Data Governance Manager

Job summary

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Unity is delivering a shared Finance, HR and Procurement service across HMRC and partner departments through a large‑scale transformation programme. Unity Technical Services (UTS) sits within HMRC CDIO and is responsible for delivering and operating the technology underpinning this multi‑department shared service.

UTS is seeking a Lead Data Governance Manager to provide strategic leadership for data governance across the Unity Programme. The role is critical to ensuring data is trusted, well‑governed, ethically managed and fit for purpose, supporting both programme delivery and long‑term live service operation.

You will lead implementation of data governance frameworks, work closely with data owners across HMRC and partner organisations, and embed robust data management practices throughout the data lifecycle. You will also play a key role in managing data risk, improving data maturity, and supporting senior leaders to make informed, risk‑based decisions.

Job description

At this role level you will be expected to:

• Lead the implementation and ongoing management of data governance frameworks, policies and standards for the Unity Programme and UTS working within the existing frameworks.
• Work collaboratively with data owners, business leads and technical teams across HMRC and partner departments to embed effective data governance and ownership.
• Embed and apply data quality standards and mature wider data management capabilities, including data quality, metadata management, master data management, data modelling, data standards and data strategy.
• Apply governance controls across the end‑to‑end data lifecycle, ensuring best practice from data creation through to archival or disposal.
• Identify, assess and manage organisational data risks, coordinating with data owners to resolve, mitigate or formally accept risk in line with HMRC governance and assurance processes.
• Define and implement data standards, ensure compliance, and make recommendations where standards are breached.
• Lead activity to improve data maturity across Unity, monitoring progress and clearly communicating opportunities for improvement to senior stakeholders.
• Champion data ethics, privacy and compliance, ensuring ethical considerations are embedded within Unity data practices and decision‑making.
• Act as a bridge between technical and non‑technical stakeholders, translating complex data issues into clear, actionable insight.
• Support the development of a strong data‑literate culture within Unity by promoting good practice and identifying learning and capability‑building opportunities.
• Provide strategic advice, insight and assurance to UTS and Unity leadership to support safe, effective and value‑driven use of data.

Person specification

You’ll have a demonstrable passion for delivery with the following skills or strong experience in:

Communicating Analysis and Insight

• Ability to turn complex data governance issues into clear, compelling and actionable insight.
• Experience communicating both positive and adverse messages to senior stakeholders and providing strategic recommendations.

Communicating Between the Technical and Non‑Technical

• Proven ability to interpret and reconcile the needs of business, delivery and technical stakeholders.
• Confidence in facilitating challenging discussions and managing expectations at senior level.

Data Governance

• Hands‑on experience implementing and monitoring data governance frameworks within large, complex organisations.
• Ownership of defined elements of a data governance framework, aligned to recognised standards and accreditation expectations.

Data Lifecycle and Data Management

• Strong understanding of data governance principles across the full data lifecycle.
• Experience designing and implementing continuous improvements to data governance and data management practices.

Data Ethics and Privacy

• Experience identifying and addressing ethical and privacy risks associated with data use.
• Ability to assess, challenge and improve data ethics approaches in line with organisational and regulatory requirements.

Data Standards and Data Maturity

• Experience in embedding data standards across the programme, aligning with existing practises ensuring that they are adopted/operationalised within the programme.
• Ability to lead initiatives to improve data maturity and assure compliance.

Risk‑Based Decision Making

• Experience advising on complex data risks, applying proportionate risk methodologies and supporting informed decision‑making.

Stakeholder and Strategic Leadership

• Strong stakeholder management skills, including building trusted, long‑term relationships.
• Ability to operate strategically, shaping policies and approaches aligned to Unity and HMRC priorities.

