Data Governance Lead, Bayer Digital Farming Solutions

Bayer•Tulsa, OK

About The Position

At Bayer we’re visionaries, driven to solve the world’s toughest challenges and striving for a world where 'Health for all Hunger for none’ is no longer a dream, but a real possibility. We’re doing it with energy, curiosity and sheer dedication, always learning from unique perspectives of those around us, expanding our thinking, growing our capabilities and redefining ‘impossible’. There are so many reasons to join us. If you’re hungry to build a varied and meaningful career in a community of brilliant and diverse minds to make a real difference, there’s only one choice. Data Governance Lead, Bayer Digital Farming Solutions The Data Governance and Security (DGS) Lead is responsible for coordinating and maturing the data governance framework across Digital Farming Solutions (DFS) and Bayer Crop Science (BCS). The role partners with Cyber Security Risk Management (CSRM), Legal/Patents/Compliance (LPC), Data Privacy, Cybersecurity Foundations (CSF), IT Engineering, and other business units to ensure secure, compliant, and effective use of DFS data assets—including FieldView. This role focuses on coordination rather than execution, ensuring that governance is implemented consistently across Engineering, Science, and business stakeholders. The Lead safeguards DFS interests, aligns DFS practices with Bayer’s global governance policies, and acts as a connector to senior and global counterparts. The position also holds decision rights for FieldView data governance and serves as DFS’s primary point of contact for USDA-related work.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
12+ years in privacy, data protection, security, risk management, compliance, or related fields
Knowledge of major privacy laws and regulations (state, federal, international)
Experience with auditing frameworks (e.g., ISO 27001, PCI DSS, COBIT, ITIL, BS 10012, SAS 70)
Understanding of U.S. and global data-governance regulatory landscapes
Strong communication skills across organizational levels
Foundational project/program management experience

Nice To Haves

Experience designing and reporting governance KPIs for senior leadership
Strong program/project management in governance or risk contexts
Leadership experience in governance, privacy, or compliance
Experience advising technical teams on policy interpretation
Experience in regulated environments such as Bayer Crop Science or similar
Familiarity with data lifecycle management, classification, and governance tooling

Responsibilities

Lead the DFS Data Governance Program in alignment with Bayer and BCS global policies, adapting rather than creating independent DFS-specific policies.
Oversee integrity, classification, usability, and security of governed data assets.
Hold decision rights for FieldView data governance and guide other DFS data domains by connecting teams to regional/global governance contacts.
Coordinate implementation of data minimization frameworks, which are executed by Engineering and Science, ensuring alignment and compliance across groups.
Conduct and coordinate data risk assessments and support corrective actions.
Interpret and clarify data policies, working closely with CSF, IT, Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, and product teams.
Reinforce governance through audits, awareness, and consultation rather than punitive measures.
Protect DFS interests by ensuring commitments to DTIT are appropriately scoped and do not overextend DFS resources or introduce avoidable risk.
Serve as the primary DFS point of contact for USDA-related regulatory work, approvals, and data-sharing communication.
Oversee Bayer-established processes for secure and compliant data-sharing evaluations, including Individual Grower Data.
Coordinate the Data Governance Sharing Committee, which includes Legal, Data Privacy, Compliance, Cybersecurity, Data Governance, and IT Engineering, ensuring each function evaluates business risk and recommends action plans.
Manage committee escalations to the CSP team prior to USDA submission when required.
Act as a trusted partner and connector between DFS and CSF, negotiating exceptions, resolving policy questions, and ensuring alignment.
Influence senior stakeholders by articulating risk, business needs, and governance considerations clearly and effectively.
Identify data domains, appoint domain leads, owners, and stewards, and support their governance responsibilities.
Promote data governance literacy and adoption across DFS through education, communication, and cross-functional partnership.
Define and track KPIs and governance metrics to evaluate and improve program maturity.
Support functional teams in addressing governance gaps and improving processes.
Drive continuous improvement of governance practices across DFS by fostering collaboration, consistency, and cultural adoption.