Data Governance Officer

Job summary

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government — we are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.

Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:

1. joining up public sector services

1. harnessing the power of AI for the public good

1. strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure

1. elevating leadership and investing in talent

1. funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation

1. committing to transparency and driving accountability

We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.

The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.

Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You'll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need.

The right person will join a well-motivated and dynamic multi disciplined team working to deliver on our commitments and roadmap.

If this sounds like the next role for you on your career journey then we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more at the GDS Blog.

Former DSIT recruitment campaigns are continuing as usual, but candidates should be aware that following the Government’s announcement on the changes to some civil service departments, roles will be subject to the machinery of government moves and will ultimately be in one of the new departments. We will provide more information if you are selected for a role. This work remains of high importance to the civil service, and we thank you for your continued interest.

Job description

The Data Governance Team, as part of the Digital Products Directorate, provides specialist expertise and leadership across the Government Digital Service. GDS has specialist data protection and information management requirements and requires extensive data governance controls to be designed and incorporated into product development.

Digital Products Directorate is seeking to recruit a Data Governance Operations Officer to help the team deliver data governance and privacy excellence across GDS products and services including GOV.UK and One Login, which is one of the most innovative and exciting programmes in government. The role is aligned to the Data Governance Manager role on the Government Digital and Data (GDaD) Capability Framework, which is performed at working level. You do not need to arrive as a fully formed data governance specialist: we will support you to build capability against the full set of working-level skills in post.

You will play a critical role in ensuring that data protection and information management compliance is embedded into the programme to enable GDS to protect public data and manage its information assets, whilst enabling innovative digital solutions.

You will build outstanding relationships with the programme team to help embed privacy by design and uphold the highest standards. This role provides an exciting opportunity to become a key part of one of the most impactful programmes in government.

This is a development role. You should have a genuine interest in data protection and information management and a foundational understanding of why they matter, but you are not expected to be an expert at the point of appointment. You will work with close support from the Data Governance and Privacy Leads and the Knowledge and Information Management Lead, and will be given structured development, training and hands-on casework to upskill at pace in both areas.

As a Data Governance Operations Officer, you will support:

• data Protection and Information Management Compliance: Support the Data Governance and Privacy Leads, and the Knowledge and Information Management Lead, to ensure GDS products and services comply with data protection and information management law. With guidance from the Leads, you will apply the GDS data governance framework and internal governance standards, support Data Protection Impact Assessments and lawful, proportionate processing, and monitor adherence through casework, registers and accurate record-keeping – delivering flexible and pragmatic data governance practices that enable delivery at pace

• data Subject Rights management: Support the end-to-end management of Data Subject Rights (DSR) requests, as defined under UK GDPR and DPA 2018, ensuring timely, legally compliant, and high-quality responses, upholding privacy rights of data subjects

• data breach management: Support in the end-to-end management of actual or suspected personal data breaches in line with GDS policy and UK GDPR/DPA 2018 requirements, ensuring timely investigation, containment, risk assessment, and reporting to the Data Governance and Privacy Lead, senior management, and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) where legally required. You will apply risk assessment throughout casework, helping assess whether risks are acceptable or require escalation, escalating to the Leads where appropriate, so that decisions are proportionate and risk-based

• triage and Case Management: Manage and monitor the Data Governance Team inboxes for incoming data protection and information management queries and requests. Facilitate an effective triage and allocation system to ensure all work is promptly and appropriately assigned, tracked, and actioned by the relevant team member or escalated to the Data Governance and Privacy Lead or Knowledge and Information Management Lead, maintaining detailed records of case progression and outcomes

• information assets and the data life cycle: Support the safe handling, retention and secure disposal of personal data across the data life cycle, helping GDS manage its information assets in line with legal and records management obligations, and improve life cycle practice through casework and lessons learned

• excellent Communication and Relationship Management: Work positively with colleagues across the Data Governance team and with delivery, legal and policy teams, supporting them in the execution of their tasks and in their development of high-quality advice and guidance. With support, you will learn to translate complex legal and technical compliance requirements into plain English for non-technical audiences, present case and risk information clearly to inform decisions, and manage differing stakeholder perspectives so that compliance keeps pace with delivery. You will be a trusted partner in keeping the work of the team in progress and ensure that decision making is recorded

