Data Governance Specialist

Job Description

The Data Governance Specialist supports the consistent and timely operation of the Gov360 governance process across R&D. The role receives, assesses, processes, and triages Gov360 requests; determines the appropriate governance pathway; coordinates required reviews with business and functional partners; and maintains complete, accurate, and traceable records. The position also improves processes, updates guidance and training materials, delivers user education, and partners with subject-matter experts to define and operationalize high-risk use cases and escalation criteria. Through disciplined case management, practical guidance, metrics, and continuous improvement, the role helps simplify governance for users while ensuring requests are handled in alignment with established standards, procedures, and risk-based decision making.

Responsibilities:

• Receive, assess, process, and triage Gov360 requests, confirming completeness, clarifying business needs, identifying dependencies, and routing each request to the appropriate governance pathway or subject-matter expert.
• Perform initial risk-based assessments using established criteria; identify requests that may require enhanced review, escalation, additional controls, or cross-functional input.
• Manage assigned requests through completion by coordinating stakeholder input, tracking decisions and action items, maintaining status, and following up on open items to support timely resolution.
• Partner with Legal, Privacy, Information Security, Quality, Compliance, Data, AI, and R&D business representatives, as applicable, to define and maintain high-risk use cases, decision criteria, required evidence, and escalation triggers.
• Maintain accurate, complete, and audit-ready records in Gov360, including request documentation, assessments, decisions, conditions, approvals, supporting evidence, and closure information.
• Analyze recurring questions, case trends, bottlenecks, and user feedback; recommend and implement practical process improvements that reduce burden, eliminate unnecessary steps, improve consistency, and strengthen the user experience.
• Create, revise, and maintain Gov360 procedures, work instructions, job aids, templates, FAQs, decision trees, and other guidance so they remain clear, current, and aligned with approved governance requirements.
• Develop and deliver role-based Gov360 training, onboarding, office hours, and targeted communications for requestors, reviewers, and governance partners; assess training needs and incorporate lessons learned.
• Prepare and monitor operational metrics, dashboards, and reports covering request volume, status, cycle time, aging, outcomes, escalations, and recurring risk themes; highlight issues requiring management attention.
• Support governance program initiatives, system or workflow enhancements, user acceptance testing, inspection or audit readiness, and other continuous-improvement activities as assigned.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in law, risk management, or related field. An advanced degree or relevant certification is preferred.
• Typically 1-2 years of relevant experience in data governance, information governance, risk assessment, compliance, quality, business operations, process management, or a related area; pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or another regulated-industry experience is preferred.
• Experience using structured workflows or case-management systems to assess requests, maintain documentation, coordinate reviews, and track actions through closure.
• Working knowledge of data-governance concepts, risk-based assessment, data lifecycle practices, privacy, security, quality, compliance, and responsible use of data or AI. Deep expertise in every domain is not required.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret requirements and translate them into clear operational guidance, decision criteria, job aids, and training materials.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify underlying issues, manage ambiguity, distinguish routine from high-risk matters, and recommend practical solutions.
• Excellent organization and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple requests, priorities, stakeholders, and deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• Strong written, verbal, facilitation, and interpersonal skills; able to communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical audiences and influence without direct authority.
• Experience with continuous improvement, metrics, dashboards, training delivery, and change adoption is preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 tools; experience with workflow, reporting, data catalog, governance, or service-management platforms is preferred.

Key Stakeholders:

R&D business functions and data owners; Gov360 requestors and reviewers; Data Governance and Data Stewardship; Legal; Privacy; Information Security; Quality; Compliance; AI Governance; BTS and technology teams; data-product, platform, and analytics teams; and other subject-matter experts involved in governance decisions.

Additional Information

​Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. ​
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​
• This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. ​

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of  any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. ​

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community.  Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. 

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Compensation: 96500 to 183500 (USD) (YEARLY)