Senior People Data Governance Analyst


Company:	Government Recruitment Service
Salary:	£44,052 to £46,765 a year
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	York
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	4 Nov 2026
Closing date:	20 Nov 2026

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Summary

The Senior People Data Governance Analyst is a new role. They will play a key role in ensuring workforce data is defined, governed and managed consistently. Working within the People Analytics and Insights team (PAI), the post holder will lead the consistent capture, maintenance, and verification of people data metric definitions, the capture of data lineage, and compliance with Data Protection and security, enabling the delivery of trusted workforce insights and evidence-based decision making. Key pillars are standards and definitions; Data Protection; and data security.

The role will act as the principal liaison between PAI (who sit in the HR Directorate), the Cabinet Office, and other data teams within Defra including Data and Analytics Teams within the COO directorate and the Office of the Chief Data Officer, ensuring that workforce reporting aligns with cross-government standards and departmental requirements. Working collaboratively with colleagues responsible for data quality, data protection and information governance, the post holder will help ensure that workforce data remains accurate, well-understood and fit for purpose.

Key Responsibilities

People Data Governance

Review existing governance documentation and arrangements for workforce and people data and analysis products within PAI. Build on these to ensure consistent capture and compliance with government standards.
Act as a subject matter expert on workforce data standards, definitions and governance practices, including Cabinet Office guidelines, and ensure the team uses current guides.
Support government governance forums and contribute to the development of policies, standards and guidance relating to workforce data.
Ensure workforce data assets are documented, managed and governed in line with organisational requirements, building on existing process documents and using systems determined in collaboration with other key stakeholders in Defra.
Identify and escalate risks relating to the governance and use of people data, including ensuring compliance with UK GDPR, Data Protection legislation and organisational policies; and ensuing appropriate handling of sensitive and personal information.

Workforce Data Standards and Definitions

Own and oversee maintenance of the People Data Dictionary and associated documentation. Ensure other PAI team members understand their role in supporting this, and develop a positive governance culture within the team.
Develop, document and communicate standard definitions for workforce metrics and key people data assets.
Ensure consistent application of agreed definitions across reports, dashboards and analytical products.
Manage changes to workforce metrics and definitions through appropriate governance processes. Contribute to stakeholder communications of any change.
Promote the use of common standards and a single source of truth for workforce reporting.
Work closely with colleagues on the Synergy programme to ensure adherence to agreed definitions and calculations. Where there is deviation from previously agreed definitions, ensure that is logged and dated.

Cabinet Office and Cross-Government Engagement

Act as the primary point of contact for Cabinet Office workforce metric definitions and reporting standards.
Maintain awareness of emerging cross-government requirements relating to people data.
Coordinate the implementation of new or revised workforce metrics and definitions.
Represent the organisation at relevant cross-government communities of practice, working groups and professional networks.
Ensure alignment between organisational workforce reporting and government-wide standards, including the NOVA Functional Reference Model where appropriate.

Data Lineage and Metadata Management

Develop and maintain documentation describing workforce data flows from source systems through to analytical outputs. Act as critical friend on the HR Data Repository build process, with regard to Data Protection governance and lineage, holding the team responsible for build to appropriate standards of documentation.
Establish and maintain data lineage and definitions for key workforce metrics and reporting products.
Assess the impact of changes to systems, processes and reporting requirements on workforce data assets, with particular focus on Synergy changes.
Support assurance, audit and compliance activities through clear documentation and traceability of data.

Collaboration and Assurance

Work closely with colleagues responsible for Data Protection, Information Governance, Security and Corporate Data Management.
Promote good data governance practices across HR, workforce planning and analytical communities.
Work with colleagues across HR and wider Defra to ensure positive relations and good understanding of governance.
Act as the gatekeeper for access to sensitive data and dashboards, maintaining a log of requests that fall outside the agreed Role Based Access Controls and rationale for granting / declining access.

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