Data Governance Specialist

Job Description

Why this role matters

The Data Governance Specialist leads the implementation of BT Group’s data governance strategy, ensuring that data is accurate, consistent, secure, and aligned with strategic objectives. This role ensures compliance with regulatory requirements and drives the optimisation of data assets to deliver value across the organisation.

This role is based in London, Bristol, Birmingham or Belfast and our hybrid working model means you are expected to be in the office 3 days per week.

You'll have the following responsibilities

• Lead the implementation of BT Group’s data governance strategy roadmap, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Leads the strategic implementation of data governance processes and influences the risk and assurance management of data and ai risk.
• Manage processes for monitoring data governance policies, procedures, and standards to ensure data quality, privacy, and integrity.
• Implement, and maintain privacy frameworks, policies, processes (e.g. DPIAs, ROPAs, consent management) to ensure compliance with data protection laws such as GDPR.
• Advise and collaborate with cross-functional teams to embed privacy by design, manage risk, respond to data incidents, ensure regulatory readiness across data processing activities.
• Oversee the deployment of data policies and ensure enforcement through influence and indirect leadership developers and data governance professionals across the Networks verticals.
• Works across the organisation to influence data governance strategy and priority to ensure we meet our group commitments.
• Owns DCAM for Networks and how we achieve our Group level KPIs
• Empowers teams to engage with CAF.
• Lead the implementation of BT Group’s data governance strategy roadmap, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Leads the strategic implementation of data governance processes and influences the risk and assurance management of data and ai risk.
• Manage processes for monitoring data governance policies, procedures, and standards to ensure data quality, privacy, and integrity.
• Implement, and maintain privacy frameworks, policies, processes (e.g. DPIAs, ROPAs, consent management) to ensure compliance with data protection laws such as GDPR.
• Advise and collaborate with cross-functional teams to embed privacy by design, manage risk, respond to data incidents, ensure regulatory readiness across data processing activities.
• Oversee the deployment of data policies and ensure enforcement through influence and indirect leadership developers and data governance professionals across the Networks verticals.
• Works across the organisation to influence data governance strategy and priority to ensure we meet our group commitments.
• Owns DCAM for Networks and how we achieve our Group level KPIs
• Empowers teams to engage with CAF.
• Act as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to identify potential data risks, mitigate them, and implement enhanced security measures.
• Develop and implement data governance frameworks, policies, standards, and procedures in existing and new environments.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders across business units to ensure buy-in and sponsorship of data governance initiatives.
• Mentor and coach a team of professionals, fostering growth and maintaining a high-performing team capable of executing the governance strategy.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives to enhance data control processes and data management platforms

You'll have the following skills and experience

If you have a background in data governance or legal / compliance / risk assurance or governance we would love to hear from you.

Skills

• CIPP/E: European data protection laws like GDPR.
• CIPM: Data protection law into practice.
• Metadata Management: Proficiency in managing metadata to ensure transparency and usability.
• Data Security: Expertise in securing data using encryption, tokenisation, and key management practices.
• Regulatory Compliance: Strong knowledge of GDPR, TSA, DPA, and other data-related regulatory frameworks.
• Data Quality: Skilled in employing methodologies to measure and improve data quality.
• Data Governance Frameworks: Familiarity with DAMA-DMBOK and DCAM frameworks.
• Data Lineage: Ability to document and visualise data flow from source to consumption.
• Leadership and Decision-Making: Inclusive leadership style, with strong decision-making and problem-solving capabilities.
• Growth Mindset: Commitment to continuous learning and improvement.
  
  

Experience

• Proven track record in leading data governance programs at a senior level. (MANDATORY)
• Hands-on experience with data management tools and platforms like Collibra, Ab Initio, or similar. (MANDATORY)
• Demonstrated experience in cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management. (MANDATORY)
• Background in mentoring and developing high-performing teams. (PREFERRED)

Benefits

• 10% on target bonus
• BT Pension scheme, minimum 5% Employee contribution, BT contribution 10%
• From January 2025, equal family leave: receive 18 weeks at full pay, 8 weeks at half pay and 26 weeks at the statutory rate. It’s for all parents, no matter how your family is made up.
• Enhanced women’s health support: including help with menopause symptoms, cancer screenings, period care and more.
• 25 days annual leave (not including bank holidays), increasing with service
• 24/7 private virtual GP appointments for UK colleagues
• 2 weeks carer’s leave
• World-class training and development opportunities
• Option to join BT Shares Saving schemes

Our leadership standards

Looking in:
Leading inclusively and Safely
I inspire and build trust through self-awareness, honesty and integrity.
Owning outcomes
I take the right decisions that benefit the broader organisation.

Looking out:
Delivering for the customer
I execute brilliantly on clear priorities that add value to our customers and the wider business.
Commercially savvy
I demonstrate strong commercial focus, bringing an external perspective to decision-making.

Looking to the future:
Growth mindset
I experiment and identify opportunities for growth for both myself and the organisation.
Building for the future
I build diverse future-ready teams where all individuals can be at their best.

About us

BT Group was the world’s first telco and our heritage in the sector is unrivalled. As home to several of the UK’s most recognised and cherished brands – BT, EE, Openreach and Plusnet, we have always played a critical role in creating the future, and we have reached an inflection point in the transformation of our business.

Over the next two years, we will complete the UK’s largest and most successful digital infrastructure project – connecting more than 25 million premises to full fibre broadband. Together with our heavy investment in 5G, we play a central role in revolutionising how people connect with each other.

While we are through the most capital-intensive phase of our fibre investment, meaning we can reward our shareholders for their commitment and patience, we are absolutely focused on how we organise ourselves in the best way to serve our customers in the years to come. This includes radical simplification of systems, structures, and processes on a huge scale. Together with our application of AI and technology, we are on a path to creating the UK’s best telco, reimagining the customer experience and relationship with one of this country’s biggest infrastructure companies.

Change on the scale we will all experience in the coming years is unprecedented. BT Group is committed to being the driving force behind improving connectivity for millions and there has never been a more exciting time to join a company and leadership team with the skills, experience, creativity, and passion to take this company into a new era.

A FEW POINTS TO NOTE:

Although these roles are listed as full-time, if you’re a job share partnership, work reduced hours, or any other way of working flexibly, please still get in touch.

We will also offer reasonable adjustments for the selection process if required, so please do not hesitate to inform us.

DON'T MEET EVERY SINGLE REQUIREMENT?

Studies have shown that women and people who are disabled, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse or from ethnic minority backgrounds are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification and criteria. We're committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace where everyone can be their best, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement on the Job Description, please apply anyway - you may just be the right candidate for this or other roles in our wider team.