This is a great opportunity in the Elections Directorate in MHCLG, which is responsible for a challenging and dynamic portfolio covering electoral policy and legislation, research and analysis, security, administration, and digital, with a suite of public and sector facing services, including Register to Vote.
We are looking for an experienced data governance professional to join our welcoming and inclusive Directorate. The post holder will have great communication skills and strong technical expertise, and be motivated, flexible and passionate about working with data and people. They will spearhead the development and implementation of sustainable, robust data governance across Elections Digital and the product lifecycle. This includes setting priorities and embedding these practices so they become self-sustaining and working closely with different teams to integrate governance policy and principles. The Senior Data Governance Lead will build relationships across specialisms and grades in the Directorate, Ministry and wider government to unlock data-driven improvements for electors and stakeholders.
This is a new role in the Elections Directorate, focusing on ensuring strong data governance supports new opportunities to use data to deliver innovative approaches and improve existing products and services. We are at the beginning of a new programme to deliver Government commitments, including lowering the voting age to 16 years across the UK and improving voter registration. We want data governance to enable trusted, sustainable services that meet the needs and expectations of users
This role is a great opportunity to shape the data foundations for a high-profile and ambitious programme of work in the Directorate. Learn more about our direction and priorities in our recently published strategy.
We particularly welcome candidates from an ethnic minority background and other underrepresented groups to apply, as we work to continually improve our ability to represent the places and communities our work supports., The successful applicant will drive the confident, safe and responsible use of data in the design and delivery of digital electoral registration services, enabling both day-to-day operations and the development of high-profile new services where innovation with data will be needed. The role will ensure data is well-governed, lawfully shared and ethically used across the product lifecycle, meeting legal requirements and aligning with the Ministry's wider data governance and protection frameworks, in the context of a complex stakeholder environment.
As the Senior Data Governance Lead your responsibilities will include:
+ designing and embedding proportionate, enabling data governance across Elections Digital product, delivery and operations
+ designing and implementing continuous improvements to optimise data governance and management over the data/product life cycle
+ developing and maintaining processes and procedures that enable appropriate, compliant use of data within digital services, in line with our role in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment
+ facilitating lawful, responsible and ethical data access/sharing with internal and external partners
+ leading on the implementation of, and alignment with, the government and wider Ministry's data governance frameworks for Elections Digital, including building strong working relationships with the central data governance, transparency and protection teams, We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Changing and Improving
+ Making Effective Decisions
+ Working Together
+ Leadership, Our application system is designed to remove as much bias as possible from the recruitment system - this means that a hiring manager does not know your name, your details, see your whole application in one go (or have your CV at review stage unless stated otherwise).
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
CV and Cover Letter Declaration
We recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - this is called anonymous recruitment.
Please remove references to your:
+ name/title
+ educational institutions
+ age
+ gender
+ email address
+ postal address
+ phone number
+ nationality/immigration status
You will need to merge your CV and covering letter into one document. When submitting your application Applied will ask you to upload a CV, when doing this you should upload your merged document of your CV and covering letter.
Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that your application would be viewed by different assessors.
In the event of a high number of applications, we will conduct an initial Lead Sift based on the following question (Assessing on Experience): Tell us about a time you balanced delivery at pace with strong data governance. What trade-offs did you make, and how did you make the practices stick after go-live?
At sift, through your CV and covering letter we will be assessing:
Experience
Technical
Your covering letter should be no more than 2 pages referencing how you meet the essential skills and experience and why you are interested in the role. Your CV should be no more than 2 pages and focus on relevant skills and experience.
The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of the following success profiles elements:
Behaviours: Changing and Improving, Making Effective Decisions, Working Together, Leadership, Please note that the average employer pension contribution is based upon the National minimum salary for this role. Should your agreed starting salary for this role be different, the average employer pension contribution will be calculated accordingly. If you are a Secondee, this will not apply as you will remain on your home organisation's terms and conditions.
Benefits
Transfers across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018:
Any move to MHCLG from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.
For further information about the benefits available to MHCLG employees, please see the attached Candidate Pack.
