Data Architecture and Governance Support Officer

We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates  

At DfE, we are proud of the commitment we make to diversity and inclusion and of the progress we have made. We have active & vibrant staff networks, special leave policies and workplace adjustments put in place for those who need them. We are continuing to build a diverse DfE, in an inclusive environment which nurtures and realises potential in all, at all levels.

Equality and Diversity – Department for Education

In the Data Directorate we are striving to make DfE a data enabled organisation, where we can make decisions that lead to better outcomes for all children, young people, and adults. These are exciting times in our transformation journey at DfE.

The Data Architecture & Governance Division has the primary responsibility for ensuring the best use of data, and for designing at a high level, automated data pipelines and data flows that comprise Data Directorate’s data services, as used within the Department, across the education sector and beyond.

You will be joining a diverse, multidisciplinary division (Data Architects, Solution Architects, Data Modelers, Enterprise Architects and Data Governance colleagues), located across DfE sites. You will get opportunities to learn, grow and lead by supporting teams to make a difference to some of the most fundamental issues in education, skills and social care.

We are looking for four Data Architecture and Governance Support Officers to work across the various streams in the division including Data Governance, Data Quality & Metadata, Enterprise, Solution and Data Architecture and the Programme Management teams. Your role will be to support drafting policies and standards for use across the Department, board secretariat support, commercial and contract management, recruitment and resource management, onboarding of data in the Data Governance platform and the opportunity to develop knowledge and expertise in data, including AI.

Typical responsibilities across the four roles are:

• Supporting the team in understanding and mapping business processes and data landscapes; supporting our communications strategy by helping draft communications, updating and maintaining the intranet resources and tailoring to audience;
• Lead Secretariat for the Data Governance Assurance Boards including: commissioning papers, producing agendas, minute taking, managing risks, actions, issues and decisions log (RAID), working with Senior stakeholders, and chasing up actions;
• Support development of the Department-wide data management policies, processes and standards;
• Populating and maintaining DfE data catalogue
• Engaging with senior stakeholders across the Department including Data Owners, Data Stewards, technical Subject Matter Experts;
• Support workstream leads in planning, milestone tracking and co-ordinating commissions;
• Support coordination of recruitment processes within the Data Architecture & Governance division, documenting and maintaining the DfE processes through to onboarding and offboarding resources;
• Support commercial and contract management including drafting business cases, tracking statements of work and performance to set deliverables and KPI’s, managing cost models;
• Team player, keen to take on responsibilities outside the core role, dependent on programme demands and deliverables.

Essential skills and experience:

• Experience in secretariat duties, providing organised and effective support to the board and committees;
• Experience of one of the following: recruitment; programme/project management and commercial processes, financial planning, forecasting, and resourcing;
• Proven ability and experience of working collaboratively across all levels of the organisation;
• Ability to work with initiative, being proactive, and displaying strong interpersonal skills, excellent communication and superb organisational skills with prioritisation, working to tight deadlines.

 Desirable skills and experience:

• Knowledge and experience in Data Management.

Desirable criteria will only be assessed in the event of a tie break situation to make an informed decision.

Learning and Development opportunity to undertake an apprenticeship within your area of work.

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK, with an average employer contribution of 27%

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours. 

Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

Job contact :

• Name : Harmandip Cheema
• Email : harmandip.cheema@education.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : AdvertsRecruitment.DFE@education.gov.uk