Director – Data Governance

The Director, Data Governance will lead the design and implementation of a new enterprise-wide data governance function at ASU Enterprise Partners, playing a foundational role in shaping how data is managed, protected, and leveraged across the organization. This newly created position is responsible for developing and operationalizing governance policies, procedures, and systems that ensure data integrity, security, and compliance with regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, and FERPA. The Director will bring deep expertise in metadata management platforms like Collibra, Microsoft Purview, or Alation, and will oversee the creation and review of data use and processing agreements. They will collaborate closely with other data leaders to align governance with broader analytics goals, while independently driving execution and building scalable systems to track data usage across complex repositories. A strong candidate will combine strategic vision with hands-on execution, demonstrate comfort working across technical and legal domains, and bring a forward-thinking mindset that embraces emerging technologies such as AI and machine learning to keep the organization at the forefront of data innovation.

What you'll do:

• Design and launch a comprehensive data governance program that aligns with organizational goals and supports enterprise-wide data integrity, security, and compliance

• Develop and implement policies, procedures, and frameworks for data stewardship, classification, access, and lifecycle management

• Establish and oversee data quality standards and monitoring processes to ensure accuracy, consistency, and reliability across all enterprise data assets

• Lead the evaluation, implementation, and administration of metadata management platforms such as Collibra, Microsoft Purview, or Alation

• Create and maintain systems to track data usage, lineage, and handling across large-scale data repositories and warehouses

• Draft, review, and manage data use agreements, data processing agreements, and other data-sharing frameworks in collaboration with legal and compliance teams

• Ensure compliance with regulatory and privacy standards, including GDPR, CCPA, FERPA, and other applicable frameworks

• Collaborate with data, legal, IT, and business leaders to align governance practices with enterprise analytics and technology strategies

• Promote a culture of data responsibility and literacy through training, documentation, and stakeholder engagement

• Monitor emerging technologies and trends—such as AI, machine learning, and automation—to evolve governance practices and maintain innovation readiness

• Operate independently to drive execution, manage timelines, and deliver scalable, high-impact governance solutions

• Lead and mentor a team fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement

What you'll need:

• Proven ability to design and implement governance systems that scale across complex data environments

• Demonstrated experience implementing or administering metadata management platforms (e.g., Collibra, Purview, Alation)

• Experience with data cataloging, profiling, and lineage tracking

• Experience classifying sensitive, confidential, and public data, ensuring proper handling

• Experience developing and enforcing data quality frameworks

• Experience drafting and enforcing policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs) related to data use, management, and handling

• Strong knowledge of data privacy and regulatory compliance frameworks and landscape (e.g., GDPR, CCPA, FERPA)

• Experience evaluating and managing data use and processing agreements

• Experience documenting processes and standard operating procedures (SOPs) using tools like Confluence

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with a track record of cross-functional leadership

• Experience with data warehousing, ETL processes, and cloud-based analytics environments (e.g. Fabric, Snowflake, Redshift, BigQuery)

•  Excellent customer service and stakeholder engagement skills, with a track record of cross-functional collaboration

•  Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex issues concisely and communicate data-related concepts to non-technical audiences and executives clearly

• Ability to work independently, effectively prioritize multiple high-priority projects, and deliver high-impact initiatives on time

• Desire and ability to foster a culture of collaboration and innovation in data utilization across all levels of the organization

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to organize, motivate, and lead a team to achieve desired results

Relevant qualifications:

• 7+ years’ experience in data governance, data privacy, enterprise data management, business/technology controls, data analytics, or a related field

• Bachelor's degree in information systems, data management, data science, or a related field

Preferred education and experience:

• Master’s degree or other graduate degree

• Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) or DM-BOK

• Experience in higher education, nonprofit, or mission-driven organizations

Preferred skills and abilities:

• Understanding of AI, machine learning, and their implications for data governance Experience with Agile, Scrum, or Lean methodologies in data governance projects