Senior Director of Data Governance

Emory University•Atlanta, GA

13h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director of Data Governance provides enterprise leadership for Emory University's data governance program and serves as the university's senior authority on the definition, quality, protection, and responsible use of institutional data. Reporting to the Corporate Director, Data and AI Governance, this role sets strategy for governance spanning administrative, academic, research, and operational data, and partners with university leadership and Emory Healthcare data governance leadership to support the institution's teaching, research, and service mission. The Senior Director establishes the program's operating model, data stewardship structure, policies, standards, performance measures, and maturity targets. The role oversees data documentation, classification, metadata, lineage, data catalog and glossary capabilities, data quality, access and sharing agreements, and governance of data used in artificial intelligence and advanced analytics. It partners with information security, compliance and privacy, research administration, technology, and other leaders to ensure governance requirements are reflected in institutional practices, systems, and data protection controls. The position leads and develops a team of data governance professionals, manages the program budget and vendor relationships, and directs institution-wide data literacy and governance training. It reports progress, risks, and outcomes to senior university leaders and represents Emory in relevant higher education and professional organizations. The role may work from home regularly but must be able to commute to Emory University on a flexible weekly schedule based on business needs, and requires residency in Georgia. Emory may change the remote work status with notice.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in information systems, data science, analytics, business administration, or a related field, and eight years of progressively responsible experience in data governance, data management, or a related field, including four years of supervisory or managerial experience; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
Residency in the state of Georgia.
Ability to commute to Emory University on a flexible weekly schedule based on business needs.
Exceptional executive presence, diplomacy, and facilitation skills, with the ability to build consensus among senior leaders, faculty, and staff.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex topics to executive leadership and governing boards.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree.
Professional certification such as CDMP or DGSP.
Demonstrated success building or leading an enterprise data governance program in a complex, decentralized organization; higher education or academic medical center experience is strongly preferred.
Deep knowledge of data governance frameworks such as DAMA-DMBOK, data architecture, master data and metadata management, data quality, business intelligence, and analytics.
Working knowledge of data privacy and security regulations and frameworks relevant to higher education and research.
Familiarity with governance of data used in artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Experience with enterprise data catalog and governance platforms and ERP systems such as Workday, PeopleSoft, or Banner.

Responsibilities

Set the strategic direction for a university-wide data governance program covering administrative, academic, research, and operational data.
Partner with the Office of the Provost, Chief Information Security Officer, Office of Compliance and Privacy, research administration, school and unit leadership, and Emory Healthcare data governance leaders.
Develop and execute a multi-year data governance strategy and roadmap aligned with university priorities, the enterprise technology governance framework, and institutional risk tolerance.
Establish and lead the data governance operating model, including charters, decision rights, and escalation paths; serve as principal staff lead to the Data Advisory Committee and related executive governance bodies.
Define program performance measures and maturity targets and report progress, risks, and outcomes to university leaders and Board of Trustees committees as requested.
Translate complex data issues into clear business terms to support executive decision making.
Direct the enterprise data stewardship structure and define roles, accountabilities, and service expectations for Data Trustees, Data Stewards, Data Custodians, and Users.
Build shared agreements across schools and units on data definition, documentation, classification, and appropriate use.
Oversee the enterprise business glossary, data catalog, metadata management, and data lineage capabilities.
Establish enterprise data quality standards, metrics, and remediation processes in partnership with data warehouse, business intelligence, and analytics teams.
Lead data policy development and advise on interpretation, implementation, and compliance with governance policies, standards, and regulatory obligations.
Formulate and propose policies to university governance bodies.
Partner with information security and compliance and privacy leaders on data classification, handling standards, retention, and protection controls; support regulatory audits and inquiries.
Oversee processes for data access, data sharing, and data use agreements for internal and external data exchange.
Lead data governance for artificial intelligence and advanced analytics, including standards for data readiness, provenance, and permissible use in AI tools, models, and vendor platforms.
Serve as the data governance lead within the university's AI governance structure.
Partner with enterprise architecture and technology leaders to incorporate governance requirements into system selection, implementation, and integration decisions, including ERP modernization, enterprise data platforms, and third-party vendors.
Build, lead, and develop a team of data governance professionals.
Manage the data governance program budget and vendor relationships for governance tools and services.
Lead institution-wide data literacy and governance training for Data Trustees, Data Stewards, Data Custodians, and Users.
Represent Emory University in consortia with peer universities, higher education associations, and data governance professional organizations.
Monitor trends and emerging practices and recommend strategic directions and priorities to university leadership.
Perform related responsibilities as required.