Data Governance & AI Lead

We are currently representing a leading global Financial Services firm in the appointment of high-calibre professionals as part of a period of strategic growth and investment.
Our client operates at the intersection of corporate, fiduciary and regulatory services, partnering with private equity houses, investment managers and international financial institutions. Backed by long-term institutional investment and an established global brand, the firm is scaling its capabilities, technology and international footprint.

We’re looking for an experienced Data & AI Governance Lead to help build the foundations of a modern, scalable data governance capability within a growing organisation.

This is an opportunity to join at an early stage of the organisation’s data journey and build rather than inherit. You’ll establish the frameworks, standards, ownership structures and governance forums that determine how data is managed, protected and used across the business. https://instantimpactcom-my.sharepoint.com/personal/kerrie_carnall_instant-impact_com/Documents/Microsoft%20Copilot%20Chat%20Files/Data_Recruitment_Briefing_Interview.pdf
Initially operating as a standalone governance lead, you’ll have significant visibility across the organisation, partnering with business teams, data owners and stewards, Data Architecture, IT, Data Management, Analytics and senior stakeholders. As the organisation’s governance maturity develops, there is also potential for the capability to grow into a wider team.

Key Responsibilities

- Design, implement and continuously develop the organisation’s data governance framework, policies and standards.
- Establish clear data ownership and stewardship across the business.
- Create and lead data councils and governance forums, building accountability and engagement across different business areas.
- Partner with teams to define critical data, common definitions, governance rules and standards.
- Establish appropriate controls across data quality, classification, retention, access, metadata, lineage and usage.
- Own the data risk agenda, identifying, assessing and monitoring risks and supporting appropriate remediation and reporting.
- Work closely with Risk, Compliance and Security to align governance with regulatory and assurance requirements.
- Embed governance into data platforms, reporting, pipelines and self-service analytics.
- Build data literacy and stewardship programmes that make good data governance part of everyday working practices.
- Champion responsible data use, ethics and transparency.
- Help shape Responsible AI governance, ensuring emerging AI initiatives meet appropriate ethical and regulatory expectations

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

- Strong practical experience implementing and running Data Governance, Data Management or Data Risk programmes.
- Experience designing and implementing governance frameworks, policies and standards.
- Strong knowledge of data ownership, stewardship, data quality, metadata, lineage and data risk.
- The ability to establish governance forums and turn senior stakeholder support into genuine business participation and accountability.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to communicate complex data topics clearly to different audiences.
- Experience driving behavioural change, data literacy or stewardship initiatives.
- Understanding of GDPR, privacy, security and wider regulatory obligations.
- Familiarity with data governance tooling such as Microsoft Purview, Collibra, Axon or equivalent transferable platforms.
- An understanding of how effective data governance supports Responsible AI, including areas such as transparency, provenance and bias.