Data Governance Lead

Soni's client is seeking a Data Governance Lead to establish and lead their enterprise data governance program. Reporting to the Chief Information Officer, this role will be responsible for building and operating the standards, processes, and cross-functional partnerships necessary to ensure enterprise data is trusted, secure, consistent, and ready to support operational excellence, analytics, and AI initiatives.This is a hands-on role focused on transforming ambiguity into clarity and enabling the business to confidently answer, "Can we trust this data?"Key Responsibilities:Data Governance & OperationsDesign, implement, and manage enterprise data governance frameworks, policies, and standards to ensure data quality, consistency, privacy, security, and complianceDefine and maintain data ownership, stewardship models, classification standards, retention policies, and lifecycle controls in partnership with business and IT stakeholdersDevelop and oversee governance workflows, including issue intake, triage, root cause analysis, remediation tracking, and continuous improvementBusiness Partnership & EnablementServe as a trusted governance partner to executive and functional leaders, aligning data priorities with business objectivesCollaborate with business teams to identify where data quality issues or inconsistent definitions impact reporting, operations, or decision-makingTranslate business needs into practical data standards, definitions, and repeatable operating processes Stakeholder Engagement & Change ManagementBuild strong relationships across business units and IT to embed governance practices into day-to-day workflowsPromote a data-driven culture through shared definitions, trusted sources, and clear accountabilityInfluence stakeholders at all levels to adopt consistent and disciplined data practices Governance Technology & Data FoundationsPartner with IT and data teams to implement governance-enabling tools such as metadata management, data cataloging, lineage tracking, and data quality monitoring solutionsDefine and maintain standards for master data, reference data, and critical business definitions to ensure reliability and consistency across the enterprise Value Measurement & ImpactDefine and monitor governance success metrics, including data quality improvements, reporting consistency, reduced rework, and faster decision-makingPrioritize governance initiatives that deliver measurable operational and financial impact Analytics & AI EnablementStrengthen the data foundation required for analytics and AI by ensuring trusted data sources, clear definitions, lineage transparency, and appropriate access controlsSupport responsible AI adoption through governance practices addressing privacy, security, and proper usage Qualifications:Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Information Systems, Business, or a related field (Master's degree preferred)3+ years of experience in data governance, data management, or data operations with demonstrated success establishing standards and driving adoptionStrong understanding of data governance frameworks, metadata management, data quality practices, master data management, and lifecycle controlsExcellent communication, relationship-building, and influencing skillsAbility to drive accountability and change in complex organizationsExperience implementing enterprise data or analytics solutions Preferred Experience:Experience in multi-entity or distributed operational environmentsExperience in private equity-backed or high-growth organizationsCertifications or training in data governance frameworks or standards (e.g., DAMA-DMBOK, ISO 8000, DCAM) Why This Role:Directly influence how the organization operates, makes decisions, and scales through trusted dataOpportunity to build and shape the enterprise data governance foundationEnable advanced analytics and AI initiatives with a strong data backboneCompensation: $140,000 to $180,000 annually