Data Governance Practice Lead

We’re looking for a Data Governance Practice Lead to lead and develop our Data Governance practice within the Chief Data and Information Office in the Business and Customer Understanding team. This senior leadership role will set the direction for data governance and data quality across our Pensions & Savings business, ensuring robust standards, frameworks and controls are in place while building capability and strengthening a culture of data ownership and stewardship across the organisation.

Job Type: Permanent

Location: Role can be based in London, or Edinburgh with minimum 2 days a week spent working in the office.

Flexible working: All roles are open to part-time, job-share and other types of flexibility. We will discuss what is important to you and balancing this with business requirements during the recruitment process. You can read more about flexible working here.

Closing Date: 25/11/2025

Salary and benefits: from £80,000 (dependent upon experience) plus an indicative bonus range of 30–60%, private medical cover, 38 days annual leave, up to 12% employer pension contribution, 12x salary life assurance, career breaks, income protection, 3x volunteering days and much more.

We’re Standard Life, a retirement specialist focused entirely on retirement savings and income. We champion the belief that everyone’s journey to and through retirement can be better, and for more than 200 years, we’ve been helping our customers plan and prepare for their financial futures.

Life today is increasingly complicated, uncertain and unpredictable. People move through different careers, face unexpected moments and navigate important choices. We offer our colleagues flexibility, trust and benefits that work for whatever life brings. In return we expect curiosity, connection, accountability and high standards. We make room for what matters - so you can bring your best, every day.

This is a senior leadership role with responsibility for the direction, effectiveness and continued development of data governance practices across our Pensions & Savings business. You will lead a specialist Data Governance practice, acting as a trusted adviser and senior escalation point on data governance, data quality and data management.

You will own and develop the data governance framework, roadmap, regulatory data commitments and approach to AI and model governance within Pensions & Savings, translating Group policy and regulatory expectations into practical standards and controls. Working across business and technical teams, senior leadership and external partners, you will help strengthen data ownership, improve data quality and ensure data is managed, controlled and remediated effectively.

• Lead and develop the Data Governance practice, setting standards, building capability and career pathways, and coaching and developing a high-performing specialist team.
• Own and continually develop the data governance framework for Pensions & Savings, translating Group data policy into practical standards, controls and ways of working.
• Lead the data quality agenda across the Pensions & Savings estate, driving remediation through accountable business owners and providing clear, actionable reporting to senior leadership.
• Own the response to regulatory data commitments, ensuring obligations are understood, tracked and delivered, with clear evidence that data is governed and controlled effectively.
• Shape and develop AI and model governance, translating Group policy into appropriate standards and controls covering how models are designed, approved, implemented and operated.
• Act as an authoritative adviser on data management, quality and governance, influencing senior stakeholders and helping shape business…