Director – Master Data Governance

Company Overview

KLA is a global leader in diversified electronics for the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. Virtually every electronic device in the world is produced using our technologies. No laptop, smartphone, wearable device, voice-controlled gadget, flexible screen, VR device or smart car would have made it into your hands without us. KLA invents systems and solutions for the manufacturing of wafers and reticles, integrated circuits, packaging, printed circuit boards and flat panel displays. The innovative ideas and devices that are advancing humanity all begin with inspiration, research and development. KLA focuses more than average on innovation and we invest 15% of sales back into R&D. Our expert teams of physicists, engineers, data scientists and problem-solvers work together with the world’s leading technology providers to accelerate the delivery of tomorrow’s electronic devices. Life here is exciting and our teams thrive on tackling really hard problems. There is never a dull moment with us.

Job Description/Preferred Qualifications

Role Summary

We are seeking a Director of Data Governance to establish and scale a modern data governance capability. This is a senior leadership role for a proven data governance practitioner who has operated in a mature governance environment and can pragmatically build governance foundations in an organization with strong functional domain data and opportunities to scale cross functionally.

The Director of Data Governance will design and implement a fit-for-purpose governance framework spanning data strategy alignment, operating model, standards, stewardship, quality, metadata, and master/reference data—without reliance on a pre-existing MDM platform. This leader will work closely with business, IT, analytics, and digital teams to enable trusted, interoperable data that supports compliance, operational excellence, analytics, AI, and digital transformation.

Why This Role

This role offers a rare opportunity to shape the enterprise data foundation of a leading semiconductor capital equipment company at a pivotal stage of its digital and AI journey. The Director of Data Governance will have executive visibility, broad scope, and the mandate to build governance that enables—not hinders—innovation, speed, and scale.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Data Governance Strategy & Framework

• Define and implement an enterprise data governance vision aligned to business strategy, regulatory needs, and digital/AI ambitions.
• Design a scalable governance framework covering data domains, ownership, stewardship, policies, standards, controls, and decision rights.
• Establish a pragmatic governance maturity roadmap, balancing speed-to-value with long-term sustainability.

Operating Model & Organizational Enablement

• Define and stand-up the data governance operating model, including roles (data owners, data stewards, custodians), forums, and escalation paths.
• Lead the formation of a cross-functional Data Governance Council and domain-level working groups.
• Drive adoption through clear incentives, lightweight processes, and embedded governance within business workflows.

Cross-Domain Data Alignment

• Enable harmonization and interoperability across key enterprise domains (e.g., customer, supplier, product, asset, manufacturing, service, finance) while respecting strong functional ownership.
• Define master and reference data concepts, ownership, and synchronization approaches in the absence of a formal MDM tool.
• Partner with enterprise architecture and application teams to embed governance into system design and integration patterns.

Data Quality, Metadata & Standards

• Establish data quality management practices, including critical data elements, quality rules, monitoring, and remediation workflows.
• Define enterprise data standards, naming conventions, and semantic alignment to support analytics and AI use cases.
• Lead implementation of metadata management practices (business, technical, and operational metadata), including data lineage and glossary development.
• Develop an assurance process for the Design Basis Information (foundational business and compliance decisions, data and specifications) associated with each critical data element to ensure that our products and processes continue to meet regulatory standards.

Policy, Risk & Compliance

• Develop and maintain data-related policies and standards (e.g., data access, classification, retention, privacy, and usage).
• Partner with Legal, Security, Privacy, and Compliance teams to ensure governance supports regulatory and contractual requirements.
• Support audit readiness and risk mitigation related to data.

Technology Enablement (Tool-Agnostic)

• Define governance requirements for tools supporting metadata, quality, lineage, and master/reference data.
• Evaluate and recommend governance and data management tooling as needed, without assuming immediate MDM deployment.
• Ensure governance is embedded into analytics platforms, ERP, PLM, MES, CRM, and digital platforms.

