in the organisation
• incorporate governance of data into routine processes
• support or manage risk processes around data
• advocate for better use and management of data within the organisation
• encourage better data literacy within the organisation

Skills needed to be a data governance manager

You will need the following skills for this role, although the level of expertise for each will vary, depending on the role level.

• Communicating analysis and insight. You can use the most appropriate medium to visualise data to tell compelling stories that are relevant to business goals and can be acted upon. You can present, communicate and disseminate analysis and recommendations effectively, appropriately and with high impact.
• Communicating between the technical and non-technical. You can communicate effectively across organisational, technical and political boundaries, understanding the context. You can make complex and technical information and language simple and accessible for non-technical audiences. You can advocate on behalf of a team and communicate what it does, to create trust and authenticity. You can successfully respond to challenges.
• Data governance. You can explain the theory and standard methodology of data governance, how to apply these efficiently and the practical considerations. You can explain how data governance relates to other elements of organisational governance. You can implement data governance frameworks and operating models, including data ownership, measurement, operational policies, standards and compliance. You can assign data governance roles and responsibilities (including risk management) and support the improvement of relevant skills. You can invest in technologies that support the organisation’s objectives.
• Data innovation. You can explore new, more efficient and effective ways of deriving value from data. You can optimise and design data to support business opportunities.
• Data life cycle. You can understand and operationalise governance across the data life cycle. You can review compliance or performance against the data life cycle, assess data quality, and log and triage data issues for resolution. You can clearly explain the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders across the data life cycle.
• Data literacy improvement. You can communicate why data is so important for the UK government. You can raise awareness and establish a foundational level of data literacy across the organisation through principles, practices and programmes. You can develop strategies to create behavioural changes across the organisation, making sure that data is valued and handled as an asset, and the risks are well understood.
• Data management. You can understand data sources, data organisation and storage.
• Data maturity models. You can understand the different data maturity models available. You can measure data maturity across different domains, implement best practice and describe the benefits of potential improvements.
• Data regulation and ethics. You can understand all aspects of data governance and use, ensuring these are maintained in-line with legislation, regulations and ethical requirements. You can work effectively with subject matter experts to apply relevant data and ethical frameworks and standards to your work. You can monitor the landscape for new thinking and best practice in data management and data ethics.
• Data standards. You can demonstrate a deep understanding of best practice data policies, processes and standards, and can work with subject matter experts to implement them effectively. You can demonstrate familiarity with typical data roles and responsibilities. You can communicate the organisational benefit of data standards, and champion and govern these standards across the organisation.
• Enabling and informing risk-based decisions. You can make and guide effective decisions on risk, explaining clearly how the decision has been reached. You can make decisions proportionate to the level of technical complexity and risk.
• Stakeholder relationship management. You can identify, analyse, manage and monitor relationships with and between stakeholders. You can communicate with stakeholders clearly and regularly, clarifying mutual needs and commitments through consultation and consideration of impacts, while concentrating on user needs.
• Strategic thinking. You can take an overall perspective on business issues, events and activities, and discuss their wider implications and long-term impact. You can determine patterns, standards, policies, roadmaps and vision statements. You can effectively focus on outcomes rather than solutions and activities.

Data governance manager

A data governance manager defines, implements and manages data governance frameworks, policies and standards.

At this role level, you will:

• work on the design and implementation of practical data governance solutions to support organisational needs
• identify opportunities and make recommendations to improve the quality and trustworthiness of data throughout the organisation
• implement and establish wider data management competencies within the organisation (such as data quality, metadata management, master data management, data modelling, and development of data standards and data strategy)
• apply data governance to optimise the safety and value of data throughout the data life cycle
• work within the organisation to minimise data risks and increase data literacy

