Data Governance Specialist

CI Financial•Toronto, ON

3d•CA$69,500 - CA$119,500•Onsite

About The Position

The Data Governance Specialist plays a key role in supporting the organization’s data governance and data management practices. This role focuses on ensuring that data is accurate and uniformly documented and defined for use across the business. Working closely with business and technical teams, the Data Governance Specialist helps maintain metadata, support data quality initiatives, document data lineage, and promote consistent data definitions. The ideal candidate has experience working hands-on with data, is comfortable using SQL to understand and profile datasets, and is eager to deepen their knowledge of data governance, data quality, and metadata management. This role is well-suited for individuals earlier in their data governance journey who want to grow into more senior roles.

Requirements

3-5 years of experience in data management, analytics, or data governance.
Hands-on experience working with data using SQL, Snowflake
Degree or diploma in information management, business, data science, computer science, or a related field.
Working knowledge of SQL for data profiling and analysis.
Ability to interpret data models, dashboards, and query logic.
Basic understanding of data modelling concepts.
Ability to read and interpret ETL logic.
Strong attention to detail and analytical thinking.
Ability to document information clearly and accurately.
Understanding of the importance of data privacy, quality, and compliance.
Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across teams.
Curiosity and a passion for improving data literacy and reliability.

Nice To Haves

Exposure to data governance tools (e.g., Collibra, MS Purview, Informatica, Alation) is an asset.
Experience documenting data definitions or supporting data quality initiatives is an asset.
Experience in the Financial Services industry is beneficial but not required.
Familiarity with databases and data platforms (e.g., Snowflake, Oracle) is an asset.
Familiarity with or interest in data governance frameworks (e.g., DAMA, DCAM).

Responsibilities

Maintain and update metadata in the business glossary and data catalog.
Work with business stakeholders to document clear and consistent data definitions.
Support the organization in improving accessibility and understanding of key data assets.
Assist in documenting data lineage by reviewing SQL, dashboards, and data flows.
Investigate how data moves across systems and support the validation of lineage diagrams.
Work with Data Engineering and business teams to highlight and track data quality concerns.
Assist in monitoring and reporting on data quality metrics.
Help maintain data classification tags within the catalog.
Support the implementation of data access rules and assist teams in understanding access processes.
Support implementation and monitoring of data retention and disposition policies aligned with regulatory and business requirements.
Assist in identifying and tagging data for retention schedules and track compliance or exceptions to ensure secure data lifecycle and disposal practices and support audits.
Support classification, organization, and governance of unstructured data across platforms (e.g., SharePoint, Teams, shared drives).
Promote consistent tagging, access controls, and best practices to improve discoverability and reduce risk.
Assist in identifying sensitive or redundant data and support initiatives to reduce data sprawl and improve compliance.
Assist in communicating and reinforcing data governance standards and procedures.
Help ensure alignment with privacy, compliance, and regulatory requirements by applying established policies.
Support audit and incident response activities by providing data context, lineage, and classification insights for investigations and reporting.
Partner with data owners, data custodians, and technical teams to ensure the accuracy and consistency of metadata and data quality findings.
Help promote a culture of responsible and informed data use across the organization.
Support the use of data governance tools such as business glossaries, catalogs, and lineage systems.
Enter and maintain metadata, glossary terms, lineage diagrams, and quality rules.
Assist in preparing training materials and knowledge-sharing resources.
Help drive data literacy by supporting workshops, documentation, and onboarding efforts.