About the team and the role
At Mencap, we're driven by a vision of a world where people with a learning disability are valued equally, listened to and included. As we continue to transform our digital and data capabilities, we're looking for an experienced Data Architect & Governance Lead to establish and champion the frameworks, standards and architecture that help us make better decisions, improve services and deliver greater impact.
This is a unique opportunity for a strategic data professional who enjoys combining architectural thinking with practical governance leadership. You'll play a pivotal role in ensuring that data across Mencap is trusted, well-managed, secure and used responsibly, including within emerging AI-enabled solutions.
This is a home based role that will require occasional travel to our Peterborough or London Offices ~3 times per month.
About the Role
Reporting to the Head of Enterprise Governance, you'll provide organisation-wide leadership for data architecture and data governance.
Working closely with business leaders, data professionals, architects and technology teams, you'll develop and embed the principles, standards and governance needed to ensure data can be understood, shared and trusted across the organisation.
You'll influence how data is structured and managed across key platforms including Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, Salesforce, SaaS applications and enterprise integration services, helping Mencap build a mature and sustainable data capability.
This is a senior individual contributor role with significant organisational influence, offering the opportunity to shape strategic direction while remaining hands-on with architecture, governance and assurance activities.
What You'll Be Doing
Data Architecture
- Define and maintain Mencap's data architecture principles, standards and best practices.
- Develop conceptual and logical data models, common definitions and integration patterns.
- Establish standards covering data design, exchange, retention and decommissioning.
- Ensure data architecture aligns with wider enterprise architecture principles.
Data Governance & Stewardship
- Lead and continually improve Mencap's data governance framework.
- Clarify and support Data Owner and Data Steward responsibilities across business domains.
- Provide expert guidance that improves governance maturity across the organisation.
- Resolve cross-domain data challenges and escalate material risks where necessary.
Data Quality, Metadata & Lineage
- Chair and facilitate monthly Data Quality Reviews.
- Drive visibility and accountability for priority data quality improvements.
- Define requirements for data dictionaries, business glossaries, metadata management and lineage.
- Establish controls that improve traceability, transparency and confidence in critical data assets.
Design Assurance & Strategic Oversight
- Review and assure significant data initiatives through governance and design authority processes.
- Provide expert input into major integrations, migrations and data-enabled transformation programmes.
- Identify and manage strategic data risks, exceptions and governance requirements.
Responsible Data & AI
- Define governance requirements for AI-enabled solutions and advanced analytics.
- Support the responsible use of data through clear standards covering ownership, provenance, quality, lineage and permitted use.
- Collaborate with Information Governance, Security and Risk colleagues to ensure appropriate oversight and controls.
Financial & Resource Management
- Manage allocated budgets and resources effectively.
- Maintain forecasts and monitor expenditure against agreed plans.
- Assess the need for specialist external support and work within established procurement and governance processes.
What You'll Bring to the Role
To be successful in this role, you'll be able to demonstrate:
- Significant experience in Data Architecture, Data Governance or senior Data Management roles within a complex organisation.
- Strong expertise in developing and applying enterprise data models, architecture standards, data governance frameworks and information management practices.
- Experience establishing and embedding data ownership, stewardship and accountability models across business and technology teams.
- Proven knowledge of data quality, metadata management, business glossaries, data lineage and data lifecycle management.
- Experience providing governance, assurance and oversight for data solutions, integrations, migrations and analytics platforms.
- Strong understanding of modern cloud data and analytics technologies, including Microsoft Fabric, Power BI or similar enterprise platforms.
- Experience working with data across a range of business systems, such as CRM, finance, workforce, care or case management platforms.
- Ability to lead and influence discussions across multiple business areas, building consensus on data definitions, ownership, priorities and standards.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and subject matter experts without direct management responsibility.
- Good understanding of data protection, information governance and information security principles and how they apply to organisational data.
- Knowledge of emerging AI and data governance considerations, including data quality, provenance, traceability, representativeness and responsible use.
- Excellent communication skills, sound judgement and the ability to balance strategic governance requirements with practical delivery needs.
- A commitment to accessible, inclusive and ethical use of data that supports better outcomes for people with a learning disability.
- Alignment with Mencap's values of being Passionate, Positive, Brave, Kind and Inclusive.