Data Governance Analyst

This is a hybrid opportunity, 4-days onsite. Candidates MUST be local to the Atlanta, GA; Dallas, TX, or Overland Park, KS area. No C2C, OPT, or Visa consideration of any kind. No vendor support allowed. Overview We are seeking an experienced Data Governance Analyst to design, implement, and operationalize enterprise-wide data governance practices. This role will be responsible for establishing governance frameworks, ensuring data quality and compliance, and driving adoption across business and technology teams. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in data governance frameworks, metadata management, data quality, and cataloging, regulatory alignment, along with the ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and embed governance into day-to-day data operations. Key Responsibilities Enterprise Data Governance • Design, implement, and manage enterprise data governance frameworks, including data ownership, stewardship models, policies, standards, and escalation processes • Establish governance structures across multiple business domains to ensure consistency and accountability Data Domains & Critical Data Elements (CDEs) • Partner with business stakeholders to define, document, and govern data domains and critical data elements (CDEs) • Develop and maintain business glossaries and standardized definitions to ensure alignment across the organization Metadata, Catalog & Lineage Management • Lead the implementation and adoption of enterprise data catalogs, metadata management tools, and lineage solutions • Ensure visibility into end-to-end data lineage across operational and analytical systems • Drive user adoption and best practices for metadata and catalog usage Data Quality & Controls • Establish and monitor data quality rules, thresholds, and KPIs • Implement data issue management workflows, including root cause analysis and remediation tracking • Partner with data and analytics teams to improve data reliability for business and regulatory use cases Regulatory, Risk & Compliance • Align data governance practices with regulatory and risk frameworks (e.g., SOX, GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, BCBS 239) • Support audits, attestations, and documentation of data controls and governance processes • Ensure compliance requirements are embedded into governance policies and workflows Operationalization of Governance • Embed governance into SDLC, Agile delivery processes, and data pipelines • Ensure governance is practical, measurable, and integrated into daily workflows, not just policy-driven Issue Management & Decision Support • Manage data-related issues, conflicts, and prioritization through formal governance forums • Provide clear recommendations and decision support to senior leadership Executive Communication & Change Management • Develop and deliver executive-level reporting, governance metrics, and policy documentation • Lead change management efforts to drive adoption of governance practices across the organization Required Qualifications • 4+ years of experience in data governance, data management, or related roles • Proven experience implementing enterprise data governance frameworks • Hands-on experience with data catalog, metadata, and lineage tools (e.g., Collibra, Alation, Informatica, etc.) • Strong expertise in data quality management, controls, and issue remediation • Experience supporting regulatory and compliance frameworks (SOX, GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, BCBS 239) • Solid understanding of modern data architectures (cloud data platforms, data lakes, ETL/ELT pipelines, BI tools) • Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders • Excellent communication skills with experience presenting to senior leadership Preferred Qualifications • Experience in highly regulated industries (e.g., financial services, healthcare, insurance) • Familiarity with data governance operating models and maturity frameworks • Certifications in data management or governance (e.g., DAMA-DMBOK, CDMP) • Experience driving enterprise-wide data governance adoption and transformation initiatives