Data Governance (KTP Associate) - (8829) in Manchester

An exciting opportunity has become available for a recent graduate to work full-time on a 28-month Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) to develop a novel approach to data governance to cultivate a culture of data literacy, accountability, and continuous improvement. Employed and supported by an academic team from the University, you will be based at Network Rail's premises in Manchester.

We own, operate, maintain and develop the railway infrastructure in England, Scotland and Wales. Our purpose is to connect people and goods with where they need to be. We support our country's economic prosperity and contribute to the objectives of the UK and Scottish Governments. Our role is to run a safe, reliable and efficient rail network and our vision is to deliver a simpler, better, greener railway for our customers and communities.

• Hold, or be about to obtain, an undergraduate or postgraduate degree (or equivalent experience) in Computer Science, Data Science, Computer/Information Management, Management Information Systems (MIS), Business Information Systems or a related subject.

• Strong understanding of data protection, security, compliance and regulatory requirements such as GDPR, Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, ISO 8000/27001.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English.
• Ability to work individually and as part of a team.
• Able to work to deadlines and manage time efficiently.
• Commitment to excellence with independent and collaborative problem-solving skills.

• Willingness to work with stakeholders to gather requirements and feedback.
• Knowledge of/a passion for the rail industry to influence data culture, adoption of data management/governance tools is desirable.

• Working with data or data governance (projects, dissertations, internships, placements) - governance, analytics, ML, engineering or BI.
• Exposure to data-lake concepts or data engineering fundamentals.
• Ideally, the Medallion architecture and data management platforms/tools, such as MS Fabric.
• Professional or organisational environment work experience gained via placement, internship, part-time role etc.
• Championing a transparent data governance framework to make a measurable impact on compliance, risk management, and operational efficiency.

For 50 years, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) have been helping to innovate for growth by connecting businesses that have an innovation idea with the academic expertise to help deliver it. Currently around 800 businesses, 100 knowledge bases and over 800 graduates are involved in KTPs - collaborative, transformative three-way partnerships creating positive impact and driving innovation.

• £2,000 per year to spend on personal training.
• Opportunity to register on a higher degree at a reduced cost.
• Opportunity of a permanent position with the company: 70% of host companies make a permanent job offer to their Associate at the end of the project.

For an informal discussion, please contact Dr Sean Maudsley-Barton, s.maudsley-barton@mmu.ac.uk. Apply at https://manmetjobs.mmu.ac.uk/jobs by submitting a CV and a covering letter detailing how you meet the criteria for the role. Only applications with a covering letter will be considered. Due to the nature of KTP funding, those who have already completed more than 1 year of a KTP are not eligible to apply.