Essential Criteria:

• Familiarity with HMRC data governance frameworks
• Experience is data security and offshoring requirements
• An excellent knowledge of SAP ERP data migration tools and techniques and knowledge of methods associated with the Syniti data migration tool of choice
• Knowledge of and ability to manage the complex cross department data owners and key SME’s

Desirable criteria:

Experience in working in a large IT programme environment

Further Location Information

Please ensure that you only apply for a location that you are willing and able to work from, as we will only make one offer of employment. Any additional notes included in a ‘Further Location Preferences (optional)’ field within the application form, will not be considered. Please be aware that you cannot change your location preference after submitting your application.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,541, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £16,959 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.

We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.

• Pension - We make contributions to our colleagues’ Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
• Family friendly policies.
• Personal support.
• Coaching and development.

To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it’s really like to work for HMRChear from our insiders or visitThinking of joining the Civil Service

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

How to Apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:

• A name-blind CV including your job history for the 3 most recent roles, up to 250 words on key responsibilities for each role.
• A 1000-word Personal Statement. Your Personal Statement should be used to describe how your skills and experience would be suitable for the advertised role, making reference to the essential criteria and person specification outlined in the advert.

Please complete a separate statement (Max 250 words) for the Desirable Criteria where applicable. This is not essential for the role but may be considered by the vacancy-holder where candidates have the same scores at interview.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

In the event of a large number of applications being received, an initial sift may be held on your CV.

At full sift your CV, and your Personal Statement will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.

We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.

Interview

During the panel interview, you will be asked questions based on the behaviours listed below to explore in detail what you are capable of.

Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Interviews will take place via video link. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. Mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we may not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, or have withdrawn yourself in error and need your application reinstated whilst the campaign is still live, please contact us via: unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk – Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – [insert vacancy ref] & vacancy closing date [insert date]’.

To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.

Exceptionally, candidates who are not successful at this grade may be considered for appointment to similar roles at a lower grade where the eligibility criteria are met. If this applies, we will contact you directly.

The HMRC app can help you with your application

The HMRC app can provide you with your past 5 years' employment history, making the process of filling in your application quicker and easier.

If successful in your application, you will need your National Insurance number for the onboarding process.

Download the HMRC app now and save your National Insurance number to your digital phone wallet.

How to download the HMRC app and sign up for an account

Download the free HMRC app from the App Store or Google Play store.

If you have an HMRC online account already, sign straight in using your ID and password. If not, you can prove your identity by answering some questions or providing your photo ID.

You’ll then be able to access the app quickly and easily by signing in using a 6-digit PIN, your fingerprint, or facial recognition.

You can find guidance for technical issues on GOV.UK: Technical support with HMRC online services.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles – if this applies to you, we’ll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

Merit List

After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.

Criminal Record Check

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

Hybrid working at HMRC

HMRC is an office-based organisation, and colleagues are expected to spend 60% of their working time in the office. Our offices provide opportunity for interaction, collaboration which aids learning and development and a sense of community. Where the role allows it, and where the home environment is suitable, colleagues can work from home for up to 2 days a week, averaged over a calendar month (or a proportionate amount of time for colleagues who work less than full time).

Reasonable Adjustments

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact the UBS Recruitment team via unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Technical Support

If you are experiencing problems that cannot be resolved by our ‘help’ section, then technical support is available. You will receive a reply in 2 working days.

Additional Security Information

Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

From 1 April 2026, applicants will be required to meet updated nationality and residency requirements so that National Security Vetting (NSV) checks can be conducted. If this affects you, we will give you more information at the appropriate time.

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers:

This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need. Please consider the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the ‘location preferences’ section that you can travel to.

Terms and Conditions

Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.

HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.

Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.

Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.

Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band.

Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.

If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

For more Information for people applying for, or thinking of applying for, roles at HM Revenue and Customs, please see link: Working for HMRC: information for applicants - GOV.UK.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : David Norris
• Email : david.norris2@hmrc.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via ubsrecruitmentcomplaints@hmrc.gov.uk. Please note that we do not accept complaints or appeals regarding scoring of outcomes of campaigns, unless candidates can provide clear evidence that the campaign did not follow the Recruitment Principles. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their website.