Data Governance Lead – Programme Advance General Business - Smiths Group - Birmingham in London

Location: United Kingdom

Job Function: General Business

Company Description: Smiths Group designs, manufactures and delivers smarter engineering solutions for mission‑critical applications, solving some of the world's toughest problems for our customers, our communities and our world. For over 170 years, Smiths Group has been pioneering progress by improving the world through smarter engineering. We serve millions of people every year, to help create a safer, more efficient and better‑connected world, across four major global markets: Energy, General Industry, Security & Defence, and Aerospace. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Smiths employs 14,600 colleagues in over 50+ countries.

The Data Governance Lead will be pivotal to the success of Programme Advance, the HCM and Payroll transformation initiative—by ensuring that the foundation of all transformation activities is built on high-quality, trusted, and compliant data. This role will drive the development and implementation of policies, standards, and processes that support seamless data integration, master data management, and regulatory compliance. Through proactive stewardship and continuous improvement, the Data Governance Lead will help mitigate risks, address data‑related pain points, and foster a culture of data‑driven innovation.

You will lead the establishment, management, and continuous improvement of the company’s data governance framework. Support senior management in developing and executing the organization’s strategic plan for data quality, compliance, and stewardship. Oversee the development and enforcement of data policies, standards, and processes to ensure the integrity, security, and effective use of data across Smiths Group and its divisions.

Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement, and maintain data governance policies, standards, and procedures to ensure high-quality, trusted data across the organization.
• Establish and govern master/reference data, data quality management, data cataloguing, data lineage, and traceability as foundational pillars for all business units.
• Collaborate with business and technical stakeholders to define data ownership, stewardship, and accountability models.
• Lead initiatives to improve data quality, resolve data issues, and drive adoption of data governance best practices.
• Oversee compliance with legal, regulatory (GDPR), and company requirements for data privacy, security, and usage.
• Facilitate the creation and maintenance of business glossaries, data dictionaries, and metadata management tools.
• Provide guidance and training to data stewards, business users, and technical teams on data governance principles and practices.
• Monitor and report on data governance metrics, including data quality KPIs, policy adherence, and remediation progress.
• Support the integration of data governance into project delivery, change management, and business‑as‑usual (BAU) activities.
• Act as a subject matter expert and escalation point for complex data governance queries and issues.
• Foster a culture of data stewardship and continuous improvement across the organization.
• Develop and design approval processes using workflows for master data.
• Define data quality metrics and drive continuous system and data improvement.

Qualifications:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Strong understanding of data governance frameworks (e.g., DAMA‑DMBOK), data management principles, and industry best practices.
• Strong experience with data quality management, data cataloguing, metadata management, and data lineage tools.
• Familiarity with data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR) and compliance requirements.
• Proficiency in data management platforms (e.g., Azure Data Lake, Databricks) and BI tools (e.g., PowerBI).
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving, and organizational skills.
• Experience working with both onshore and offshore teams.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to interact at all levels of the organization.
• Experience in developing and delivering training and documentation for data governance initiatives.
• Passion for data, technology, and continuous improvement.

Additional Information:

Diversity & Inclusion: We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.