Change Management & Culture

• Drive cultural adoption of data as an enterprise asset through communication, training, and executive engagement.
• Translate governance concepts into business-relevant outcomes for manufacturing, supply chain, service, engineering, and commercial teams.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on data-related decisions and tradeoffs.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• 12+ years of experience in data management, data governance, analytics, or related disciplines, with at least 5 years in a senior governance leadership role.
• Direct experience operating within a mature, enterprise-scale data governance environment.

• Demonstrated success building or transforming a data governance capability in a complex, federated organization.
• Strong understanding of data governance frameworks and practical, real-world application.
• Experience governing data across multiple enterprise domains without a fully centralized MDM solution.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead through ambiguity and change.
• Experience in semiconductor, capital equipment, advanced manufacturing, or industrial technology environments and/or experience in a regulated operating environment (medical devices, utilities, government, etc.)
• Familiarity with ERP, PLM, MES, CRM, and analytics platforms common in manufacturing ecosystems.
• Experience supporting analytics, AI/ML, or digital transformation initiatives through strong data foundations.
• Prior ownership of data quality, metadata management, or master/reference data programs.

Skills & Attributes

• Strategic thinker with a pragmatic, execution-oriented mindset.
• Strong business acumen and ability to translate technical governance concepts into operational value.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Collaborative leader who can work effectively across supply chain, operations, IT, and corporate functions.
• Comfortable building from first principles while leveraging best practices.

Preferred Qualifications & Experience

• Experience in semiconductor, capital equipment, advanced manufacturing, or industrial technology environments and/or experience in a regulated operating environment (medical devices, utilities, government, etc.)
• Familiarity with ERP, PLM, MES, CRM, and analytics platforms common in manufacturing ecosystems.
• Experience supporting analytics, AI/ML, or digital transformation initiatives through strong data foundations.
• Prior ownership of data quality, metadata management, or master/reference data programs.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• 12+ years of experience in data management, data governance, analytics, or related disciplines, with at least 5 years in a senior governance leadership role.
• Direct experience operating within a mature, enterprise-scale data governance environment.
• Demonstrated success building or transforming a data governance capability in a complex, federated organization.
• Strong understanding of data governance frameworks and practical, real-world application.
• Experience governing data across multiple enterprise domains without a fully centralized MDM solution.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead through ambiguity and change.

Skills & Attributes

• Strategic thinker with a pragmatic, execution-oriented mindset.
• Strong business acumen and ability to translate technical governance concepts into operational value.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Collaborative leader who can work effectively across supply chain, operations, IT, and corporate functions.
• Comfortable building from first principles while leveraging best practices.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Level Degree with a minimum of 12 years of relevant experience OR

• Master's Level Degree with a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience

Base Pay Range: $183,400.00 - $321,000.00 AnnuallyPrimary Location: USA-CA-Milpitas-KLAKLA’s total rewards package for employees may also include participation in performance incentive programs and eligibility for additional benefits including but not limited to: medical, dental, vision, life, and other voluntary benefits, 401(K) including company matching, employee stock purchase program (ESPP), student debt assistance, tuition reimbursement program, development and career growth opportunities and programs, financial planning benefits, wellness benefits including an employee assistance program (EAP), paid time off and paid company holidays, and family care and bonding leave.

Interns are eligible for some of the benefits listed. Our pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed reflects the pay for this position in the primary location identified in this posting. Actual pay depends on several factors, including state minimum pay wage rates, location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education level or training. We are committed to complying with all applicable federal and state minimum wage requirements where applicable. If applicable, your recruiter can share more about the specific pay range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

KLA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will ensure that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us at [email protected] or at +1-408-352-2808 to request accommodation.

Be aware of potentially fraudulent job postings or suspicious recruiting activity by persons that are currently posing as KLA employees.  KLA never asks for any financial compensation to be considered for an interview, to become an employee, or for equipment. Further, KLA does not work with any recruiters or third parties who charge such fees either directly or on behalf of KLA. Please ensure that you have searched KLA’s Careers websitefor legitimate job postings.  KLA follows a recruiting process that involves multiple interviews in person or on video conferencing with our hiring managers.  If you are concerned that a communication, an interview, an offer of employment, or that an employee is not legitimate, please send an email to [email protected] to confirm the person you are communicating with is an employee. We take your privacy very seriously and confidentially handle your information.