Data Governance Lead

Data Governance Lead | Databricks & Unity Catalog | Worcestershire (Hybrid) | Up to £80,000 + 10% Bonus

This is a build role, not a maintenance one. You would be the first dedicated data governance hire, taking a function that currently exists in pockets and turning it into a proper capability. No inherited framework, no legacy tooling to unpick, and a hiring manager who wants to be advised rather than to hand you a playbook.

The platform is Databricks with Unity Catalog as the governance layer, supporting customer analytics, BI and a growing set of AI products. The data is sensitive and the sector is regulated, so getting this right carries genuine commercial weight.

The Role

Establish the data governance and data management practices that underpin high quality customer data and future AI products.

Own governance within Databricks and Unity Catalog, including access control, classification and platform-side security architecture.

Build and own the data contract framework between product teams and the central data function, acting as the escalation point when releases break contracts.

Own data quality, dictionaries, glossaries, definitions and lineage across the estate.

Establish a data steward network and the forums and processes that keep governance running without you in every conversation.

Work alongside engineering to ensure sensitive customer data is properly controlled and exposure risk is designed out.

Partner with the Data Protection Officer and InfoSec while owning the technical and data platform side of governance.What We're Looking For

Demonstrable experience establishing or significantly maturing a data governance capability, with examples you can walk through.

Solid grasp of data contracts, data lakes and modern lakehouse governance.

Enough technical understanding to hold your own with data engineers, including working SQL familiarity.

Confidence operating as the enforcement and escalation point, not just the policy author.

Ability to influence across product, engineering, risk and security without direct authority.Nice to have

Hands on Unity Catalog experience. Comparable governance tooling such as Collibra, Alation, Purview or Informatica is equally welcome if you are ready to pick Unity Catalog up.

Background in a regulated industry.

Exposure to a product or value stream operating model.What's On Offer

Up to £80,000 base plus a 10% annual bonus.

Hybrid working, with the team together in Worcestershire on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Genuine ownership. You define the framework, the standards and the roadmap.

A modern data platform and a leadership team that treats governance as an enabler for AI and analytics, not a compliance tax.

A two stage process: a technical conversation over Teams, then an in person interview. Quick decisions, no dragged out loops.Interested?

Apply with your CV, or message me directly for a confidential conversation about the detail. Happy to talk it through before you decide either way