Skills needed for this role level

• Communicating analysis and insight. You can understand the appropriate media to communicate findings. You can shape and share communications relevant to the audience. You can give tactical recommendations. (Skill level: working)
• Communicating between the technical and non-technical. You can communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders. You can support and host discussions within a multidisciplinary team, with potentially difficult dynamics. You can be an advocate for the team externally, and can manage differing perspectives. (Skill level: working)
• Data governance. You can demonstrate up-to-date knowledge of data governance theory, standard methodology and the practical considerations. You can develop an end-to-end data governance framework (the processes, operational policies and standards needed to support good data management). You can work effectively with technical teams and other stakeholders to implement a data governance framework, and make recommendations to ensure compliance. (Skill level: working)
• Data innovation. You can understand the impact on the organisation of emerging trends in data tools, analysis techniques and data usage. (Skill level: working)
• Data life cycle. You can understand and apply data governance over a data life cycle, ensuring best practice at each phase. (Skill level: working)
• Data literacy improvement. You can raise awareness of the need for data literacy within the organisation. You can support data literacy development and training by enabling data consumers to understand what they can and cannot do with data. (Skill level: working)
• Data management. You can understand data governance and how it works in relation to other organisational governance structures. You can participate in or deliver the assurance of a service. (Skill level: working)
• Data maturity models. You can understand the different data maturity models available. You can measure data maturity across different domains, implement best practice and describe the benefits of potential improvements. (Skill level: working)
• Data regulation and ethics. You can apply relevant data and ethical frameworks and standards to your work. You can understand all aspects of data governance and use, ensuring these are maintained in-line with laws, regulations, codes of practice and ethical requirements. You can demonstrate an awareness of emerging best practice in areas such as data ethics, and an understanding of the changing landscape. (Skill level: working)
• Data standards. You can demonstrate an understanding of best practice data policies, processes and standards, and can implement them effectively. You can understand which standards need to be applied where. You can work effectively with subject matter experts to develop the rules, policies and guidance needed to safeguard the organisation’s data assets. You can work within a team to monitor how data policies and standards are applied and complied with, taking action where necessary. (Skill level: working)
• Enabling and informing risk-based decisions. You can work with risk owners to advise and give feedback. You can advise on risk impact and whether this is within risk tolerance. You can describe different risk methodologies and how these are applied, as well as the proportionality of risk. (Skill level: working)
• Stakeholder relationship management. You can identify important stakeholders and communicate with them clearly and regularly. You can tailor communication to stakeholders’ needs and work with them to build relationships while also meeting user needs. You can build and reach consensus. You can work to improve stakeholder relationships, using evidence to explain decisions made. (Skill level: working)
• Strategic thinking. You can work within a strategic context and communicate how activities meet strategic goals. You can contribute to the development of strategy and policies. (Skill level: working)

Lead data governance manager

A lead data governance manager undertakes complex work related to the principles and practices of data governance, and co-ordinates with data owners to lead wider data management competencies.

At this role level, you will:

• lead the formation, implementation and management of data governance frameworks, policies and standards
• implement and establish wider data management competencies within the organisation (such as data quality assurance, metadata management, master data management, data modelling, and development of data standards and data strategy)
• be responsible for understanding and managing the organisational data risks and issues, and co-ordinating with data owners to accept or resolve them

Skills needed for this role level

• Communicating analysis and insight. You can turn complex data into compelling, clear and actionable stories. You can share data communication skills with the team and across government. You can present analysis and visualisations in clear ways to communicate complex messages. You can communicate negative and positive information to stakeholders. You can give tactical and strategic recommendations. (Skill level: practitioner)
• Communicating between the technical and non-technical. You can listen to the needs of technical and business stakeholders, and interpret them. You can effectively manage stakeholder expectations. You can manage active and reactive communication. You can support or host difficult discussions within the team or with diverse senior stakeholders. (Skill level: practitioner)
• Data governance. You can implement and monitor data governance using standard methodology throughout the data life cycle, within a large organisation. You can meet the requirement for relevant data governance accreditation. You can take responsibility for specific parts of a data governance framework within the organisation. (Skill level: practitioner)
• Data innovation. You can identify areas of innovation in data tools and techniques, and recognise appropriate timing for adoption. (Skill level: practitioner)
• Data life cycle. You can understand and apply data governance structures and principles over a data life cycle, ensuring best practice at each phase. You can demonstrate knowledge of data governance industry standards. You can design and implement continuous improvements to optimise data governance over a data life cycle. You can work with internal and external stakeholders to build organisational capacity and capability in data governance. (Skill level: practitioner)
• Data literacy improvement. You can recommend data literacy as a valuable skill across all levels of the organisation. You can identify employee training courses and other opportunities to improve the organisation’s data literacy skills and data-driven culture. (Skill level: practitioner)
• Data management. You can advocate data governance and data management standards and guidelines within your team’s products and services. You can continually communicate and improve data management practices in your teams. You can help define and support the use of common toolsets. You can seek to automate data management activities where possible. You can develop processes to enable good data management practices and compliance with data governance policies. (Skill level: practitioner)
• Data maturity models. You can lead the implementation of data best practice, measure data maturity across different domains and communicate opportunities for improvement. You can take responsibility for monitoring and improving certain areas of organisational data maturity. (Skill level: practitioner)
• Data regulation and ethics. You can demonstrate a good understanding of relevant data laws, regulations, codes of practice and ethical requirements, and can apply these to your work. You can understand how the law and ethical considerations relate to one another. You can monitor the landscape and legislation to ensure you understand and can implement best practice in new areas of thought such as data ethics. (Skill level: practitioner)
• Data standards. You can define data governance policies, processes and standards, and can ensure these are understood at senior levels throughout organisational programmes and projects. You can work effectively with subject matter experts from across programmes to introduce best practice. You can independently monitor how policies and standards are applied and complied with, taking action where necessary. (Skill level: practitioner)
• Enabling and informing risk-based decisions. You can work with higher impact or more complex risks, advising on the impact and whether this is within risk tolerance. You can apply different risk methodologies in proportion to the risk in question. (Skill level: practitioner)
• Stakeholder relationship management. You can influence stakeholders and manage relationships effectively. You can build long-term strategic relationships and communicate clearly and regularly with stakeholders. (Skill level: practitioner)
• Strategic thinking. You can define strategies and policies, providing guidance to others on working in the strategic context. You can evaluate current strategies to ensure business requirements are being met and exceeded where possible. (Skill level: practitioner)

