Head of Data and Project Governance, Grade 7, Perm, Liverpool / Newport

Job summary

Job purpose:

As Head of Data and Project Governance, you will provide strategic leadership, direction and assurance for the Commission’s Data Governance, Records Management and Project Governance functions.

You will be responsible for establishing and maintaining the governance frameworks, standards, policies and controls that ensure the effective management of information, data and project delivery across the organisation. You will act as the organisation’s senior lead for Data Governance and Records Management, ensuring compliance with statutory obligations, regulatory requirements and recognised government best practice. You will also lead the Project Governance function, providing oversight of project controls, reporting, assurance, planning and governance arrangements to support successful delivery of the Commission’s portfolio of change initiatives.

The role promotes a culture of accountability, transparency and continuous improvement, ensuring that data, information assets and projects are managed effectively throughout their lifecycle. You will work closely with senior leaders, programme and project teams and key stakeholders to drive organisational maturity in both data and project governance disciplines.

Job description

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership:

• Lead and develop the Commission’s Data Governance, Records Management and Project Governance functions.
• Set strategic direction and ensure governance frameworks align with wider organisational objectives.
• Provide expert advice and assurance to senior leadership on governance, risk, compliance and organisational maturity.
• Support the Commission’s artificial intelligence ambitions through the development of effective policy instruments and governance structures that optimise organisation value whilst managing risk exposure
• Lead, manage and develop the Data Governance and Project Governance teams, ensuring effective workforce planning, capability development and performance management.

Data Governance and Records Management:

• Define, implement and continuously improve the organisation’s Data Governance Strategy, policies, frameworks and standards.
• Ensure effective governance of data throughout the data lifecycle, including quality, standards, metadata, master data, ownership, retention, accessibility and ethical use.
• Maintain oversight of Data and Information Assets, supporting Data Owners and Information Asset Owners in meeting their responsibilities and managing associated risks.
• Lead organisational data maturity improvements and promote a culture of data literacy and responsible data management.
• Ensure appropriate governance arrangements are in place to ensure the ethical use of data and the management of data risks, compliance, privacy and information assurance requirements.

Project Governance:

• Establish and maintain organisation-wide project governance standards, methodologies, controls and reporting frameworks.
• Provide leadership and oversight of the Project Management Office (PMO), ensuring effective governance arrangements across the change portfolio.
• Ensure appropriate project assurance, review and control mechanisms are implemented throughout the project lifecycle.
• Oversee portfolio reporting, project performance monitoring, planning and governance processes to provide senior leaders with reliable information for decision-making.
• Promote best practice in project management and governance, ensuring lessons learned, standards and methodologies are embedded consistently.
• Ensure robust arrangements exist for managing risks, issues, dependencies, change control and benefits realisation across projects and programmes.
• Support business case development and provide assurance that projects are aligned with organisational priorities and strategic objectives.

Stakeholder Engagement and Governance:

• Build effective relationships with senior leaders, operational teams, Information Asset Owners, project delivery professionals and external stakeholders.
• Influence and support strategic decision-making through the provision of governance insights, reporting and assurance.
• Chair or support governance forums and provide expert advice on governance, compliance, risk and assurance matters.
• Represent the Commission internally and externally on matters relating to Data Governance, Records Management and Project Governance.

Person specification

Essential criteria

Ability:

• Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and create a high-performing culture.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills, capable of engaging credibly with senior leaders and technical specialists.
• Ability to develop and implement organisational strategies, policies and governance frameworks.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability with the ability to make decisions based on complex and sometimes incomplete information.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, risk and change in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrable ability to build collaborative relationships, influence decision-making and drive organisational improvement.

Experience:

• Experience leading Data Governance, Information Governance, Records Management or Data Management functions.
• Experience establishing and maintaining governance frameworks, standards, policies, compliance and assurance processes.
• Experience managing organisational data risks and compliance requirements.
• Experience leading governance, assurance, reporting or PMO functions across projects or change portfolios.
• Experience providing advice and assurance to senior stakeholders, boards or governance bodies.
• Experience leading and developing professional teams and managing organisational change.
• Experience implementing continuous improvement initiatives and embedding best practice across an organisation.

Technical:

• Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) or equivalent Data Governance qualification.
• Expert knowledge of Data Governance frameworks, standards, information management and data lifecycle principles.
• Strong understanding of information risk management, compliance, records management and data quality practices.
• Understanding of project governance, project controls, assurance, portfolio reporting, risk management and governance frameworks.
• Knowledge of governance methodologies, assurance reviews, performance reporting and organisational controls.
• Understanding of data ethics, privacy, information legislation and regulatory obligations.
• Ability to interpret and apply governance best practice, standards and frameworks in a complex environment.

