Head of Data Governance

Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 23,000 employees spanning over 56 countries. People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down headhunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work / life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.

The Head of Data Governance is the senior lead responsible for the design, implementation and continuous improvement of the Group’s data governance. You will own the end-to-end governance operating model (policies, roles, processes, tooling and metrics), lead the Data Owners and Data Champions community across divisions and functions, and ensure governance extends to data used for AI/ML and advanced analytics. You will report to the Chief Data Officer and will work closely with the Data Platform, Data Protection Office, Information Security, Architecture, Technology and business leaders to make data trusted, discoverable, governed and safe to use across the Group.

What will you be doing?

• You will be accountable for a mix of strategy, delivery, people and operating responsibilities, including:
• Strategy & operating model
• Policies, standards & assurance
• AI, model & vendor governance
• Access, security & privacy
• Change, adoption & capability
• Delivery & leadership

What are we looking for?

• The ideal candidate will have:
• Proven leadership in enterprise data governance - 10+ years’ experience with at least several years in a senior, cross‑functional data governance role (or equivalent) building and running governance programmes at scale.
• Insurance / financial services experience - demonstrable experience of data governance in the insurance or heavily regulated financial sector (understanding of regulatory requirements and sector data flows).
• AI & model governance experience - practical experience establishing Responsible AI, model risk management or ML governance frameworks; familiarity with model registries, explainability, drift detection and synthetic data controls.
• Strong technical understanding - hands‑on knowledge of metadata/catalog tooling and MDM plus exposure to modern data platforms (Snowflake/Databricks/S3, lakehouse, data mesh concepts).
• Privacy & security competence - thorough understanding of GDPR, data protection principles, DLP, and IT security standards such as ISO 27001; comfortable working with DPOs and CISOs.
• Stakeholder & people leadership - excellent communication and influencing skills with C‑level stakeholders; experience building and developing Data Owners/Stewards communities and leading small specialist teams.
• Regulatory & audit readiness - experience preparing for and responding to audits / regulatory enquiries and evidence‑based assurance reporting.
• Education - degree in Computer Science, Information Management, Data Science, Business Information Systems or equivalent experience. Advanced degree desirable.

Desirable qualifications

• CISM / CISSP (or equivalent information security certification)
• Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) or equivalent privacy qualification
• Certifications or formal training in Responsible AI / ML governance, model risk management or AI ethics
• Advanced user / certification in Data Governance platforms (e.g., Collibra DQ, Informatica)
• Experience with cloud security and platform governance (AWS/Azure/GCP)
• Optional: BCS Diploma in Business Analysis, CII Certification or similar insurance/data professional qualifications

What do we offer in return?

A career that you define. Our business succeeds by allowing our people to make a mark in the areas they care about most: personal development, volunteering, and fundraising for charity, or creating new insurance products that address society’s greatest challenges. And we know that separate home and work lives don’t really exist. If you’re happy and healthy at home, you’re more likely to be happy and fulfilled at work – and vice versa. That’s why we do our best to support our people in every aspect of their lives.

Diversity and Inclusion

Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new. We support each other, in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges. We are determined to make a positive difference, at work and beyond. We consider our people our chief competitive advantage and as such we treat colleagues, candidates, clients, and business partners with equality, fairness, and respect – regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or family circumstances.

Our sustainability promise

We’re on a life‑long journey to become an ever‑more sustainable group. It’s a commitment to taking care of our people and the world we live in, to doing good business, and to making a positive impact wherever we can. Our governance processes, company policies, and review systems are all geared towards our goal of making a positive impact.

Reasonable adjustments

We’re committed to providing reasonable accommodations at Howden to ensure that our positions align well with your needs. Besides the usual adjustments such as software, IT, and office setups, we can also accommodate other changes such as flexible hours or hybrid working. Not all positions can accommodate changes to working hours or locations. Reach out to your Recruitment Partner if you want to know more.