Data Governance Analyst

Contract: 6 Months
Location: London (2-3 days per week onsite)
Rate: £450/day Inside IR35

We are seeking an experienced Data Governance Analyst to support the enhancement and governance of a modern Azure-based data platform. This role will play a key part in establishing and strengthening enterprise data governance capabilities, driving adoption of Microsoft Purview, and supporting the evolution of a scalable, well-governed data ecosystem built on Microsoft Azure and Fabric technologies.

The successful candidate will combine strong governance expertise with technical knowledge of the Azure data platform, working closely with business stakeholders, architects, engineers, and data owners to improve data quality, visibility, compliance, and operational effectiveness.

• Support the implementation and ongoing enhancement of enterprise data governance frameworks.
• Configure and manage Microsoft Purview, including:
  • Data Catalog
  • Data Lineage
  • Metadata Management
  • Data Discovery
  • Data Classification
• Establish and maintain data governance policies, standards, and controls.
• Drive improvements in data quality, ownership, stewardship, and accountability across the organisation.
• Support regulatory and compliance requirements through effective governance processes.

• Collaborate with technical teams to design and implement scalable governance solutions across Azure and Microsoft Fabric.
• Define and document end-to-end data flows, lineage, and integration patterns.
• Develop reusable semantic data models that support reporting and analytics requirements.
• Support the implementation of sustainable, scalable, and maintainable data solutions.
• Contribute to the definition of enterprise data architecture standards and best practices.

• Support the development and optimisation of ETL/ELT pipelines following Medallion Architecture principles.
• Analyse and resolve existing platform issues identified through technical assessments and architecture reviews.
• Improve platform performance, scalability, reliability, and operational efficiency.
• Support real-time and streaming data initiatives where required.

• Work closely with business and technology stakeholders to understand governance requirements.
• Provide guidance and support on data governance best practices.
• Facilitate the transition of developed solutions into Business-as-Usual (BAU) support teams.
• Promote a data-driven culture and encourage adoption of governance processes throughout the organisation.

• 5+ years' experience within Data Governance, Data Management, or Data Platform environments.
• Minimum 3 years' hands-on experience implementing and managing Microsoft Purview.
• Strong understanding of:
  • Data Governance
  • Data Lineage
  • Metadata Management
  • Data Cataloguing
  • Data Quality Frameworks
  • Data Stewardship
• Experience across the Microsoft Azure Data Platform, including:
  • Azure SQL
  • Azure Data Lake
  • Azure Synapse Analytics
  • Microsoft Fabric
• Knowledge of semantic data modelling and enterprise data architecture principles.
• Experience working with ETL/ELT processes and modern data platforms.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced delivery environment.

• Experience with real-time data processing and streaming technologies.
• Knowledge of Medallion Architecture.
• Azure Data Engineering experience.
• SQL development and performance tuning.
• Experience delivering governance initiatives in large or complex organisations.
• Microsoft certifications across Azure, Fabric, or Purview.