Data & AI Governance Lead

Data and AI Governance Lead - Purview/Co-Pilot & M365 

• Inside IR35 paid through an umbrella
• Contract role - six months - start 22nd of June - Nationwide so homeworking and sit visits when needed

The Data & AI Governance Lead (Contract) is responsible for establishing the foundational data governance capability and handing over a fully operational governance function to a permanent Data Governance Manager at the end of the contract.
This is a time‑boxed, outcome‑focused role, accountable for standing up the working governance components required to support:

– Clear data ownership and stewardship accountability
– Effective governance collaboration and decision‑making
– Activation of Microsoft Purview (E5) as a governance enabler
– A safe and governed rollout of M365 Copilot
The role does not own long‑term data strategy or business‑as‑usual operations.

Scope & operating context
– Operates as a hands‑on governance lead, not a delivery team
– Works across data & AI, security, M365, and business domains
– Focused on enablement and guardrails for federated ownership, not central control

The role does not own long‑term strategy, enterprise‑wide completeness, or business‑as‑usual operations. Success is measured by what is live, adopted, and ready to scale by month 6.

Key responsibilities:
– Establish minimum viable Data & AI Governance Framework (aligned to DMBOK-DAMA principles)
– Establish formal Data Ownership & Stewardship frameworks
– Establish & Run the Data & AI Governance Forum
– Identify Data Domains & Critical Data
– Evaluate and activate Microsoft Purview (E5) for M365 data
– Support governance readiness for M365 Copilot
– Define governance KPIs and deliver structured handover
 
Skills & Experience
Essential
– Demonstrable experience establishing data governance in large organisations
– Practical experience with Microsoft Purview (or equivalent)
– Strong understanding of data ownership, stewardship, and federated models
– Experience working across M365, security, and business teams
– Strong stakeholder engagement across technical and business teams

Highly desirable
– Experience supporting M365 Copilot or AI enablement
– Experience working in federated or domain‑led data models
– Background in regulated or infrastructure‑heavy environments

Contractor profile & approach
– Pragmatic, delivery‑focused, and outcome‑driven
– Comfortable operating with incomplete information
– Avoids over‑engineering or “perfect” frameworks
– Leaves behind working capability, not just documentation

 What Success Looks Like at Contract end
– A credible, functioning data governance foundation
– Microsoft Purview is actively supporting visibility and control
– M365 Copilot can be deployed with confidence in data safety
– The organisation is set up to scale governance sustainably