Qualifications

Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) or equivalent Data Governance qualification.

Behaviours

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

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

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,245, Charity Commission contributes £16,583 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).

This is your chance to make a contribution that really matters and to make an impact in an organisation where your voice will be heard and your hard work noticed.

Watch this short video to find out more about us.

We operate a flexible hybrid working policy where office attendance is combined with at least 3 days homeworking per week dependent on role requirements.

We recognise everyone as an individual, accepting people for who they are and treating everyone fairly. We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring from all backgrounds and we aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We champion inclusion and wellbeing, aiming to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and has a sense of belonging.

We do not discriminate on the basis of culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor.

We offer access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme (employer contributions of 28.97%), far more than in the private sector, and a flexible, family-friendly environment. Additionally, you can look forward to other great benefits via our ‘Perkbox’ and ‘Edenred’ schemes. These include everything from an interest-free season ticket loan and bicycle loan (after two months) to discounts on gym membership, cinema tickets and restaurants. Please see the attached Charity Commission benefits document.

A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30 days per year.

The Charity Commission’s operational ambition is to realise the Commission’s values of being an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent, which works in a way that is supportive, collaborative, and innovative to achieve our ambitions. We want to develop our capability to regulate charities to realise this goal and meet our statutory and public duties to ensure that charity in England and Wales can deliver maximum benefit to society in a way that upholds its reputation in the eyes of the public.

Work at the Charity Commission and you’ll make a difference every day to:

• The 170,000 charities of all shapes and sizes that we regulate across England and Wales.
• The trustees we partner with and advise.
• The people and causes that benefit from the £10bn generously donated each year by the public.

Find out more about working for us here.

To note: Any move across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018 may have implications on an employee’s ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers.

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.

To apply for this post, you must complete an online application with the following:

• A blind CV setting out your Job History/Full Qualifications/Previous skill and experiences.
• A Personal Statement (maximum 750 words) demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria for the role outlined on the Job Description.

We will assess your CV and Personal Statement against the Essential criteria for the role.

We will ask you to carry out a Presentation at interview and we will assess you against the following Behaviours at interview:

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

Interview Arrangements

Interviews will be taking place via MS teams

The sift is due to take place on the 06/10/2026

Interviews will be taking place on 14th & 16th October 2026

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

At the interview, the panel can then probe further and ask applicants to provide further specific examples that show how they best demonstrate their skills.

We reserve the right to raise the score required at any stage of the process to manage numbers.

Behaviours:

The distinguishing Behaviours (the required skills, knowledge, and behaviours) for this role are set out in the Civil Service Behaviours Framework 2018 (Success Profiles - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) and should be referred to when making this application.

You are required, under the Behaviours approach, to describe how you have dealt with a specific situation.

You must give evidence of your knowledge, skills, and behaviours and how you have applied this, such as what you did or said and how you interacted with other people.

When you are giving your examples, do not spend too many words on description and background information. Avoid using general or unspecific statements. Instead say what the situation was, what you did, what your thought process was and what was the result.

This post is full time however those applicants who do or wish to work an alternative working pattern are welcome to apply. The preferred working pattern may or may not be available. You should discuss this with the vacancy holder.

Reasonable Adjustment:

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled persons, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

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

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via Charitycommissionrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.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 an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Reserve Lists:

If we have more successful candidates than available vacancies, we will hold a 12-month reserve list as standard.

During that time, we may use the list to fill the same, or similar roles with closely matching essential criteria, without further testing of merit. Any appointments from the Reserve list will be made in strict merit order.

Applying:

We recognise everyone as an individual, accepting people for who they are and treating everyone fairly.

All applications for these vacancies must be made online. There are limited exceptions to this. Paper applications will only be considered if you have a disability that will prevent you from applying online. If this is the case, please email Charitycommissionrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Once you have submitted your application it cannot be amended; only submit your application when you have completely finished and answered all the relevant questions.

Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

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

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Concerns/Complaints:

The Charity Commission’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance hrselfservice@charitycommission.gov.uk.

If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web page https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact/.

Criminal Record Check

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Feedback

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.

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 : Sean Egan
• Email : Recruitment@charitycommission.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : charitycommissionrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

The Charity Commission’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance hrselfservice@charitycommission.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web page here.

Attachments

Head of Data and Project Governance Opens in new window (pdf, 195kB)JD Head of Data and Project Governance - Welsh (002) Opens in new window (pdf, 187kB)Benefits Opens in new window (pdf, 169kB)