• support the Data Governance and Privacy Leads and/or the Knowledge and Information Management Lead: Provide proactive support to the Data Governance and Privacy Leads to manage compliance, identify risks and deliver strategic objectives. You will contribute to advocacy for the introduction of privacy enhancing technologies and techniques, such as pseudonymisation and other privacy-preserving approaches, recognising where new tools and approaches improve the efficiency and quality of data governance. You will identify opportunities to improve data, privacy and information management literacy across the organisation, and help ensure governance practices keep pace with evolving legislative and user needs

Person specification

We’re interested in people who have:

• workload management and delivery focus Proven ability to manage competing priorities, maintain control of a varied workload and meet statutory or operational deadlines. Experience of working effectively in fast‑paced environments where priorities can change

• communication and stakeholder engagement Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex legal and technical data protection requirements clearly and pragmatically to non‑specialists. Experience of working with a range of stakeholders with competing priorities, and of building positive, effective working relationships

• teamworking and professional behaviours Experience of working collaboratively as part of a team, sharing knowledge and supporting colleagues. Enthusiasm to learn, take feedback and develop data protection and governance skills at pace

• interest in data protection and information management An awareness of why data protection and information management matter in a public sector or digital delivery context, and a clear commitment to building specialist knowledge in post. No prior specialist experience or qualification is required

• awareness of risk management and data governance An awareness of foundational principals of risk management and data governance including how to articulate and manage data related risks, and how to communicate these risks to senior leadership to enable effective risk management

• data literacy improvement An ability to communicate and influence stakeholders and colleagues across the organisation to improve local data handling practices with a commitment to developing expertise in this area in post

• privacy enhancing approaches and data literacy Awareness of privacy enhancing technologies and techniques, such as pseudonymisation and other privacy‑preserving approaches, and a commitment to developing skills and knowledge to improve data, privacy or information management literacy across the organisation

• applying data standards and improving data maturity: Able to apply data and information standards, policies and procedures consistently, and to help colleagues understand and follow them. Interested in helping to assess how well teams manage data and information, and in finding practical ways to improve their data maturity over time

• strategic awareness and professional development: Able to see how data governance supports wider organisational and government objectives, and to keep up to date with changes in legislation, guidance and user needs. Clearly committed to building specialist knowledge in post, including working towards a relevant qualification with support

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,655, Government Digital Service contributes £10,908 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).

There are many benefits of working at GDS, including:

• flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
• a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days
• an extra day off for the King’s birthday
• an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
• career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
• a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
• advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
• death in service benefits
• cycle to work scheme and facilities
• access to an employee discounts scheme
• 10 learning days per year
• volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year)
• access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning

Any move to Government Digital Service from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.
DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

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

The standard selection process for roles at GDS consists of:

• a simple application screening process - We only ask for a CV and cover letter of up to 500 words. Important tip - please ensure that your cover letter includes how you meet the skills and experience listed in the “person specification” section above
• if you make it through the sift, you will be invited to a 20 minute screening call
• successful candidates will then be asked to attend a 45 minute video interview

Depending on how many applications we get, there might also be an extra stage before the video interview, for example a phone interview or a technical exercise.

In the event we receive a high volume of applications, we will conduct the initial sift against the lead criteria which is:

Proven ability to manage competing priorities, maintain control of a varied workload and meet statutory or operational deadlines. Experience of working effectively in fast‑paced environments where priorities can change

In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We’ll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.

For this role we’ll be assessing you against the following Civil Service Behaviours:

• working together
• changing and improving
• communicating and influencing
• delivering at pace

We’ll also be assessing your experience and specialist technical skills against the following skills defined in the Government Digital and Data Capability Framework for the Data Governance Managerrole at HEO grade:

• data ethics and privacy
• data literacy improvement
• data management
• enabling and informing risk based decisions
• data standards
• communicating between the technical and non-technical
• communicating analysis and insight

Want to know more about who Government Digital and Data are? Click Here

Recruitment Timeline

Sift completion: 6th November

Phone screen: From 16th November

Panel interviews: From 23rd November

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

Sponsorship

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.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.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : gdsrecruitment@dsit.gov.uk
• Email : gdsrecruitment@dsit.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : gdsrecruitment@dsit.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact gds-complaints@dsit.gov.uk in the first instance.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission by email: info@csc.gov.uk Or in writing: Civil Service Commission, Room G/8 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ.