Overview
Barclays is seeking a Data Security Governance & Compliance Lead to provide leadership across the bank's enterprise data security governance. This role acts as the single point of accountability for defining, maintaining, and enforcing the organisation's data security strategy, policies, and regulatory alignment. You will lead a centralised governance function that ensures data protection controls are consistent, effective, and regulator-defensible across all business units and geographies. Sitting at the intersection of cyber security, data ownership, and regulatory oversight, the role works closely with the CISO, CDO, Privacy, Cryptography, and Data Protection Operations teams to ensure data risks are managed in a coordinated and scalable manner. This is a highly influential role for an experienced leader who can balance regulatory rigour, business enablement, and executive engagement in a complex global environment. To be successful as a Data Security Governance & Compliance Lead, you will provide a primary liaison service between the business, technology, and security functions to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information and support the mitigation of security risk.
Responsibilities
* Collaboration with stakeholders to understand their security requirements in business processes and IT projects, to enhance overall risk management.
* Execution of risk assessments to identify and prioritise potential cybersecurity threats that could impact the bank’s operations and data, guide the implementation of mitigation strategies, and communicate findings to relevant senior stakeholders.
* Collaboration with business units to develop and implement security policies and procedures for the bank's operations aligned to the risk management framework.
* Management of the implementation, testing and monitoring of security controls across the bank's IT systems to ensure the effectiveness of controls and mitigation of risk.
* Execution of training content and sessions to educate employees, enhance cybersecurity awareness and provide guidance on safe online practices.
* Management of complex cybersecurity incidents by collaborating with IT teams and response experts to effectively resolve cases through analysis, expertise support and project supervision.
* Identification of emerging cybersecurity trends, threats, and new technologies to address potential risks by advocating the adoption of new security solutions.
Expectations & Leadership
* To contribute or set strategy, drive requirements and make recommendations for change. Plan resources, budgets, and policies; manage and maintain policies/processes; deliver continuous improvements and escalate breaches of policies/procedures.
* If managing a team, define jobs and responsibilities, plan for the department's future needs and operations, counsel employees on performance and contribute to pay decisions. May lead specialists to influence operations, balancing short and long-term goals with budgets and schedules.
* If the position has leadership responsibilities, demonstrate leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver an excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: Listen and be authentic; Energise and inspire; Align across the enterprise; Develop others.
* For an individual contributor, act as a subject matter expert within the discipline, lead collaborative, multi-year assignments, guide team members through structured assignments, and determine when to involve other areas of specialisation. Train, guide and coach less experienced specialists and provide information affecting long-term profits, organisational risks and strategic decisions.
* Advise key stakeholders, including functional leadership teams and senior management on functional and cross-functional areas of impact and alignment.
* Manage and mitigate risks through assessment in support of the control and governance agenda.
* Demonstrate leadership and accountability for managing risk and strengthening controls in relation to the work your team does.
* Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the organisation’s functions to contribute to achieving business goals.
* Collaborate with other areas of work for business-aligned support and stay aligned with business activity and strategies.
* Create solutions based on sophisticated analytical thought, compare and select complex alternatives, and conduct in-depth analysis to define problems and develop innovative solutions.
* Adopt and include the outcomes of extensive research in problem solving processes.
* Build and maintain trusting relationships and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to accomplish key business objectives, using influencing and negotiating skills to achieve outcomes.
Qualifications & Skills
* Data Security Governance & Policy Leadership – Proven ability to define, own, and enforce enterprise-wide data security policies, standards, and governance frameworks in a regulated environment (e.g., data classification, DLP, encryption, access controls).
* Regulatory & Risk Management Expertise – Deep understanding of data protection and security regulations (e.g., GDPR, banking regulatory standards) with evidence of compliant governance, metrics, and audit or regulator engagement.
* Senior Stakeholder Influence & Leadership – Strong ability to influence senior executives and cross-functional leaders (CISO, CDO, CTO, Privacy, Operations) in a global, matrixed organisation.
* Senior Leadership Experience within Global Financial Services – Experience leading enterprise-wide governance activities in a senior role within a global financial institution.
* Professional Security or Privacy Certifications – Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CRISC, CIPM/CIPT, or ISO 27001 Lead Implementer/Auditor.
* Awareness of Emerging Data & AI Security Topics – Knowledge of emerging data security technologies and AI-related security considerations.
* Other valued skills may include: experience leading governance activities, horizon scanning, and cross-functional collaboration in regulated environments.
This role is based in Knutsford.
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