Geographical Location:
+ Bristol
+ Wolverhampton
+ Manchester
There may be opportunities for candidates to work flexibly depending on the business needs. This will be discussed with the vacancy manager on a case-by-case basis if you are successful for the role.
Sift and Interview dates
Sifting is envisaged to take place from 2nd September with interview dates to be confirmed. All interviews are currently being held remotely via videocall.
Reserve List
In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details on a reserve list for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. This may include roles at a lower grade. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact recruitment@communities.gov.uk to be removed from the reserve list.
SC (Security Check):
Important note
Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the Security Check - this requires you to have been resident in the UK for the past 5 years. Please refer to the MHCLG Notes on Security Clearance section of our Candidate Pack for further information on Security Check (SC).
Candidates should also note that with effect from 1st August 2018 the department will also check all applicants who are successful at interview, against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) held by the Cabinet Office. In accordance with the Civil Service Internal Fraud Policy, any applicant who is included on the IFD will be refused employment by MHCLG Please see the Candidate Pack for further information on the Internal Fraud Database.
Candidate Pack Information
Please see attached Candidate pack for further information.
Before starting your application it's very important to make sure that you are eligible to apply and meet the Civil Service nationality requirements. All candidates are expected to read the information provided in the MHCLG candidate pack regarding nationality requirements and rules
Internal Fraud Database
The Internal Fraud function of the Fraud, Error, Debt and Grants Function at the Cabinet Office processes details of civil servants who have been dismissed for committing internal fraud, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned. The Cabinet Office receives the details from participating government organisations of civil servants who have been dismissed, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned, for internal fraud. In instances such as this, civil servants are then banned for 5 years from further employment in the civil service. The Cabinet Office then processes this data and discloses a limited dataset back to MHCLG as a participating government organisations. MHCLG then carry out the pre employment checks so as to detect instances where known fraudsters are attempting to reapply for roles in the civil service. In this way, the policy is ensured and the repetition of internal fraud is prevented.
For more information please see- Internal Fraud Register
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
+ UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
+ experience of designing, implementing and monitoring adherence to data governance policies and good practice across the data and/or product life cycle
+ good knowledge of UK data protection law (including UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018) and ethical requirements, with proven experience applying it in public sector operational and/or service delivery environments
+ experience identifying, assessing, and managing data protection risks, including supporting mitigation actions in collaboration with relevant teams
+ experience and knowledge of identifying opportunities for innovating with data to improve existing digital services and deliver new priorities, in a public sector context or complex multi-organisation environment
+ proven ability to identify and resolve data governance issues, influence stakeholders, and manage relationships effectively across organisational boundaries
+ excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex data governance concepts clearly and appropriately to both technical and non-technical audiences, including senior decision-makers. Able to present information effectively in written, verbal, and visual formats to support understanding, engagement, and informed decision-making, Ability
Here at the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), we work on things that make a real difference to people's lives.
Whether it's through the homes we live in, the work of our local councils, or the communities we're all part of, our work is at the top of the political agenda. We have ambitious and far-reaching outcomes to achieve this year and, if you're thinking of joining us, there's never been a more exciting time.
Alongside your salary of £54,531, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £15,797 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
+ Learning and development tailored to your role
+ An environment with flexible working options
+ A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
+ A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%, Applicants who proceed to interview will be required to prepare a presentation on a specified question. The question will be provided in advance of the interview, and to all interviewees at the same time. The presentation will be given at the start of the interview and delivery should not exceed 10 minutes, the interviewee will be asked questions follow-up questions by the panel.
In full the campaign will test the below Success Profile Elements:
Experience: Yes - Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the person specification
Technical: Yes - Technical questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the person specification
Behaviours: Changing and Improving, Making Effective Decisions, Working Together, Leadership
Ability
We do not consider direct CV applications - you must apply for this role via the application link on Civil Service Jobs:
Please note that near miss offers may be made at the lower grade to candidates who do not meet the grade criteria for this campaign.
Grade 7 salary
+ The salary for this role is £54,531 - £64,641 (National).
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