JOB SUMMARY

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government. We are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.

Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:

• Joining up public sector services
• Harnessing the power of AI for the public good
• Strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
• Elevating leadership and investing in talent
• Funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
• committing to transparency and driving accountability

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.
We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.
The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.
Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You’ll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Data Governance Team, as part of the Product Strategy, Planning and Performance directorate, provides specialist expertise and leadership across the Government Digital Service. GDS has specialist data protection and information management requirements and requires extensive data governance controls to be designed and incorporated into product development. Strong privacy controls designed and built from the outset will improve users’ confidence in the digital services delivered by GDS.
GDS is seeking to recruit an Information and Data Protection Manager to deliver information management and data protection excellence across GDS. You will play a critical role in ensuring that knowledge, information management and data protection principles are embedded into GDS’s activities to protect public data whilst enabling innovative digital solutions. Reporting to the Information Management and Data Protection Leads, you will build outstanding relationships with stakeholders to manage information appropriately and embed privacy by design. You will be involved in providing support to cutting edge technologies such as the use of biometrics and AI. This role provides an exciting opportunity to become a key part of one of the most impactful programmes in government.
Now is an exciting time to join GDS as it transitions from Cabinet Office to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology. The postholder will have the opportunity to support the IM lead in the data migration.

As Information and Data Protection Manager, you will deliver:

• Records and Data Management: oversee the effective management of records and data within a digital environment, and migration as GDS transitions to DSIT. Monitor and constantly seek to improve the compliant use of GDS’s digital document management system. Support the Information Management Lead to deliver a mature information management regime across the organisation
• Data Protection and Privacy: support the Data Protection Lead to ensure that GDS complies with data protection law by delivering flexible and pragmatic governance practices that enable delivery at pace
• Risk Management: lead and deliver high quality Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), Privacy Notices and Records of Processing Activities for new projects at pace. Support other key processes including delivering data subject rights and managing personal data incidents. Identify, assess and manage information governance risks
• communication and relationship management: provide an approachable and professional service for all staff. Communicate clear, pragmatic information governance guidance to GDS staff to promote awareness of good practice and build strong relationships
• Training and Awareness: design and deliver training to ensure GDS staff understand their information governance obligations and best practices, fostering a strong culture of information management and data privacy at all levels of the programme
• Workload Management and Prioritisation: prioritise effectively to manage a high volume, fast paced and frequently evolving workload. Manage workload to ensure that priorities align with programme and team objectives and deadlines are met
• Support Cutting Edge Technologies: provide expert advice and direction on complex and novel forms of processing, especially on AI and biometrics. Balance legal requirements against the need to deliver innovative solutions to benefit the public, supporting timely delivery of demanding GDS targets

These responsibilities require a well organised, adaptable approach to meet organisation and team needs.

WHILE WE VALUE THE USE OF AI TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE OUR DAILY WORK, WE ALSO VALUE THE PERSONAL TOUCH AND URGE APPLICANTS TO WRITE COVER LETTERS WITHOUT THE USE OF AI TO EMPHASISE THEIR OWN UNIQUE EXPERIENCES.

In the event we receive a high volume of applications, we will conduct the initial sift against the lead criteria which is:
Information Management: Experience of delivering information management within a digital environment. Qualifications such as an MA in Archives and Records Management or similar would be an advantage.
In order to assist candidates with this role, we will be holding a virtual recruitment event on Thursday 5th June at 12:00pm - 1:00pm to go through the role in more detail. If you are interested in joining this event please e-mail: gds-recruitment@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk and a member of the team will send you an invitation to the event.
In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We’ll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.

For this role we’ll be assessing you against the following Civil Service Behaviours

• working together
• changing and improving
• communicating and influencing
• managing a quality service
• delivering at pace

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status.

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements

TYPE OF ROLE

Information Technology
Knowledge and Information Management

The standard selection process for roles at GDS consists of:

• a simple application screening process - We only ask for a CV and cover letter of up to 750 words. Important tip - please ensure that your cover letter includes how you meet the skills and experience listed in the “person specification” section above
• a 60 minute video intervie

For this role we’ll be assessing you against the following Civil Service Behaviours

• working together
• changing and improving
• communicating and influencing
• managing a quality service
• delivering at pac