Data Governor in London

We’re looking for a Data Governor to join SN Data – Data Competence Centre within Springer Nature Operations. You would be joining a transformation programme to drive sustained change in how Springer Nature understands, manages, and uses its data: building up data capabilities to create a foundation, adding value to cross‑organisation initiatives and data‑driven transformation. The Data Governor plays a crucial role in ensuring that Springer Nature’s data is ready for now and the future. The role is reporting to the Director of Data Management and can be based in London (UK), Berlin (Germany) or in Heidelberg (Germany). There will be travel at times with colleagues in many of our global offices.

We are an equal opportunities employer. We spend 10% of our time working on our own projects to promote learning and innovation. We offer the flexibility to work from home 3 days a week.

About You

You are a proactive, curious person who brings people together to solve complex problems. You are willing to probe, question and investigate difficulties as they arise. You will have:

• Good analytical skills to understand and interpret complex data and gain actionable insights.
• Strong problem‑solving skills, which are crucial for recognising and solving data‑related tasks.
• Effective leadership, interpersonal and communication skills to bring together both business and technical stakeholders to ensure seamless collaboration with teams across the organisation.
• Good influencing skills and continuously champion new ways to use data effectively.
• Adaptability and Continuous Learning – because we are in a data transformation programme.
• An existing track record of delivering change in a complex organisational environment with multiple stakeholders.
• A demonstrable list of improvements for which you have been responsible.

Additionally, you might have some or all of:

• Familiarity with data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
• Knowledge of data governance frameworks.
• Proficiency in data governance tools and technologies.

Key tasks

• Data Governance: Work with the SN Data leadership team to define data ownership, stewardship, and governance roles and responsibilities to support good data governance across the organisation. Being an advocate for good Data Governance, identifying and addressing data‑related issues, collaborating with Data Owners and Data Stewards across the Data Supply Chains and facilitating communication between project teams and stakeholders regarding data governance. Leverage data governance tools and technologies to automate and enhance data governance processes. Work with key stakeholders to ensure that data governance tools are properly integrated with existing systems and processes.
• Policy and Standards Creation: Work with data owners and data stewards to identify, document, and implement policies and standards to ensure that data meets the needs of the business and supports strategic objectives. Facilitate the creation and enforcement of data standards to ensure data quality is maintained at the required levels. Ensure that good data management practices are developed and implemented to mitigate risks and comply with legal, regulatory, and internal policies. Work with data owners to establish policies and procedures for data retention, deletion, and archiving across the lifecycle of the data in accordance with governance policies.
• Data Quality Management: Working with data owners and data stewards to establish data quality standards and KPIs for their data. Facilitate the reporting and publishing of data quality metrics. Work with data owners and data stewards to identify, raise awareness and champion data quality improvements.
• Training and support: Educate staff on the importance of data management and maintaining good quality data within their data domain. Work with data owners and data stewards to understand the training needs within the data supply chain and facilitate the delivery.
• Communication: Collaborate with subject matter experts across the Data Supply Chain to develop and maintain a holistic view of the data. Regularly report on the status of data governance initiatives to senior management.

We are an ambitious and dynamic organisation, and home to some of the best‑known names in research, educational and professional publishing. Working at the heart of a changing industry, we are always looking for great people who care about delivering quality to our customers and the communities we work alongside. In return, you will find that we open the doors to discovery for all our employees – offering opportunities to learn from some of the best in the business, with a culture that encourages curiosity and empowers people to find solutions and act on their instincts.

Whether you are at the beginning of your career or an experienced professional, we invite you to find out more about the roles we offer and explore our current vacancies. We are a global and progressive business, founded on a heritage of trusted and respected brands – including Springer, founded in 1842, Macmillan, founded in 1843 and Nature, first published in 1869. Nearly two centuries of progress and advancement in science and education have helped shape the business we are today. Research and learning continues to be the cornerstone of progress, and we will continue to open doors to discovery through trusted brands and innovative products and services. Springer Nature Group was created in May 2015 through the combination of Nature Publishing Group, Macmillan Education and Springer Science+Business Media.