Enterprise Data Governance Lead

Enterprise Data Governance Lead

Remote Duration: 6 Months Contract

Client is seeking an Enterprise Data Governance leader to build, enable, and scale enterprise data governance and stewardship capabilities across the organization. This role is a critical position within the Enterprise Data Governance function and is responsible for the day-to-day execution and operationalization of data stewardship across business and data domains operating in a federated governance model.

Working closely with the Head of Enterprise Data Governance, this position will act as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on enterprise data governance and stewardship, translating governance strategy, policy, and regulatory requirements into practical, adoptable processes. The Enterprise Data Stewardship Manager will coordinate stewardship activities, lead domain onboarding into the enterprise governance model, and manage the execution of key governance initiatives, including an enterprise data classification project aligned to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Data Security Regulation (Executive Order 14117).

This role will help lead managed service providers and mentor Data Governance Center of Excellence (CoE) team members, track performance, and provide transparent reporting on stewardship progress, risks, and key performance indicators (KPIs). The position requires strong cross-functional partnership with business, IT, Security, Legal, Privacy, Compliance, and other stakeholders to ensure trusted, compliant, and well-governed enterprise data assets that support analytics, AI readiness, and regulatory obligations.

Essential Functions of the Job:

• Act as a SME for enterprise data governance and data stewardship, contributing to governance operating models, policies, standards, procedures, and best practices.
• Lead and execute domain onboarding into the federated data governance model, including role enablement, training, and adoption of governance processes and tools.
• Enable streamlined data discovery and access to data products and assets by implementing an Enterprise Data Catalog & Marketplace.
• Manage data governance projects and oversee execution of key initiatives, including:
• Enterprise data classification and tagging aligned to the DOJ Data Security Rule
• Design and implement workflows for metadata enrichment, glossary curation, and data stewardship, enabling and empowering stakeholders to take ownership of their data.
• Integrated processes and potentially alternative platforms (Informatica, ServiceNow, Jira)
• Influence and drive adoption of data governance and stewardship practices without direct authority by partnering with cross functional and domain teams to embed governance into day-to-day execution.
• Explore opportunities to incorporate emerging AI technologies to streamline data stewardship and governance processes.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships across business, technology, security, legal, and compliance stakeholders to align on shared outcomes, priorities, and acceptable trade-offs.
• Resolve conflicts and competing priorities by facilitating structured decision discussions, and aligning stakeholders viable governance approaches that balance regulatory risk, data quality, and delivery timelines.
• Conduct user training and engagement sessions to promote adoption of data governance tools and practices.
• Establish, monitor, and report on data governance and stewardship KPIs, including domain onboarding progress, steward engagement, metadata coverage, and classification adoption.
• Report regularly on team performance, initiative status, risks, and outcomes to the Data Governance Lead.
• Partner with platform owners and architects to ensure effective use of data governance platforms to support stewardship workflows, metadata management, and regulatory compliance.

Skills:

• Clear communication skills for explaining data governance essentials to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Author data policies, processes, and procedures per best practice data management standards to support the data governance program, data governance initiatives, and data projects.
• Pilot new approaches to data governance, gathering feedback to refine and optimize processes.
• Monitor and report on the effectiveness of data governance initiatives, identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree with 7+ years of experience in data governance, data stewardship, or enterprise data management roles.
• Demonstrated experience acting as a data governance and stewardship SME within a federated, matrixed, or enterprise-scale operating model.
• Proven ability to influence outcomes without formal authority, evidenced by successful adoption of governance processes, standards, or platforms across multiple domains or business units.
• Experience managing or coordinating data governance projects and initiatives across business and technical teams.
• Experience driving adoption of governance processes, tools, or standards through persuasion, collaboration, and credibility, rather than mandate.
• Hands-on experience with enterprise data governance platforms - Informatica (IDMC/CDGC/CDQ/CDMP), Atlan, Alation, or equivalent tools and setting those up for optimal adoption by domain.
• Comfortable to train data stewards and data owners to effectively use the tool to enhance data governance.
• Experience with data classification, metadata management, and regulatory-aligned data governance practices.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including the ability to navigate differing incentives across business, IT, security, legal, and compliance functions.
• Experience mentoring or managing team members, including performance tracking and coaching.
• Strong ability to translate governance strategy and policy into practical, executable processes.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Hands-on experience managing and leading the enablement/adoption of Informatica data governance platforms with data stewards in various functions. (IDMC/CDGC/CDQ/CDMP, AXON) Strong facilitation skills, including leading workshops, onboarding sessions, and governance working groups.
• Experience governing data as a product within modern data platforms DataBricks, Snowflake.
• Experience supporting or implementing DOJ Data Security Rule–aligned data classification and tagging programs.
• Experience with data in a regulated environment, particularly GxP, clinical trial data, or R&D data.
• Experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or life sciences industries is strongly preferred.
• Experience defining and reporting governance and stewardship KPIs for leadership audiences.
• Experience with data quality, data platforms, and analytics ecosystems and how stewardship supports downstream use cases.
• Relevant certifications such as DCAM(Data Management Capability Assessment Model), CDMP, DGSP, DAMA-related certifications, or equivalent experience.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Supervisory responsibilities are delivery-focused and include leading and providing direction for our managed service providers on certain projects, while providing strategic oversight and direction to junior data governance resources.

The salary range provided for this contract role represents our good faith estimate for this position. Within the range, individual offers will vary based on the selected candidate's experience, industry knowledge, technical and communication skills, location and other factors that may prove relevant during the interview process (W2 or C2C). In addition to compensation, the company provides eligible W2 employees with a comprehensive and highly competitive benefits package. I.T. Solutions, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.