Data Strategy and Data Governance Manager

Employment Type: Full-time

Location: Sydney (potential opportunity for Melbourne based)

Hybrid Work arrangement: 3 days in the office to 2 days per week working from home, reporting to the Chief Financial Officer

About APCO

The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is Australia’s co-regulator for packaging and a not-for-profit organisation driving the development of a circular economy for packaging.

APCO is the entity in charge of managing and administering the Australian Packaging Covenant (the Covenant), which is a national regulatory framework under the National Environment Protection (Used Packaging Materials) Measure 2011 (NEPM). This framework defines the collective responsibility shared by governments and businesses across Australia in managing the environmental impact of packaging.

As APCO continues to strengthen its regulatory, data and digital capability, trusted, well-governed data is critical to delivering transparency, confidence, and informed decision-making.

The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is a not-for-profit, member-based organisation helping Australia transition to a circular economy for packaging. As the co-regulator for packaging, we work with industry and government to design out waste, improve recycling systems, and drive real environmental impact.

Joining APCO means being part of a fast-paced, purpose-led team at the forefront of sustainability, policy and innovation. Our work influences national reform, supports thousands of businesses across Australia, and delivers meaningful outcomes for the environment and the community. As we continue to expand our impact, this role offers the chance to help shape the future of packaging and contribute to positive, lasting change for both industry and the planet.

The Role

The Manager, Data Strategy & Data Governance leads APCO’s data governance capability, ensuring organisational data is accurate, consistent, secure, and appropriately governed to support regulatory confidence, reporting, and decision-making.

This role is responsible for establishing and embedding data governance frameworks, standards, and accountabilities across APCO. Working closely with internal stakeholders, the role supports responsible data use, improves data quality and transparency, and ensures APCO’s data assets are fit-for-purpose to meet current and future organisational needs.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of APCO’s data governance framework, including standards, definitions, and accountabilities.
Establish and support clear data ownership and stewardship across priority data domains.
Implement data quality monitoring and improvement mechanisms to ensure accuracy, consistency, and integrity of organisational data.
Embed privacy, sensitive data classification, retention, and access controls in collaboration with internal stakeholders.
Identify, manage, and escalate data-related risks, contributing to organisational assurance and compliance activities.
Support data readiness for reporting, regulatory, and audit requirements.
Contribute to data-related projects and initiatives, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities and capabilities.
Develop guidance and resources to support consistent and responsible data practices across APCO.

We are seeking someone with:

Demonstrated experience in data governance, data management, or information management roles.
Proven capability in developing and embedding data standards, quality controls, and governance frameworks.
Experience working with data owners and stakeholders to improve data practices in complex organisational environments.
Strong analytical skills, with the ability to assess data risks, quality issues, and improvement opportunities.
Well-developed stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts clearly to non-technical audiences.
Sound judgement, with the ability to balance governance requirements with practical business needs.
Relevant tertiary qualifications in Data, Information Management, Business, Technology, or a related discipline.

You will be a great candidate if you have:

Experience working in regulatory, sustainability, policy, or data-intensive environments.
Practical understanding of privacy, data protection, and information management obligations.
Experience supporting reporting, analytics, or digital initiatives through strong data foundations.
A collaborative working style and the ability to influence without formal authority.
Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities effectively.

Applications close 28 January 2026 with interviews to commence in February 2026.

APCO Ltd

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