Director Of Data Governance

Develop and execute an enterprise data governance strategy aligned with the OU Foundation's mission, strategic priorities and fundraising objectives. 

Establish governance structures, decision rights, ownership models, standards and operating procedures for critical organizational data. 

Define and maintain data governance policies, standards, guidelines and procedures. 

Chair or facilitate a cross-functional Data Governance Council and establish appropriate data stewardship committees and working groups. 

Serve as a senior advisor to leadership on data-related risks, opportunities and strategic initiatives. 

Partner with business units and technology teams to establish authoritative sources of data and resolve conflicting or duplicate information. 

Develop standards for constituent, donor, prospect, gift, financial and organizational data. 

Define and document data ownership and stewardship responsibilities throughout the Foundation. 

Establish clear accountability for critical data elements and business processes. 

Develop data dictionaries, business glossaries, metadata standards and data lineage documentation. 

Work with subject-matter experts to establish common definitions for key advancement and financial metrics. 

Build organizational understanding of data responsibilities through training, communication and change-management initiatives. 

Partner with Information Technology, Legal, Compliance and university stakeholders to ensure appropriate handling and use of sensitive and confidential information. 

Develop and maintain policies governing data access, classification, retention, sharing and appropriate use. 

Support compliance with applicable privacy, security, records-management and regulatory requirements. 

Establish governance processes for appropriate use of donor and constituent information, including data sharing with the university and external partners. 

Identify and mitigate data-related operational, privacy, security and reputational risks. 

Promote interoperability and consistent data practices across the Foundation's technology ecosystem. 

Ensure data governance requirements are incorporated into technology projects from planning through implementation. 

Establish processes for certifying critical reports and data products. 

Help leadership understand data limitations, quality issues and appropriate interpretation of analytical results. 

Foster a culture of stewardship, accountability, transparency and continuous improvement. 

Experience leading cross-functional initiatives involving business and technology stakeholders. 

Strong understanding of data quality, metadata, data stewardship, data privacy, data security and data lifecycle management. 

Demonstrated ability to establish governance standards and gain adoption across an organization. 

Excellent written, verbal, analytical and interpersonal communication skills. 

Strong project management, organizational and critical thinking skills. 

Understanding of change management and the role it plays in adoption. 

Ability to build trust and rapport quickly with internal and external stakeholders. 
 

Bachelor's degree in information management, computer science, business, data analytics, information systems or a related field. 

Seven or more years of progressive experience in data governance, data management, information management, analytics, technology or a related discipline. 

Demonstrated experience developing and implementing data governance frameworks, policies and processes. 

Experience in higher education, nonprofit, philanthropy, fundraising, advancement or financial services. 

Experience governing donor, constituent, prospect, gift or financial data. 

Familiarity with advancement technology and CRM platforms. 

Experience with master data management, data integration, data warehouses, business intelligence or enterprise reporting. 

Experience developing data catalogs, business glossaries, data dictionaries and data-quality frameworks. 

Knowledge of higher-education advancement practices and the relationship between a university and its affiliated foundation. 

Familiarity with privacy and regulatory considerations relevant to nonprofit and higher-education organizations. 

Commensurate with experience.