Group Data Lead in Essex

We are seeking a Group Data Lead to take ownership of all data-related activities within the Infor ERP implementation program - Leapfrog. This pivotal role bridges the business and technical domains, ensuring that data across all sites is clean, consistent, and implementation-ready to meet the project's delivery milestones (2026).

Beyond the ERP implementation (2026/2027+), the Group Data Lead will define and establish the foundation for group-wide master data management and data governance, helping transition Gardner from a decentralized, inconsistent data landscape to a centrally managed, structured environment. This role is instrumental in shaping the company's future data-driven operating model and reporting practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Data Readiness & Cleansing
  • Drive and complete ongoing data cleansing and harmonization efforts across all sites and business units (cf. conversion cycles).
  • Ensure that data is accurate, consistent, and migration-ready, supporting the Infor ERP Construction & Transition Phases.
  • Oversee data filtering, simplification, and validation activities, ensuring alignment with project timelines and quality standards.
• Data Mapping & Migration Coordination
  • Facilitate the mapping of legacy data structures to the Infor ERP data model, ensuring full business alignment and clarity.
  • Act as the bridge between business users, stream leads, and technical teams to ensure seamless data translation between systems.
  • Coordinate data conversion and migration cycles across key phases:
  • System Testing (September)
  • End-User Testing (December)
  • Final migration and Go-Live
  • Coordinate with data experts, and secure/synchro that an ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) utility tool is built alongside the process to industrialize data transfers.
• Master Data & Governance Foundations
  • Define the blueprint for Group Master Data and Data Governance, setting long-term rules, standards, and ownership models.
  • Establish consistent data definitions, hierarchies, and quality controls across all business domains (customer/commercial, engineering, programmes, manufacturing).
  • Leverage Infor's platform to implement scalable, maintainable governance practices.
• Business-Technical Coordination
  • Serve as the functional data lead within the Infor ERP project structure, working closely with:
  • The DT technical data team (Gardner and Infor)
  • Project leadership and stream leads
  • Business stakeholders (data owners) and Data Task Force
  • Ensure full alignment of data activities with project milestones and overall delivery objectives.
  • Translate business needs into actionable data rules, ownership structures, and governance frameworks.
• Reporting Continuity & Future Readiness
  • Ensure continuity of reporting post go-live by designing consistent data structures to support operational, site, and group-level reporting.
  • Lay the groundwork for future analytics and business intelligence capabilities.
  • Promote the adoption of standardized and simplified data structures to improve visibility and decision-making.
• Ongoing Group Data Leadership (Post-Implementation)
  • Cross-System Data Harmonization: Ensure alignment and integration of data between the Infor ERP and other business-critical systems (including Industry 4.0, IoT, and digital manufacturing systems), maintaining a single version of truth across the enterprise.
  • Data Governance & Stewardship: Establish and oversee a sustainable governance framework, defining ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement of master data quality and standards across all entities.
  • Simplification & Reporting Continuity: Drive simplification of data structures and processes, ensuring continued group-level reporting consistency and supporting performance insights across functions and business units.

Skills and Experience

Essential

• Proven experience in data leadership, data management, or data governance roles.
• Strong understanding of data lifecycle management, cleansing, migration, and integration in ERP contexts (Infor preferred).
• Demonstrated ability to bridge business and technical teams, translating business needs into structured data solutions.
• Excellent coordination, stakeholder management, and communication skills, with the ability to influence and align diverse teams.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and structured, able to manage multiple data streams under tight timelines.
• Fluent in English, with strong written and verbal communication skills for coordination across functions and geographies.

Desirable

• Prior involvement in Infor ERP implementation projects or other large-scale ERP transformations.
• Experience establishing data ownership and governance frameworks at group level.

Attributes

• Pragmatic and delivery-focused, balancing strategic vision with hands-on execution.
• A collaborative communicator who builds trust and alignment across business and technical stakeholders.
• Passionate about data quality, consistency, and simplification as drivers of operational excellence.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, high-visibility transformation environment.

Why Join

This is a strategic and career-defining role at the heart of Gardner's digital transformation. You will not only ensure successful data delivery for the Infor ERP program but also shape and lead the Group's long-term data governance, harmonization, and reporting framework — building the foundation for a truly data-driven organization.