Director, Data Strategy and Data Governance

Overview 

The Director, Data Strategy & Data Governance is responsible for leading data engagements across a diverse set of clients. This role stretches from expertise on data stack architecture to data team organizational structure to ensuring data products and assets drive tangible outcomes. The role will also serve as the leading subject matter expert on enterprise data strategies and governance frameworks. The core function of this role is to make data a strategic asset for clients by driving business value, enabling decision-making, and maintaining compliance, quality, and trust.

As a senior leader, the Director serves as the primary executive partner to clients, owning relationships at the C-suite level and guiding organizations through data transformation initiatives. This role is accountable for aligning data strategy with business objectives, establishing governance operating models, and ensuring successful execution across cross-functional teams.

In addition, this role leads an important function within the Data organization and plays a key role in facilitating business development, engaging in thought leadership, and supporting strategic partnerships. The right candidate for this role is eager to dig into the specifics of the data generating process of a source system as they are to explain the differences between row-level security (RLS) and role-based access control.

Responsibilities

Data Strategy & Governance Leadership

• Lead enterprise data strategies aligned to client business objectives and digital transformation goals
• Design and implement scalable governance frameworks spanning data quality, metadata, MDM, stewardship, and access controls
• Advise executive stakeholders on making data a strategic asset through monetization, risk management, and organizational enablement

Executive Client Leadership & Advisory

• Serve as the primary executive partner to senior client stakeholders, including CDOs and CIOs
• Translate complex business challenges into actionable data strategies and present recommendations to executive audiences

Business Development & Thought Leadership

• Lead new business efforts including RFP responses, proposals, and client presentations
• Drive account growth and contribute to go-to-market strategy, partnerships, and service development
• Represent the organization through speaking engagements, industry events, and publications

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Align strategy, governance, and execution across data, project management, and client services teams
• Integrate governance principles into platform architecture and collaborate with finance and leadership on account performance

Engagement Oversight & Delivery Excellence

• Oversee delivery of data strategy and governance engagements, ensuring quality, timeliness, and client satisfaction
• Lead and mentor a team of managers and senior leaders, fostering growth and high performance

Technical & Domain Expertise

• Deep expertise in modern data ecosystems including cloud-native warehousing, orchestration, data engineering, and catalogs
• Strong command of governance disciplines — data quality, observability, metadata, MDM, and compliance — with the ability to balance technical and business priorities

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in data strategy, governance, or data management 
• Proven track record leading enterprise-scale initiatives 
• Experience engaging executive stakeholders 
• Demonstrable expertise in tools and platforms belonging to the modern data stack
• Strong leadership and team management experience 
• Background in analytics, engineering, data science, or related roles 
• Excellent communication (written and verbal) and p