Director of Enterprise Data

Sky Zone

22h•$130,000 - $150,000•Remote

About The Position

The Director of Enterprise Data is responsible for leading day‑to‑day enterprise data operations, including Master Data Management (MDM), data governance, data quality, and data lifecycle management. This role focuses on operational excellence, vendor and partner coordination, and ensuring that data across the organization is accurate, trusted, and available. This leader partners closely with our Data Architect, internal engineering resources, and external partners who own deep technical execution. The Director provides strategic direction, prioritization, and oversight while aligning data initiatives to business needs. The ideal candidate has a strong technical foundation but is not expected to function as an engineer—instead emphasizing governance, operational leadership, and cross-functional alignment.

Requirements

Leadership & Management Experience leading enterprise data operations, including governance, MDM, and quality programs.
Ability to guide technical teams without performing hands‑on engineering.
Strong communication, executive presentation, and stakeholder alignment skills.
Data Governance, Quality & MDM Expertise Proven experience establishing and maturing data governance and stewardship programs.
Understanding of data ownership models, quality frameworks, and metadata management.
Technical Fluency Familiarity with Azure Data Factory, ADLS Gen2, Snowflake, SQL, and Power BI.
Ability to evaluate technical solutions for alignment with governance and operational requirements.
Understanding of cloud data architecture, data modeling, and lifecycle practices.
Program & Vendor Management Experience managing external partners, MSPs, and consulting resources.
Strong program management, prioritization, and cross-team coordination abilities.
7+ years of experience in enterprise data operations, governance, or data management leadership.
Experience leading MDM, data governance, or enterprise data quality programs.
Technical understanding of cloud data ecosystems (Azure, Snowflake, or similar).
Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Data Management, or a related field or equivalent work experience.

Responsibilities

Data Operations Leadership Lead day‑to‑day enterprise data operations to ensure reliability, accuracy, and availability.
Oversee MDM, data governance, data quality, and lifecycle processes across key domains.
Coordinate operational data activities across internal teams and external data partners.
Data Governance, MDM & Compliance Develop and lead data governance frameworks, including standards, stewardship, and policies.
Drive MDM strategy and execution, ensuring consistency and alignment across business units.
Ensure compliance with privacy, regulatory, and security standards (GDPR, CCPA, internal audit controls).
Cross‑Functional & Vendor Leadership Serve as primary operational liaison with data vendors, service providers, and consulting partners.
Partner with business teams, IT, analytics, and leadership to align data initiatives to strategic needs.
Translate business requirements into actionable direction for technical teams and partners.
Technical Oversight (Non‑Engineering) Provide technical insight and evaluation while maintaining a leadership role.
Review and validate architectural approaches proposed by the Data Architect and engineering teams and partners.
Assist in the development of a roadmap for data platforms (Snowflake, Azure, ADF, Power BI) to meet business and governance needs.
Data Quality & Lifecycle Management Own enterprise data quality strategy, monitoring, and remediation processes.
Oversee data lineage, retention rules, lifecycle activities, and operational SLAs.
Ensure enterprise data is cataloged, discoverable, and stewarded effectively.
Operational Leadership & Team Management Lead and mentor data stewards, analysts, and cross-functional technical partners.
Manage project intake, prioritization, resource allocation, and communication for enterprise data initiatives.
Promote a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.