Principal Data Governance Manager; office locations

Position: Principal Data Governance Manager  (we have office locations  and )
Company Description

Genomics England is a global leader in enabling genomic medicine and research, focused on creating a world where everyone benefits from genomic healthcare. Building on the 100,000 Genomes Project, we support the NHS’s world-first national whole genome sequencing service and run the growing National Genomic Research Library, alongside delivering numerous major genomics initiatives. By connecting research and clinical care at national scale, we enable immediate healthcare benefits and advances for the future.

Our mission is to provide the evidence and digital systems so that by 2035 genomics could play a role in up to half of all healthcare interactions, whilst securing the UK’s position as the best place to discover, prove and benefit from genomic innovations.

We are accelerating our impact and working with patients, doctors, scientists, government and industry to improve genomic testing, and help researchers access the health data and technology they need to make new medical discoveries and create more effective, targeted medicines for everybody.

Behind the Healthcare and Research outcomes, Genomics England delivers through designing, developing and operating complex healthcare software systems.

We're on the cusp of big changes with the real prospect of genomics becoming the fabric of everyday healthcare through the lifetime - from birth to old age.

Job Description

Principal Data Governance Manager

We are looking for a Principal Data Governance Manager to provide senior leadership across data governance, data management and information stewardship, helping ensure some of the UK’s most important clinical, genomic and research data assets are governed, protected, understood and used responsibly.

This is a strategic leadership role for someone who can be accountable, set direction, build organisational capability and work confidently across clinical, research, technology and corporate domains. You will play a key role in strengthening data ownership, stewardship, quality, metadata, data release and risk management across the National Genomic Research Library and Clinical Healthcare Systems.

About the role

You will provide senior accountability for data governance and information stewardship activities across complex, sensitive healthcare and research-critical data assets. Working with senior stakeholders, executives, service leads, squads and governance forums, you will establish practical frameworks, standards and decision routes that improve trust, consistency and delivery.

The role will suit an experienced data governance leader who can combine strategic thinking with pragmatic delivery, influence across matrix structures and create clear, auditable governance approaches for highly regulated data environments.

What you will be doing

Setting data governance direction across clinical and research domains.

Establishing sustainable data ownership, stewardship and decision-making models.

Leading the development of data governance frameworks, standards, controls and roadmaps.

Providing governance oversight for data release, data sharing, data tagging, participant withdrawal, metadata, classification and data quality.

Identifying and managing data governance risks as services, datasets and research activity scale.

Influencing senior stakeholders through clear, evidence-based recommendations.

Chairing or contributing to governance boards, steering groups and delivery forums.

Building data governance capability and maturity across teams, services and communities of practice.

What we are looking for

You will bring significant experience leading data governance, data management or information stewardship programmes in complex environments. You will understand how to design and embed governance frameworks that are proportionate, practical and trusted by technical and non-technical teams.

We are particularly interested in people with:

Significant experience leading enterprise data governance or data management programmes.

Experience developing policies, standards, controls and data management frameworks.

Strong understanding of data ownership, stewardship, data quality, metadata and…