Data Governance Lead Consultant

The Data Governance Lead Consultant will serve as a key delivery resource focused on supporting the Data Governance Council. This consultant will work closely with council members to define the scope and goals of the engagement based on high-level objectives such as triaging data governance issues impeding project teams, establishing a foundational data governance program, and maintaining a regular cadence of council engagement.

Key Responsibilities:

Client Delivery and Engagement:
• Collaborate with the Data Governance Council to establish goals and priorities.
• Facilitate discussions to align stakeholders with data governance program objectives.
• Lead efforts to triage and resolve data governance issues impacting project teams.
• Establish a regular engagement cadence with Data Governance Council members and P180 leadership.

Backlog Management:
• Build and maintain a backlog of governance issues already identified, adding items to the backlog as needed.
• Collaborate with relevant members of P180 teams to refine and prioritize stories.
• Act as a Product Owner for the data governance function, with the council as the primary stakeholder group and broader organizational participants as end users.
• Draft detailed user stories for data team sprint planning.

Data Governance Process Development:
• Design and facilitate enforcement of data quality standards, including monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate governance practices into data management processes and systems.
• Coordinate with legal, compliance, and IT security teams to ensure governance processes align with regulatory requirements and organizational standards.
• Develop, extend, and manage existing processes for addressing data issues, including creating policies, organizing discussions, and facilitating resolution.

Capability Development and Resource Planning:
• Identify gaps in developer capacity across P180 related to data governance initiatives.
• Recommend solutions to address capability gaps, including upskilling, process improvements, and resource adjustments (technical and human).
• Collaborate with Service Owners and P180 leadership to ensure that development capacity and capability align with data governance goals and evolving project needs.

Enterprise Data Dictionary (EDD) Development:
• Maintain and enhance the existing Excel-based EDD prototype.
• Plan for future development of a more robust EDD application integrated with DBMS systems.
• Collaborate with technical teams to ensure system compatibility and scalability.

Product Vision and Goals:
• Product Vision: Establish a robust data governance capability that actively supports the successful implementation of Build The Foundation capabilities, ensuring readiness by mid-2026.

Illustrative Goals:
• Develop a backlog framework, including clearly defined governance stories, epics, and prioritization criteria.
• Outline an initial governance policy focused on data quality and data ownership.
• Conduct regular Data Governance Council meetings to review progress and adjust priorities.
• Deliver an enhanced version of the Enterprise Data Dictionary (EDD), covering core business terms and definitions.

Project and Organizational Context:

The consultant will support enterprise data management by ensuring that data governance issues are effectively identified, prioritized, and resolved. The consultant will foster collaboration among project teams, helping to reduce bottlenecks caused by data-related challenges. The consultant will also enable transparency and accountability by establishing clear governance policies and documentation practices.

Desired Qualifications:
• Proven experience delivering data governance programs within agile environments.
• Expertise in backlog management, user story writing, and working with scrum teams.
• Familiarity with technology transformation projects and data governance consulting.
• Relevant certifications such as DAMA, ARMA, ICCP, DGI, or EDM Council (preferred).