Data Governance and Protection Lead

The Data Governance and Information Protection Lead will work closely with the Knowledge & Information Manager and Head of Data Solutions to develop and continuously improve data governance and information protection practices across UKAEA.

As an internal specialist, you will operate the enterprise data governance framework and information protection controls, ensuring data is compliant, well managed, appropriately classified, protected, and securely accessed and shared.

You will also help align data governance and information protection with UKAEA’s information architecture and Knowledge & Information Management (KIM) direction, supporting greater organisational maturity, accountability, risk visibility and secure knowledge sharing.

In this role, you will analyse governance and information protection issues, recommend process and system improvements, and provide specialist advice to influence consistent practice across the organisation.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Data Governance, KIM & Compliance: Operate and continuously improve the enterprise data governance framework, aligned with KIM strategy, information architecture and organisational priorities, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, regulations and internal policies.
• Metadata, Standards, Protection & Data Quality: Manage enterprise metadata and governance tools, including Microsoft Purview, ensuring consistent application of data standards, classification, labelling and secure handling, while monitoring data quality and access across priority datasets.
• Risk, Monitoring & Reporting: Maintain visibility of data and information risks, monitor protection controls and governance effectiveness, and develop KPIs, dashboards and reports to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Advice, Collaboration & Continuous Improvement: Provide specialist advice on data governance, information protection and KIM practices, working with teams and data owners across UKAEA to embed consistent approaches and deliver practical improvements.
• Projects, Resources & Capability: Manage assigned governance and information protection activities, contributing to resource and tooling planning, capability development and the prioritisation of governance activities., UKAEA is an onsite organisation, and this role requires regular onsite presence (usually between 3-5 days in any given week) in line with business needs. We actively support flexible working arrangements where this is compatible with the role.

• Degree (or relevant experience) in a Library, Information Management or STEM subject
• Significant experience in data governance, information protection, data management, or information management within a complex organisation.
• Practical experience operating data governance frameworks, information protection controls and related tools (e.g. Microsoft Purview or equivalent).
• Experience performing and analysing data quality checks.
• Strong understanding of data standards, metadata, governance processes and secure information handling.

Desirable

• Familiarity with KIM frameworks, DAMA-DMBOK, information protection standards or relevant ISO standards.
• Experience supporting compliance, audit, or assurance activities.
• Experience producing KPIs, dashboards, and management reporting.
• Professional accreditation or working towards chartered status in a relevant discipline.
• Experience in research, engineering and / or industrial organisations.

We have a generous range of benefits (see the full list here) and highlights include:

• A salary of £57,117 (inclusive of a £5,800 specialist allowance)
• Up to 7% corporate performance bonus
• Final salary defined benefits pension scheme with an equivalent of 21.5% employer pension contribution
• 25 days annual leave plus 2.5 privilege days; 8 Bank Holidays
• 3 days of site closure over Christmas break
• Flexible working options plus family-friendly leave provisions

Our commitment to ED&I

UKAEA’s mission is clean energy for all, and we welcome talented people from all backgrounds to help us achieve this goal. We are committed to equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility, and strive to ensure fair representation across our workforce.

Fusion, the process that powers the sun and stars, is one of the most promising options for generating the cleaner, carbon-free energy that our world badly needs. UKAEA leads the way in realizing fusion energy, partnering with industry and research organisations to achieve ground-breaking advancements. Our goal is to bring fusion electricity to the grid by developing the power stations of tomorrow and the skilled workforce to deliver them.