Data Steward

The starting salary for this role is £40,227 per annum based on a 36 hour working week. 

Surrey County Council is looking for passionate people to help and inspire the organisation to improve the governance and management of its data.

At Surrey, our vision is to help create better lives, a better place and a county where no-one is left behind. To help deliver this vision we are committed to transforming the way the council manages and uses data and creates insight. 

Our ambition is to become a truly data enabled organisation; using data to underpin policy, decisions, and actions in our effort to improve services and outcomes for residents, businesses, and the county. Achieving this bold ambition will demand a focus on people, culture, and governance, as well as data and technology. 

As such we’re committed to building a dedicated data team of experienced professionals to help deliver our SCC data strategy which sets out for how we want to use data in the council and the practical actions that we will take to achieve this over the next few years

Join us as we transform data skills, deliver new capabilities, and introduce data governance for the benefit of the council and our residents.

About the role

As the lead Data Steward for metadata management you will work closely with the Data Governance Manager and other data stewards to develop, promote and ensure all council directorates adhere to data governance policies and will help identify and address data issues to support the organisation to deliver its data strategy.

You will have a particular focus on helping the organisation to understand the metadata it holds.  You will work closely with domain and data owners across the council to identify data sources and assist in the process of creating an organisation-wide data catalogue and business glossaries.  Importantly, you understand that data steward and business steward collaboration is critical to ensuring organisational participation and buy-in for metadata management.

You will help define rules, processes and workflow that ensure that this information is managed and maintained in a controlled fashion.  You will also help to define the data and identify assets across all our data domains, and support work to establish, develop and enrich our master data hub. 

You will be a metadata champion within the organisation able to deliver training and presentations that support services and teams to contribute to and use this tool. This is very much a hands-on role.

About you

We’re looking for someone who:

• Understands Metadata (Structured data within the context of relational database data)  
• has some experience of using a metadata tool
• or some experience in building custom data catalogues
• or has experience of working in a Data Analyst
• or has experience in a Technical Business Analyst role.

Additionally, you understand what an organisational data dictionary is and its necessity.

You are also familiar with the concept of an API and either have some exposure to creating API’s or are keen learn how to construct one.

You are confident in your knowledge about metadata and can lead project discussions on the best practices surrounding end-to-end metadata processes (ranging from data catalogues to business glossaries).

You need to be self-motivated, collaborative and curious and be an excellent communicator who can build productive relationships.

Ideally you will have a certification in, or be undertaking training in, metadata as a topic.

You’ll enjoy sharing your metadata management knowledge and skills and upskilling team members via knowledge sharing sessions.

At Surrey, our values and behaviours are just as important as our skills and abilities. They shape who we are as an organisation. Find out more about the values we follow.

For more information please find the full job description below and refer to this before submitting your application. We also invite you to read our Life at Surrey handbook to see insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.

This job advert closes at 23:59 on 22nd May 2022 with interviews to follow.

Applications will be shortlisted and interviewed on a rolling basis so please note this advert may close before the advertised date if the position is successfully filled.

This is a 12 month fixed term contract, with potential for extension/permanent role longer term

Please ensure your supporting statement responds to the following questions:

• The SCC Metadata Steward role will be a hands-on role requiring a combination of (some) technical and (some) business analysis skills. You will be expected to help SCC define a “business glossary” of fields to ensure fields and terms are not duplicated and always named the same. Additionally, you will help SCC create and manage Data Catalogues of data(sets) identifying the location and ownership of data(sets) across the Organisation. Can you give examples of where you have performed similar duties in your previous roles?

• What Technical and Interpersonal Skills do you think a MetaData Steward should have?

• What challenges have you faced in your previous roles as Metadata Steward?

Contact details

For an informal discussion contact James Lizamore by e-mail at james.lizamore@surreycc.gov.uk.

We look forward to receiving your application. Please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Benefits

From flexible working to job sharing (where possible) we are committed to providing a healthy work life balance. A laptop and mobile will be supplied if applicable to your role. You will benefit from 26 days annual leave, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service, a generous local government salary related pension, as well as the option to join our car lease scheme. For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit MyBenefits for Surrey County Council staff.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer of first choice reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all under represented groups.