Metadata Analyst

Job Title: Metadata Analyst Location: Vienna, VA Work schedule:  hybrid, 3 days onsite Pay Rate: Open to Both W2 and established 1099's Position Type: Multiyear Contract We are looking for candidates with 5-10 years of Data Governance or Metadata Management experience, hands-on experience with a metadata platform such as Alation, experience maintaining business glossaries, data catalogs, data dictionaries, and lineage documentation, and a proven ability to work with both business and technical stakeholders to improve enterprise data governance and data quality. The Metadata Management Analyst is a Data Governance professional responsible for improving data quality, transparency, consistency, and governance across the Lending organization. The role serves as a bridge between business and technical teams, ensuring that critical data assets are properly defined, cataloged, documented, governed, and traceable throughout their lifecycle. This position supports enterprise metadata management by maintaining business glossaries, data dictionaries, data catalogs, and data lineage documentation. The analyst works closely with Business Data Owners, Data Stewards, and Technology teams to establish common business definitions, improve data literacy, and ensure data assets align with enterprise governance standards.  The ideal candidate combines data governance expertise, metadata management experience, business analysis skills, documentation capabilities, stakeholder management, and strong communication skills. Basic Description The Metadata Management Analyst supports the Lending Data Governance function in advancing enterprise data governance capabilities and improving data quality, transparency, and risk management. This role operates within Lending Strategy’s Data Governance team and is responsible for enabling the adoption and management of metadata practices across the business. The analyst partners with Business Data Owners, Data Stewards, and technical stakeholders to ensure metadata is captured, maintained, and aligned with enterprise standards. The position plays a key role in supporting the organization's transition to a data-centric organization by promoting consistent definitions, improving data literacy, and ensuring data integrity across business processes. Responsibilities • Support Business Data Owners and Data Stewards in identifying and cataloging data assets • Engage business stakeholders to ensure metadata is captured, tagged, and maintained accurately • Maintain metadata artifacts, identify gaps or inconsistencies, and escalate issues as needed • Collaborate with Business and Technical Data Stewards to define clear and consistent business terminology • Gather and document business and technical requirements related to metadata and data lineage • Own and support metadata governance processes for both new initiatives and enhancement efforts • Curate and enrich business glossary content to ensure consistent enterprise-wide definitions • Partner with ISD and technical teams to support metadata tools through implementation and production • Support creation and maintenance of data dictionaries and data catalog entries • Assist in planning, testing, and implementing improvements to metadata tools, including bug fixes and enhancements • Drive improvements in metadata classification, evaluation, and data movement processes • Support the documentation and visualization of data lineage across systems and processes • Enable visibility of data flows between producers and consumers to support decision-making • Maintain metadata-related controls to ensure data is consumable, prioritized appropriately, and aligned to systems of record • Support communication and publication of data glossary updates across the business Qualifications and Soft Skill Requirements Required Qualifications • Experience in data governance, metadata management, or data management within a financial services or enterprise environment • Demonstrated experience working with business and technical stakeholders to define and document data assets • Experience with data catalogs, data dictionaries, and metadata tools • Understanding of data lineage concepts and data lifecycle management • Familiarity with governance frameworks and enterprise data standards Soft Skill Requirements • Strong communication skills, ability to translate technical concepts into business-friendly language • Collaboration across Business Data Owners, Business Data Stewards, and Technical Data Stewards • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills for identifying metadata gaps and inconsistencies • Attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy and integrity • Adaptability in a changing governance and technology environment • Ability to drive alignment across multiple stakeholder groups Desired Skills • Experience supporting enterprise data governance initiatives or EDG programs • Familiarity with metadata tooling platforms (e.g., Alation or similar tools) • Experience supporting data lineage visualization and documentation • Knowledge of data classification frameworks and taxonomy design • Experience working with ISD or technology teams on data-related tooling implementations • Exposure to financial services data, lending data domains, or regulatory data requirements • Experience contributing to business glossary development and enterprise data standards Ref: #851-Rockville-S1