Senior Data Governance Officer

• Full Time | 9-day fortnight | 36 hours per week
• Salary: From $101,616 to $108,140 per annum plus Superannuation
• Position Brief - Senior Data Governance Lead

 About the City of Gold Coast

The City of Gold Coast is one of Australia's largest and most dynamic local governments, delivering services to a community of more than 650,000 people across one of the nation's fastest-growing cities. Our Enterprise Information & Data (EID) division is at the heart of the organisation's transformation — embedding trusted, high-quality data practices that power smarter decisions, better services, and a future-ready city.

We are currently executing a bold two-year EID Target State Strategy, investing in a mature Enterprise Data Platform (Microsoft Fabric), modernising our information management environment, and building a Data Governance Framework that will position the City as a leader in local government data maturity. This is a genuinely exciting time to join us.

About the team

You will sit within the Information & Data Strategy & Governance (IDSG) team, a dedicated unit inside EID focused on policy, standards, stewardship, and uplift. The team works across organisational boundaries — partnering with data owners, ICT, legal, privacy officers, and executive leadership — to embed governance where the data actually lives.

Two specialist roles (Senior Data Governance Officer and Information & Data Uplift Lead) are commencing together in July 2026, giving you a rare opportunity to help shape the function from the ground up alongside a peer hire, supported by an experienced manager and an established platform capability.

About the role

As Senior Data Governance Officer, you will lead the practical design and implementation of the City's Data Governance Framework — moving from policy to practice, and from aspiration to measurable outcomes. This is a role about influence, change, and enabling people to work with data confidently and responsibly.

You will:

• Design and embed data governance policies, standards, and procedures that are fit-for-purpose across a complex, multi-directorate organisation.

• Establish and facilitate a Data Governance Council and data stewardship network, building the human architecture of good governance.

• Lead metadata management, data classification, data quality frameworks, and stewardship practices in alignment with the City's Enterprise Data Platform (Microsoft Fabric/ Purview/ OneLake)

• Ensure compliance with Queensland legislative obligations including the Public Records Act 2023, Information Privacy Act 2009, and relevant QSA Standards.

• Promote privacy-by-design and ethical data use principles, translating regulatory obligations into practical team-level guidance.

• Advise on AI-readiness governance — helping the organisation unlock the value of its data assets safely and responsibly.

• Produce executive-level reporting, governance dashboards, and progress metrics for senior leadership and committee audiences.

• Drive data literacy and governance culture uplift across the organisation through targeted engagement, training, and communications.

This is a hybrid role. You will work primarily from our Bundall Precinct offices, with flexibility to work from home on non-collaborative days. We trust our people to manage their time professionally.

What Success Looks Like in This Role

In your first 12 months, you will be recognised for:

• Reviewing and delivering a clear, endorsed Data Governance implementation roadmap.

• Standing up a functioning data stewardship network with active data custodians and stewards.

• Embedding governance practices into the Enterprise Data Platform, including OneLake catalogue standards and Gold-layer data quality controls.

• Visible executive confidence in data governance maturity and risk posture.

• A team culture where governance is seen as an enabler — not a blocker.

We’re looking for people who have:

• Demonstrated experience leading or driving data governance programs in a government or large enterprise environment — you have done this before, not just studied it.

• Deep practical knowledge of data governance frameworks, methodologies, and bodies of knowledge (DAMA-DMBOK, DCAM, or equivalent).

• Ability to engage, influence, and build trust with senior stakeholders, data custodians, and cross-functional teams — without line authority.

• Strong understanding of Queensland (or equivalent Australian) legislative frameworks governing information and data management.

• Comfort working in a cloud-first Microsoft ecosystem (Microsoft 365, Microsoft Fabric, Azure, Purview) — you do not need to be an engineer, but you must be able to engage credibly with platform teams.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills — you can write a committee paper and run a workshop with equal confidence.

Highly Regarded

• Certification in data management or governance (e.g., CDMP – Certified Data Management Professional, CDGE, or equivalent).

• Experience in local or state government information management, including records and information governance.

• Familiarity with Microsoft Purview for data cataloguing, classification, or sensitivity labelling.

• Experience designing or implementing data quality frameworks or stewardship operating models.

• Exposure to AI governance considerations and emerging data ethics frameworks.

Be part of shaping the Gold Coast’s future

The Gold Coast is inspired by lifestyle and driven by opportunity. We are the second largest Council in Australia.

We care about being the most flexible government organisation in Australia. We have a range of benefits to help you create the right balance:

• 9-day fortnight

• Flexible work arrangements to suit your lifestyle, including hybrid/work from home options, flexible working hours and locations 

• Personal and professional development courses

• Access to 350+ fitness facilities through Fitness Passport

• 4 free confidential counselling sessions a year for you or an immediate family member

• 1 free nutritionist and financial advice session per year

We pride ourselves on our shared mission of being a high-performing, customer-focused organisation which delivers value-for-money services to the community.

How to apply
To submit your application, please click apply now and complete the application form. You will be required to upload your resume and a cover letter (no more than two pages) outlining how your skills, experience and personal attributes will enable you to be successful in this role. Please note that you may also be asked to provide relevant qualifications, where applicable.

Contact Person Ashley Shannon

Contact Email [email protected]

Closing Date Sunday 5th July 2026,11:59pm AEDT  

Our selection process may include a one-way video interview via Criteria, a face-to-face or virtual interview via Microsoft Teams, reference checks via Xref and additional checks including police checks, employment history checks, qualification checks, pre-employment medical reviews and drug and alcohol testing.

We’re committed to creating a diverse workplace and inclusive culture. We take pride in people who align with our high-performance principles. We believe that the diverse makeup of our workforce reflects the community we serve. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and identities, and encourage candidates to discuss any support or adjustments they may need throughout the recruitment process.