Data Governance Lead

Ascot Group•Chicago, IL

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

This is an opportunity to join Ascot Group - one of the world’s preeminent specialty risk underwriting organizations. Designed as a modern-era company operating through an ecosystem of interconnected global operating platforms, we’re bound by a common mission and purpose. Our greatest strength is a talented team who flourish in a collaborative, inclusive, and entrepreneurial culture, steeped in underwriting excellence, integrity, and a passion to find a better way, The Ascot Way. The Ascot Way guides our people and our organization. Our underwriting platforms collaborate to find creative ways to deploy our capital in a true cross-product and cross-platform approach. These platforms work as one, deploying our capital creatively through our Client Centric, Risk Centric and Technology Centric strategies Built to be resilient, Ascot offers clients leading financial security while delivering bespoke products and world class service — both pre- and post-claims. Ascot exists to solve for our clients’ brightest tomorrow, through agility, collaboration, resilience, and discipline. Ascot is embedding artificial intelligence and automation across the organization to enhance decision-making, efficiency, and quality of outcomes. In this role, you will be expected to work confidently with AI-enabled tools, apply sound judgment when interpreting insights, and adapt as technology continues to evolve. We value curiosity, critical thinking, and a willingness to embrace change as part of how we work. Ascot’s Data Strategy and Insights business unit is seeking a Data Governance Lead to help mature and operationalize data governance across the organization. This role will serve as a key connector between Data Governance, IT, and business stakeholders, partnering with Data Owners and Data Stewards to define critical data, improve data quality, strengthen accountability, and support trusted, well-governed data across Ascot. The successful candidate will bring specialty insurance knowledge, hands-on data and analytics capability, and a practical understanding of data governance and data management principles. This role can be based in our New York, NY, Iselin, NJ, Stamford, CT, West Hartford, CT, or Chicago, IL offices, and will follow a hybrid work schedule. This is a high-impact role for someone who can bring structure, clarity, and accountability to how data is defined, governed, monitored, and used across the business.

Requirements

Extensive P&C and specialty insurance knowledge and experience required, with a strong preference for experience performing or supporting multiple business functions such as Underwriting, Actuarial, Claims, Finance, Operations, Risk Management, or related areas.
Minimum of 8 years of experience in data governance, data management, business stakeholder engagement, product management, or a related discipline.
Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to influence leaders, align stakeholders, and navigate detailed technical conversations.
Experience defining Critical Data Elements, standardizing definitions, and driving alignment across complex or global organizations, with the ability to translate business needs into clear data and technical specifications.
Hands-on experience with data governance, data quality, and data lineage tooling, with Ataccama preferred; technical proficiency in SQL, Python, R, and Power BI to validate, analyze, and interpret data independently.
Highly detail-oriented, organized, and accountable, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives while creating and maintaining clear process and data documentation.
Experience with Databricks and Azure preferred.
Curious, process-minded, and solution-oriented individual contributor with a proven ability to solve complex problems independently.
Positive, self-motivated, and collaborative, with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Customer-centric mindset, with a focus on delivering practical value to internal and external stakeholders.
Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills, with sound judgment and attention to detail.
Ability to collaborate effectively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Excel, and other data analysis tools.

Nice To Haves

Ataccama preferred
Experience with Databricks and Azure preferred

Responsibilities

Serve as the day-to-day liaison between Data Governance, IT, and business stakeholder groups, ensuring priorities, dependencies, and decisions are clearly communicated.
Partner with Data Owners and Data Stewards to define, certify, maintain, and continuously improve Critical Data Elements.
Translate business objectives into practical governance outcomes, including data definitions, ownership models, quality controls, and supporting documentation.
Create, maintain, and triage daily data quality monitoring processes, and lead data quality working sessions that bring business Data Stewards and technical Data Custodians together to drive resolution, ownership, and accountability.
Promote communication, collaboration, and transparency across technical and business partners to support consistent governance practices and timely issue resolution.
Support the governance, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of reference data management procedures.
Support additional data governance, data quality, and business transformation initiatives as needed.
Demonstrate The Ascot Way by collaborating across teams, embracing inclusivity, demonstrating accountability, and helping build an engaged, high-performing culture.

Benefits

Medical (including prescription coverage)
Dental
Vision
Health Savings Account
Commuter Account
Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
Life Insurance
AD&D
Work/Life Resources (including Employee Assistance Program)
Paid holidays
annual Paid Time Off (includes paid state /local paid leave where required)
Short-term Disability
Long-term Disability
Other leaves (e.g., Bereavement, FMLA, Adoption, Maternity, Military, Primary & Non-Primary Caregiver)
Contributory Savings Plan (401k)