Data and AI Governance Manager

£56,058 - £59,298 per annum

2 years Fixed Term

Newham Dockside, London

Newham is a place that is full of potential and brimming with energy and talent. Proud to be one of the youngest and most diverse boroughs anywhere in the UK, 72% of our residents are from ethnically diverse communities, speaking over 220 languages and our population of 351,000 is growing at a rate of 14%, the third highest rate of growth in London.

In recent years we have seen unparalleled levels of investment, growth and interest in our Borough, but for all our successes, Covid-19 laid bare the endemic inequality that exists in our borough and how the Cost‑of‑Living crisis is exacerbating that. That's why we are working towards Building a Fairer Newham, focused on economic security, health, equality and the environment.

Newham offers a unique and exciting opportunity to build your career in a forward‑thinking environment. As the Council's use of data and artificial intelligence continues to grow, strong governance is essential to ensure these technologies are used responsibly, safely and effectively.

As the Data and AI Governance Manager within the Digital, Data and Technology service, you will play a key role in implementing and continually improving the Council's Data and AI Governance Frameworks. You will help establish practical standards, controls and assurance arrangements so that data and AI are used lawfully, ethically, securely, transparently and effectively across the organisation.

You will work closely with service teams and colleagues across Information Governance, Legal, Cyber Security, Architecture, Procurement, Internal Audit and technology teams. You will help translate complex legal, regulatory and policy requirements into clear, practical and proportionate governance processes that teams can understand and apply.

A key part of the role will be strengthening data ownership and stewardship across the Council and supporting a proportionate, risk‑based approach to AI governance. This will include supporting the assessment and oversight of AI use cases and maintaining oversight of the Council's AI Register, ensuring appropriate consideration is given to areas such as fairness, transparency, human oversight, security, accessibility, data quality and accountability.

You will also support Data and AI Governance Boards and working groups, develop governance reporting and assurance arrangements, and provide clear advice and constructive challenge to senior stakeholders. You will work with technical teams to ensure governance requirements are considered as part of the Council's wider data and technology environment.

Alongside this, you will support training, guidance and engagement across the Council, helping colleagues understand their responsibilities and strengthening data literacy, data stewardship and the responsible use of AI.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in shaping how Newham governs data and AI, ensuring appropriate assurance and accountability while enabling innovation that delivers better outcomes for our residents and staff.

You will have strong experience in data governance, information governance, AI governance, risk, compliance or a related area, with the ability to turn complex requirements into practical governance processes, standards and controls.

You will have a strong understanding of data management principles, including data ownership, stewardship, data quality, metadata management, access, sharing and lifecycle management.

You will have a good understanding of relevant UK legal and regulatory requirements relating to data and AI, including data protection, transparency, equality and public‑sector…