Data Governance Associate Director

Vertex Inc. • Boston, MA

1d • $157,800 - $236,600 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director, Commercial Data Governance will lead the management and continuous improvement of data governance capabilities across Vertex’s commercial organization. The role establishes standards, policies, processes, and accountability frameworks to improve the quality, consistency, accessibility, security, and responsible use of commercial data.

The Associate Director develops the commercial data governance strategy, roadmap, and operating model; defines governance policies and controls; and establishes data ownership and stewardship. The role partners with business stakeholders to define critical data elements, metadata, lineage, and quality expectations, and oversees quality monitoring, issue management, and remediation. It also facilitates governance forums and collaborates with Commercial Operations, DTE, Insights & Analytics, Legal, and Compliance to meet business, regulatory, and company requirements.

The position oversees commercial data catalogs and related governance documentation, identifies risks and improvement opportunities, supports adoption of governance tools and training, and tracks indicators of data quality, governance maturity, policy adherence, and stakeholder adoption. It guides change management to promote data accountability and responsible use, while staying current on data governance practices, life sciences commercial-data trends, privacy requirements, and relevant technologies.

Vertex encourages continuous learning about AI, technology, automation, and industry trends, and seeks employees who bring an external perspective, curiosity, sound judgment, and thoughtful adoption of capabilities that improve decision-making, innovation, efficiency, and patient outcomes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, information systems, data management, computer science, life sciences, or a related field.
• Typically 8+ years of relevant experience in data governance, data management, commercial operations, analytics, information management, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience building, implementing, or enhancing data governance frameworks, standards, and operating models.
• Experience supporting commercial data within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or a similarly regulated industry.
• Strong understanding of data quality management, metadata management, master data management, data lineage, and data stewardship principles.
• Proven ability to influence and align cross-functional stakeholders, including senior leaders, without direct reporting authority.
• Experience translating complex data concepts into clear, actionable guidance for business and technical audiences.
• Strong project management, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, matrixed environment.
• Commitment to data integrity, privacy, compliance, and responsible data use.
• Knowledge of data governance frameworks and operating models; data quality management, profiling, validation, monitoring, and remediation; data catalogs, business glossaries, metadata, and lineage; master and reference data; commercial data domains; privacy, access controls, information security, and compliance; and Agile, project management, and process-improvement methodologies.
• Familiarity with data governance and catalog platforms such as Collibra, Alation, Informatica, Microsoft Purview, or similar tools; data analysis and reporting tools such as SQL, Microsoft Excel, Tableau, Power BI, or similar platforms; and CRM and commercial-data platforms such as Veeva CRM, Salesforce, IQVIA, or comparable systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead the commercial data governance strategy, roadmap, and operating model in alignment with enterprise priorities and commercial objectives.
• Define and maintain governance policies, standards, procedures, and controls for commercial data domains.
• Establish data ownership, stewardship, and accountability for commercial data assets.
• Partner with data owners and business stakeholders to define critical data elements, business definitions, metadata, lineage, and data-quality expectations.
• Develop and monitor data-quality rules, scorecards, issue-management processes, and remediation plans for priority commercial data.
• Facilitate data governance councils and working groups to support alignment, decision-making, and issue resolution.
• Collaborate with Commercial Operations, DTE, Insights & Analytics, Legal, and Compliance to ensure governed data meets business, regulatory, and company requirements.
• Oversee documentation and maintenance of commercial data catalogs, glossaries, standards, and governance artifacts.
• Identify data risks, gaps, and process-improvement opportunities and recommend practical solutions.
• Support adoption of data governance tools, processes, and training across the commercial organization.
• Define and track KPIs for data quality, governance maturity, policy adherence, and stakeholder adoption.
• Guide change-management activities that promote data accountability and informed, responsible data use.
• Stay current on data governance practices, life sciences commercial-data trends, privacy requirements, and relevant technology capabilities.

Benefits

• Eligible for an annual bonus and annual equity awards.
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• Generous paid time off, including a week-long company shutdown in the summer and winter.
• Educational assistance programs, including student loan repayment.
• Commuting subsidy.
• Matching charitable donations.
• 401(k).
• Inclusive, market-leading benefits and flexibility and resources to support employees’ career, financial, family, and wellbeing needs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director