Director of Data Operations and Governance

Role summary

Director of Data Operations and Governance is a full-time role at Our Future Health in London, England, United Kingdom (remote). Posted 2026-08-18. Experience level: 10+.

Job title

Director of Data Operations and Governance

Company

Our Future Health

Location

London, England, United Kingdom

Work arrangement

remote

Employment type

full-time

Category

Software Engineering

Experience level

10+

Date posted

2026-08-18

Job description

Our Future Health is an ambitious collaboration between the public, charity and private sectors, designed to help people live healthier lives for longer through better prevention, earlier detection and improved treatment of diseases. With over 2.7 million volunteers across the UK, we’re now the world’s largest health research programme of our kind, with a volunteer group that is more diverse than other similar health research programmes.

Data is at the heart of our mission. We bring together health records, genetic and laboratory data, questionnaires and other participant-generated data to create an incredibly rich resource for health research. We use this data to support discovery research, recruitment into clinical trials, and health insights for participants. As we grow, both the volume and variety of data we manage will increase considerably.

We are looking for an experienced Director of Data Operations & Governance to lead how we operationally manage and govern data across Our Future Health.

This is a Senior Leadership role reporting to the Chief Data Officer, with responsibility for the operational management and governance of data across Our Future Health. You will help ensure data moves efficiently and securely from source to user, while maintaining the quality, provenance and controls required of one of the world's largest health research programmes.

This is fundamentally a data operations and delivery leadership role. You will develop the operating models, standards and ways of working that allow us to onboard and release data efficiently, improve its quality and ensure governance, security and compliance are considered from the outset.

You will join an established Data Management capability, initially managing a senior Data Management lead with five Data Managers within the wider team, alongside additional budgeted roles expected to report directly to you. You'll have the opportunity to shape the future structure and capability of the function as we grow.

What makes this exciting? Help define what good looks like at the forefront of health data. Few organisations are working with our combination of data volume, variety, sensitivity and potential research use. You'll help create the operational approach rather than simply inherit one.

Work on complex data challenges at scale. Our data comes from the NHS, laboratories, technology partners and participants. You'll shape how that data moves from source through to being trusted and available for research.

Shape a growing capability. You'll join an established team, but the future operating model isn't fixed. You'll help determine how the function evolves as our data landscape becomes increasingly complex.

Work collaboratively across the organisation. You'll bring together colleagues across Data Engineering, Product, Science, Operations, Legal, Compliance and Security to establish practical standards, clarify responsibilities and improve how we manage data.

Bring experience from another sector. Healthcare experience isn't essential. We're interested in people from complex, regulated and data-intensive environments who can bring useful experience of data operations at scale.

Responsibilities Data Operations & Delivery

Lead the end-to-end operational management of data, from supplier onboarding and acquisition through to clinic laboratory operations, data release, retention and withdrawal

Create clear responsibilities, milestones, dependencies and escalation routes across complex data flows, drawing on support from our delivery team

Develop scaling strategies for onboarding and using data at increasing volumes and variety, setting out the volume targets and working with the data engineering team on technical implementation

Oversee the operational aspects of data releases, including the cross-functional coordination required to make these successful

Develop effective reporting across operational performance, data volumes, quality, risks and issues

Oversee reliable, customer-focused managed data services, including the airlock service that researchers use to move data and tooling into and out of our trusted research environment

Help teams navigate and resolve complex operational issues so that data can be delivered efficiently

Data Governance & Quality

Embed governance, security, privacy and compliance requirements into data processes from the outset

Develop practical data standards and controls, helping teams across the organisation understand their responsibilities for data on topics such as quality and retention and overseeing implementation

Improve how we understand and manage data quality, integrity, provenance and lifecycle

Partner with colleagues in Data Protection, Security, Legal and Compliance to ensure data is managed ethically, securely and appropriately

Partners & People

Manage data-facing operational relationships and negotiations with the NHS, laboratories, technology partners and other data suppliers

Lead, support and develop a team of Data Managers and governance professionals

Shape the future structure and capability of the function as Our Future Health grows

Build trusted relationships with senior colleagues across Data, Technology, Product, Science, Operations, Legal, Compliance and Security

Bring people together around shared priorities and help establish clarity where responsibilities cross teams

We welcome applications from people who may not meet every requirement. If your experience covers most of the areas below and you're interested in the opportunity, we'd like to hear from you.

Experience leading complex data operations, data management or data-enabled operational services at comparable or greater scale to Our Future Health

Experience taking responsibility for operational outcomes and delivering complex initiatives

Experience working within a regulated, controlled or security-conscious environment

A good understanding of