Data and AI Governance Manager

£56,058 - £59,298 per annum
2 years Fixed Term
Newham Dockside, London

Please submit your CV and a supporting statement of up to two A4 pages explaining how you meet the role’s criteria. Remove all personal information from both documents. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

About Us

Newham is a place that is full of potential and brimming with energy and talent. Proud to be one of the youngest and most diverse boroughs anywhere in the UK, 72% of our residents are from ethnically diverse communities, speaking over 220 languages and our population of 351,000 is growing at a rate of 14%, the third highest rate of growth in London.

In recent years we have seen unparalleled levels of investment, growth and interest in our Borough, but for all our successes, Covid-19 laid bare the endemic inequality that exists in our borough and how the Cost-of-Living crisis is exacerbating that. That’s why we are working towards Building a Fairer Newham, focused on economic security, health, equality and the environment.

About the Role

Newham offers a unique and exciting opportunity to build your career in a forward-thinking environment. As the Council’s use of data and artificial intelligence continues to grow, strong governance is essential to ensure these technologies are used responsibly, safely and effectively.

As the Data and AI Governance Manager within the Digital, Data and Technology service, you will play a key role in implementing and continually improving the Council’s Data and AI Governance Frameworks. You will help establish practical standards, controls and assurance arrangements so that data and AI are used lawfully, ethically, securely, transparently and effectively across the organisation.

You will work closely with service teams and colleagues across Information Governance, Legal, Cyber Security, Architecture, Procurement, Internal Audit and technology teams. You will help translate complex legal, regulatory and policy requirements into clear, practical and proportionate governance processes that teams can understand and apply. 

A key part of the role will be strengthening data ownership and stewardship across the Council and supporting a proportionate, risk-based approach to AI governance. This will include supporting the assessment and oversight of AI use cases and maintaining oversight of the Council’s AI Register, ensuring appropriate consideration is given to areas such as fairness, transparency, human oversight, security, accessibility, data quality and accountability.

You will also support Data and AI Governance Boards and working groups, develop governance reporting and assurance arrangements, and provide clear advice and constructive challenge to senior stakeholders. You will work with technical teams to ensure governance requirements are considered as part of the Council’s wider data and technology environment.

Alongside this, you will support training, guidance and engagement across the Council, helping colleagues understand their responsibilities and strengthening data literacy, data stewardship and the responsible use of AI.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in shaping how Newham governs data and AI, ensuring appropriate assurance and accountability while enabling innovation that delivers better outcomes for our residents and staff.

About You

You will have strong experience in data governance, information governance, AI governance, risk, compliance or a related area, with the ability to turn complex requirements into practical governance processes, standards and controls.

You will have a strong understanding of data management principles, including data ownership, stewardship, data quality, metadata management, access, sharing and lifecycle management.

You will have a good understanding of relevant UK legal and regulatory requirements relating to data and AI, including data protection, transparency, equality and public-sector accountability. You will also understand responsible AI principles and how they can be applied in practice, including areas such as risk assessment, human oversight, fairness, transparency, explainability, monitoring and accountability.

You will have experience working across different professional disciplines and building strong relationships with operational services and specialist teams. You will be able to bring different perspectives together, provide constructive challenge where needed and help teams find practical and proportionate ways forward.

You will be skilled in governance reporting, assurance and risk management, with the ability to identify risks, gaps and opportunities for improvement and take appropriate action to address them. You will also be confident facilitating governance boards, workshops and cross-organisational working groups.
You will excel at building strong relationships with senior leaders, service managers and other stakeholders, securing buy-in and supporting the adoption of effective data and AI governance practices across the organisation.
You will communicate complex information clearly and persuasively, making technical, regulatory and governance requirements understandable to different audiences.
You will have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess evidence, understand risk and translate findings into practical recommendations. Importantly, you will be able to apply governance in a way that provides appropriate assurance without creating unnecessary barriers to improvement and innovation.
You should also be familiar with tools and platforms that support data governance, metadata management, reporting and assurance, such as Microsoft Purview, Microsoft Fabric and Power BI.
You will bring a collaborative, practical and human-centred approach to governance and be comfortable working in an evolving area as legal, regulatory and technological expectations around data and AI continue to develop.
Benefits
Flexible working arrangements including offices in Dockside and working from home.
Generous pension allowance.
Access to Newham Rewards employee benefits scheme.
Employee Assistance Programme.
Eye test and Flu vouchers.
If you have any questions, please contact 
Hiring manager Rabiya Asif rabiya.asif@newham.gov.uk
IMPORTANT: If you are an LBN member of staff and applying for this role as a secondment you should note that secondments are subject to the agreement of your current employing service. Please ensure that you inform your line manager of your intention to apply for the post in the first instance.
 
Please view JD here
Closing date: 13th November 2026
Additional Information
We are committed to creating an inclusive, anti-racist environment for all. When you apply for a job at Newham, your application is considered on its merits regardless of your age, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation. If you share our vision and values, and you bring the experience and skills we need, that is all that matters to us.
The London Borough of Newham has important responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. If you are appointed to a job that involves working with these groups, you may be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
We practice anonymised recruitment. Please ensure that you remove all personal information from any documents that you upload.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected, you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity.