Data and AI Governance Lead

We are X, bigly labs, Dis-Chem’s high-performance innovation hub; a place where bold ideas meet data, design, and radical customer focus to reimagine what healthcare can be.

Our mission is to power the future of healthcare by lowering costs, unlocking new possibilities, and improving access to healthcare for all South Africans. We do this through cutting-edge digital solutions that deliver smarter, more human, and truly patient-focused experiences. Here, your work is not limited to a whiteboard; it becomes real. It drives decisions, shapes experiences, and moves healthcare forward. We are driven by one big question: How do we use data and today’s technology to build breakthroughs to better health?

There’s only one question left: are you ready to make healthcare smarter, and actually mean it?

From retail and pharmacy to clinics, insurance and beyond, we’re applying machine learning and smart systems to reimagine healthcare pathways and create personalised experiences at scale. Here, your work doesn’t sit in a notebook or on a whiteboard. It becomes real. It shapes decisions. It improves lives. And we do it all the Bigly way, questioning, challenging, and building audaciously, together.

The Data and AI Governance Lead will embed and operationalise data governance principles and ethical Artificial Intelligence practices to significantly improve the trustworthiness, reliability, and responsible use of data and AI across the organisation. This role will lead the development and implementation of frameworks, using modern data science techniques and AI technology, that ensure data integrity, data quality, regulatory compliance, ethical AI deployment including secure and compliant data sharing with external parties.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR?

Minimum:

• Bachelor’s degree in information management, information systems, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Certifications in Data Governance (e.g. DAMA).
• 7+ years in implementing enterprise-wide data governance frameworks and 4 years leading data governance teams.
• A solid understanding of AI and machine learning concepts and potential ethical implications.
• Strong background in business and/or process analysis. 
• Experience managing cross-functional teams and governance workstreams. 
• Familiar with data privacy laws (e.g., POPIA, GDPR), cybersecurity and AI regulatory trends.

Advantageous:

• Bachelor’s degree in philosophy, law or AI Ethics (or similar).
• Certifications in Responsible AI.
• Experience in healthcare, retail, or insurance.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING?

• Design and implement a comprehensive data governance framework by establishing policies, standards, stewardship roles, and accountability structures so that data quality, consistency, and trust are embedded across all business units.  
• Improve the accuracy and reliability of enterprise data by implementing validation rules, lineage tracking, and AI-enabled data quality monitoring so that business decisions are based on trusted and verifiable information.
• Lead a team of data governance analysts, business process analysts, and data quality analysts by setting clear goals, coaching, and coordinating delivery so that governance initiatives are executed effectively and embedded into business operations 
• Enable secure and compliant data sharing with external parties by defining access controls, data contracts, and monitoring mechanisms so that partnerships, reporting, and third-party integrations are supported without compromising data integrity or privacy. 
• Embed governance into data and business workflows by using AI and automation to monitor, enforce, and adapt governance rules in real time so that governance becomes scalable, proactive, and seamlessly integrated into day-to-day operations. 

WHO YOU ARE?

Demonstrate the ability to translate governance into clear business value, apply structured and systems-based problem-solving, balance strategic direction with operational delivery, and influence stakeholders to drive alignment without formal authority.

Our values show up in how we think, build, and make choices that make an impact. We are building a culture that drives progress; one that fixes friction, chases what changes, and owns the outcome. We design with tomorrow in mind, ask sharper questions, and answer them with care, urgency, and systems that scale.

Think you’ve got energy, curiosity, and guts? Come hold the space, make it matter, and own a breakthrough.