SAVVI - Senior Information and Data Governance Lead

About this role

Contract: 12-month Fixed term with the possibility of extension.

Help transform how Greater Manchester supports its most vulnerable residents.

The Opportunity

Greater Manchester is leading a pioneering approach to prevention through the implementation of SAVVI (Scalable Approach to Vulnerability via Interoperability) and Open Referral UK data standards, creating the foundations for more connected, proactive and person-centred public services.

To help deliver this ambition, we are establishing a new SAVVI Office: a specialist team bringing together governance, data and transformation expertise to help partners identify need earlier, share information responsibly and coordinate support more effectively.

This work sits at the heart of Greater Manchester's commitment to public service reform, prevention and early intervention. Through the SAVVI Office, we will help local authorities, public services and community organisations work together around the people and places that need support most.

The Team:*

We are recruiting three complementary leadership roles that together will form Greater Manchester's SAVVI Centre of Excellence.

Senior Information & Data Governance Lead

Lead the governance and assurance that enables partners to share information safely, ethically and lawfully. You'll help shape regional approaches to information sharing, privacy, transparency and public trust while supporting prevention-focused initiatives across Greater Manchester.

Technical Data Lead

Provide the technical leadership to design data standards, interoperability approaches and architectures that help organisations connect systems and information. You'll create the foundations that enable vulnerability to be identified earlier and support to be coordinated more effectively.

Transformation Coach

Drive adoption and change across organisations, helping teams embed new ways of working, develop capability and turn innovation into practical outcomes. You'll work alongside leaders and frontline services to make prevention a reality.

Why This Matters

Together, these roles will help establish sustainable regional capability that supports:

• Prevention and early intervention rather than crisis response.
• Safe, ethical and trusted information sharing.
• Better joined-up support for vulnerable residents.
• Consistent adoption of SAVVI and Open Referral UK standards.
• Scalable solutions that can be shared across Greater Manchester and beyond.
• Improved outcomes through stronger collaboration between organisations.

Role Overview

The Information and Data Governance shared service is responsible for ensuring effective information governance, data protection and lawful, ethical information sharing across Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

This role will provide specialist leadership for the Scalable Approach to Vulnerability Via Interoperability (SAVVI) and Open Referral UK work across Greater Manchester, supporting partners to use data safely, consistently and proportionately to identify vulnerability earlier and connect people and households with support before issues escalate.

We are looking for an ambitious, highly skilled and collaborative information governance professional who can combine technical data protection expertise with practical delivery across a complex multi-agency public service environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the information governance workstream for SAVVI and Open Referral UK implementation across Greater Manchester, ensuring alignment with the GM Information Strategy, GM Information Sharing Framework and relevant organisational policies. This will align to support the wider Greater Manchester Strategy, in particular Prevent and Livewell as well as other areas.

Provide expert advice on legal and ethical frameworks for the use of personal data in public services, including UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, common law confidentiality, information security requirements and relevant information-sharing powers.

• Support local authorities, GMCA, TfGM and partners to design data-sharing arrangements that are lawful, proportionate, transparent and focused on public benefit, with clear accountability, governance and assurance.
• Lead and support the development of Data Protection Impact Assessments, Data Sharing Agreements, privacy notices, lawful basis assessments, information-sharing protocols and related assurance documentation for SAVVI-aligned use cases.
• •

Actively contribute to the design and delivery of workshops, engagement sessions and practical implementation activity to help partners apply the SAVVI process to local prevention and vulnerability challenges.

Knowledge & Experience

• Recognised qualifications in information compliance disciplines, such as BCS Data Protection, Freedom of Information, CIPP/E, ISEB, CISSP or equivalent professional experience.
• Significant experience of delivering information governance, data protection and information-sharing advice in a public sector or complex partnership setting.
• Excellent working knowledge of UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, Freedom of Information legislation, Environmental Information Regulations, common law confidentiality and public sector information-sharing frameworks.
• Experience of advising on the lawful, ethical and proportionate use of personal data, including assessing lawful basis, conditions for processing, transparency, necessity, proportionality and public benefit.
• Experience of producing high quality information governance documentation, including DPIAs, Data Sharing Agreements, privacy notices, lawful basis assessments, policies, procedures and guidance.
• Knowledge of data-informed decision making, prevention, early intervention and the responsible use of data to improve outcomes for people and communities.

Please note the salary is subject to Job Evaluation.

About us

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) brings together the cityregion’s ten councils and key partners including Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) - to deliver the Greater Manchester Strategy. Our shared vision is to create a thriving city region where everyone can live a good life. We work to grow an inclusive economy and ensure people have what they need to live happy, healthy lives, tackling inequalities. Our policy department include Digital, Economy, Education, Work & Skills, Environment, Place Making, Public Service Reform, and Safer & Stronger Communities - who are supported by our essential corporate functions like Finance, Legal & Governance, People Services, Procurement and Communications.

We value the diversity of our employees, and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects our diverse communities across Greater Manchester. We encourage applications from all suitably qualified individuals, irrespective of people's age, disability, Trans status and Non-binary identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We have guidance in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability.

To find out more about working for us please click here: https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/

Our offer

In return for your hard work, we offer our employees a competitive package as part of our offer that you can find out more about here:

Greater Manchester Combined Authority - Home | greater.jobs

Mandatory Information

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We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. However, we value human talent and are looking for passionate individuals to join our organisation.

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