Data Governance Specialist

Data Governance Specialist (Ref: 198304) Location: New York City (Hybrid, 3–4 days onsite preferred)Contract: Initial 3 MonthsIndustry: Consumer / eCommerceAbout the OpportunityForsyth Barnes is partnering with a fast-growing, innovative consumer technology business looking for a hands-on Data Governance Specialist to support the next phase of its data transformation.As the business continues to expand its AI initiatives and omnichannel capabilities, it is looking to strengthen data governance at the underlying dataset level, ensuring data is appropriately classified, secured and accessible to the right teams.This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced contractor to make an immediate impact, working closely with Data Engineering and Analytics teams to implement practical governance controls.We're looking for someone who enjoys rolling up their sleeves and implementing solutions, rather than solely developing governance strategies.What You'll Be DoingImplement and enhance data governance controls across the underlying data platform.Establish data classification and tagging at the table, column and dataset levels.Configure and manage role-based access controls (RBAC), permissions and data access policies.Identify sensitive and restricted data, ensuring appropriate security and governance measures are applied.Help transition existing governance practices from BI and reporting tools to the underlying datasets.Partner with Data Engineering, Analytics and business stakeholders to embed governance best practices.Support the development of scalable governance processes as the business expands its AI capabilities.Identify gaps in existing governance processes and deliver practical improvements.What We're Looking ForProven hands-on experience implementing data governance frameworks and controls.Strong understanding of data classification, metadata management and access permissions.Practical experience implementing RBAC and dataset-level security.Experience working with cloud-based data platforms and modern data environments.Ability to work directly with Data Engineering teams to implement technical governance solutions.Experience identifying and managing sensitive data.Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.Comfortable working independently and delivering results within a short-term contract.Nice to HaveExperience within Retail, Consumer, eCommerce or high-growth technology businesses.Familiarity with data governance tools and modern cloud data warehouses.Experience supporting data governance requirements for AI and machine learning initiatives.Previous experience establishing or maturing governance frameworks in growing organisations.Why This Opportunity?Immediate Impact: Take ownership of meaningful governance improvements from day one.Hands-On Delivery: Focus on implementation rather than lengthy strategic planning.AI & Data Transformation: Help build the governance foundations supporting future AI initiatives.High-Visibility Project: Work closely with key stakeholders across Data Engineering and Analytics.Flexible Contract: Initial three-month engagement with an opportunity to deliver tangible results quickly.