Data Governance and Privacy Manager

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:

• joining up public sector services
• harnessing the power of AI for the public good
• strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
• elevating leadership and investing in talent
• funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
• committing to transparency and driving accountability

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government. We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.

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 Data Governance Team, as part of the GDS Product, Strategy, Planning and Performance directorate, provides specialist expertise and leadership across the Government Digital Service. GDS has specialist data protection requirements and needs extensive data governance controls to be designed and incorporated into product development. Strong privacy controls designed and built from the outset maintain users' confidence in the digital services delivered by GDS.

The Data Governance team has an excellent track record for their enabling and pragmatic attitudes to support delivery teams in achieving GDS’s strategic objectives at a fast pace whilst balancing robust data protection compliance. The postholder will lead on delivering data protection excellence across GDS in products such as the GOV.UK web platform, App, analytics and new and upcoming products such as GOV.UK Chat.

As a Data Governance and Privacy Manager, you will:

• support the Data Protection Lead to ensure the GDS Product Group complies with data protection law by delivering flexible and pragmatic governance practices that enable delivery at pace
• lead and deliver high quality Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), Privacy Notices and Records of Processing Activities for new projects at pace
• support other key processes including delivering data subject rights and managing personal data incidents
• identify, assess and manage data protection risks, ensuring that risks are appropriately escalated to the Data Protection Lead and GDS Senior Management
• design and deliver training to ensure GDS staff understand data protection obligations and best practices, fostering a culture of data privacy at all levels
• work closely with GDS colleagues to build trust
• deliver high quality written and verbal briefings to all levels, including delivery managers and senior management
• work closely with external stakeholders such as the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and privacy groups to ensure compliance and address queries
• provide proactive support to the Data Protection Lead to manage compliance, identify risks, and deliver strategic objectives
• prioritise effectively to manage a high volume, fast paced and frequently evolving workload
• manage workload to ensure that priorities align with strategic and team objectives and deadlines are met
• provide expert advice and direction on complex and novel forms of processing, especially on AI
• balance legal requirements against the need to deliver innovative solutions to benefit the public, supporting timely delivery of demanding GDS targets

We’re interested in people who have:

• experience at delivering data protection compliance within complex digital projects with the ability to enable the use of innovative techniques such as the use of AI etc
• a strong understanding of data protection law (eg UK GDPR, DPA 2018)
• hold a relevant privacy qualification such as IAPP (CIPP/E, CIPM) or PDP, with experience of delivering data protection within fast paced organisations
• proven experience in managing multiple complex tasks simultaneously, prioritising workload and meeting challenging deadlines in a fast paced environment
• the ability to work under pressure and adjust priorities where necessary
• extensive experience of delivering Data Protection Impact Assessments which enable delivery and mitigate risks through pragmatic solutions
• the ability to proactively identify risks and opportunities for improvement
• proven experience of using excellent verbal and written communication skills to build strong relationships and influence data protection practices
• skills in translating data protection requirements into clear, practical advice
• strong experience of working as part of a team, collaborating effectively with colleagues to achieve collective goals and enhance team performance