Data Governance Specialist

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Data Governance Specialist to support enterprise-wide data governance initiatives, technology modernization projects, and the implementation of data management strategies within a complex public sector environment.

The ideal candidate will bring strong expertise in developing and implementing data governance frameworks, improving data quality, establishing policies and standards, and ensuring compliance with applicable security and regulatory requirements. This individual will collaborate with business stakeholders, IT leadership, and technical teams to support data-driven decision-making, system modernization, procurement planning, and successful implementation of enterprise data solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Data Governance Strategy & Framework Development

• Develop, implement, and maintain enterprise data governance strategies, frameworks, policies, standards, and procedures.
• Establish governance processes that promote data accuracy, consistency, integrity, security, and regulatory compliance.
• Collaborate with business leaders, IT management, data owners, and data stewards to align governance initiatives with organizational objectives.
• Evaluate existing data management practices and recommend improvements to strengthen governance capabilities.
• Support the development of enterprise data strategies for large-scale government organizations.

Data Quality, Security & Compliance

• Establish and maintain data quality standards, monitoring processes, and governance controls.
• Identify data quality issues and recommend solutions to improve accuracy, completeness, consistency, and reliability.
• Ensure data governance practices align with applicable information security requirements, regulatory standards, and organizational policies.
• Develop processes and procedures to support secure and effective management of sensitive organizational data.
• Support the development of data quality metrics and reporting mechanisms to measure governance effectiveness.

Technology Modernization & Project Readiness

• Conduct project readiness assessments for data monitoring systems and enterprise technology implementations.
• Evaluate organizational readiness, existing processes, technical requirements, and implementation risks.
• Support modernization initiatives involving data collection, reporting systems, and enterprise data management solutions.
• Collaborate with project teams to identify operational gaps, implementation dependencies, and opportunities for process improvement.
• Provide recommendations to ensure proposed technology solutions align with enterprise data governance objectives.

Procurement Strategy & Solution Evaluation

• Develop procurement strategies supporting large-scale technology modernization and data management initiatives.
• Assist in preparing Requests for Proposals (RFPs), system requirements, and supporting procurement documentation.
• Collaborate with business and technical stakeholders to define functional, technical, and data governance requirements for enterprise solutions.
• Support vendor evaluation, solution assessments, and technology selection activities.
• Provide recommendations regarding proposed solutions based on business requirements, governance standards, and organizational needs.

Stakeholder Collaboration & Documentation

• Partner with IT leadership, business stakeholders, technical teams, and external consultants to support enterprise data governance initiatives.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation of data governance frameworks, policies, procedures, standards, and business processes.
• Facilitate stakeholder discussions to establish governance priorities, responsibilities, and implementation objectives.
• Develop training materials and provide guidance on data governance principles, policies, and best practices.
• Support organizational adoption of data governance processes and continuous improvement initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in data governance within the last 7 years, including the development, implementation, and management of enterprise data governance practices.
• Demonstrated experience conducting project readiness assessments for data monitoring system implementations within California public sector agencies, law enforcement organizations, or military departments.
• Proven experience developing procurement strategies for technology modernization initiatives involving data collection and reporting systems for U.S. state government entities.
• Experience designing and implementing enterprise data strategies and governance frameworks for large U.S. state government organizations.
• Strong understanding of data governance policies, standards, procedures, and controls supporting data quality, security, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience collaborating with business stakeholders, IT leadership, and technical teams to implement enterprise data management initiatives.
• Strong analytical, documentation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting technology evaluation, vendor selection, and procurement activities for enterprise IT solutions within state government organizations.
• Current Certified Data Governance Professional (CDGP) certification.
• Current Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) certification.
• Additional professional certifications related to data governance, data management, or information technology.
• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related technical field.
• Advanced degree in Data Analytics, Information Technology Management, or a related discipline.