Head of data governance

The head of data governance works with the chief data officer across the organisation and government, providing strategic oversight and leadership in all aspects of data governance and use. They ensure high standards are maintained in-line with regulations and ethical requirements.

At this role level, you will:

• work with the chief data officer to provide strategic oversight of data governance throughout the organisation
• set and monitor the adherence to data governance policies, frameworks and standards
• be accountable for understanding and managing the organisational data risks and issues, and co-ordinating with data owners to accept or resolve them
• act as a senior advisor across government on the best practice of data security development, in accordance with the data enterprise architecture
• maintain effective long-term relationships at a senior level with important decision-makers and influencers
• advocate improved data risk management and practices within the organisation
• encourage better data literacy and understanding of data governance within the organisation

Skills needed for this role level

• Communicating analysis and insight. You can communicate relevant, compelling stories using the most appropriate medium. You can give complex recommendations at a tactical and strategic level. You can present analysis and visualisations in clear ways to communicate complex messages. You can communicate negative and positive information to stakeholders. (Skill level: expert)
• Communicating between the technical and non-technical. You can mediate between people and mend relationships, communicating with stakeholders at all levels. You can manage stakeholder expectations and moderate discussions about high risk and complexity, even within constrained timescales. You can speak on behalf of and represent the community to large audiences inside and outside of government. (Skill level: expert)
• Data governance. You can define the data governance strategy for the organisation, and connect it with the wider organisational strategy. You can design, implement and monitor data governance within a large organisation, throughout the data life cycle. You can set the strategy for applying end-to-end data governance frameworks, processes, operational policies, standards, compliance and assurance. You can engage and work effectively with technical leaders and senior stakeholders to implement data governance and ensure compliance. (Skill level: expert)
• Data innovation. You can investigate emerging trends in data-related approaches, perform horizon-scanning for the organisation and introduce innovative ways of working. (Skill level: expert)
• Data life cycle. You can take responsibility for data governance structures and principles, and ensure that they’re defined and applied with best practice throughout a data life cycle. You can direct continuous improvements to optimise data governance over a data life cycle. (Skill level: expert)
• Data literacy improvement. You can take responsibility for improving the organisation’s data literacy. You can encourage a data-driven culture within the organisation by strengthening data literacy skills among all employees. You can persuade senior decision-makers that data literacy is a vital part of a data-driven culture, enabling effective decision-making at all levels. (Skill level: expert)
• Data management. You can ensure data management and governance processes are in place and adhered to for the products and services your teams provide. You can ensure data management responsibilities are clearly defined and training is in place to enable the execution of data management practices. You can define strategies to enable continual improvement of data management practices and compliance with data governance policies. (Skill level: expert)
• Data maturity models. You can oversee the implementation of the organisation’s data maturity model. You can work with the organisation’s most senior stakeholders to provide data assurance, report assessment findings to boards or committees, and communicate improvement plans. (Skill level: expert)
• Data regulation and ethics. You can effectively manage data governance issues. You can oversee the implementation of relevant data and ethical frameworks and standards to the work of the organisation. You can direct continuous improvement activity to optimise data governance practices. You can work effectively with internal and external stakeholders to build the organisation’s capability in data regulation and ethics. (Skill level: expert)
• Data standards. You can advocate and oversee the implementation of best practice data policies, processes and standards, taking remedial action where necessary. You can ensure that best practice data policies, processes and standards are understood at senior levels throughout the organisation’s programmes and projects. You can develop relationships and positively influence strategic decision-makers across government. (Skill level: expert)
• Enabling and informing risk-based decisions. You can act as a point of escalation. You can be trusted by senior risk owners as an expert in security. You can apply risk methodologies at the most complex levels of risk. (Skill level: expert)
• Stakeholder relationship management. You can direct the strategy towards stakeholder relationships. You can set stakeholder objectives and recommend that they’re met. You can influence important senior stakeholders and provide mediation. (Skill level: expert)
• Strategic thinking. You can lead the design and implementation of strategy, directing the evaluation of strategies and policies to ensure business requirements are being met. (Skill level: expert)

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