Senior Data Governance Consultant (Data Governance Analysis)

Location: Sacramento, California (Hybrid – remote work permitted with approval) Contract Type: Full-time Consulting Engagement (12 months, Time & Materials) Client: California State Agency Position Overview: XOFTSYSTEMS is seeking a highly skilled and certified Senior Data Governance Consultant to lead the design, development, and implementation of a comprehensive data governance framework for the California Govt. Agency. The consultant will assess current data management practices, develop governance policies and standards, ensure data integrity and compliance, and work collaboratively across IT, legal, and business units. This is a high-visibility engagement focused on data quality, compliance, transparency, and operational efficiency. Key Responsibilities: 1. Data Governance Framework Development • Assess current data governance maturity and practices. • Design, document, and implement a comprehensive Data Governance Framework aligned with CDI’s enterprise objectives. • Develop and formalize policies and procedures covering data quality, privacy, security, classification, and retention. • Establish roles, responsibilities, and accountability for data ownership and stewardship. • Draft key governance deliverables including: • Data Governance Charter • Policy and Procedures Manual • Data Governance Roadmap 1. Data Quality and Metadata Management • Conduct data quality audits and maturity assessments to identify inconsistencies, redundancies, and accuracy gaps. • Develop and maintain metadata repositories, data dictionaries, and business glossaries. • Define and document data lineage to map how data moves across systems. • Support design of KPI dashboards and define data requirements for reporting. • Ensure alignment between business definitions and technical metadata. • Recommend and support tool enablement and automation for data cataloging and lineage tracking (e.g., Snowflake, Collibra, or similar tools). 1. Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement • Serve as liaison between IT, Legal, and Business teams. • Conduct workshops and training sessions for data owners and business stewards. • Develop a Stakeholder Engagement Plan and Continuous Improvement Plan. • Communicate progress, risks, and key findings via regular reports and presentations to the department leadership. 1. Technical Analysis and Tool Integration • Utilize tools such as SQL, Python, R, ODBC, and ETL frameworks for data profiling and transformation. • Work with architecture teams to integrate governance tools within department's existing systems (e.g., Snowflake). • Support data architecture modernization and data-driven decision-making. 1. Documentation and Reporting • Create detailed documentation for all governance processes, procedures, and standards. • Prepare deliverables in Microsoft Office 2019+ (Word, Excel, Visio, Project). • Manage tasks and milestones through Task Expectation Documents (TED) and Task Acceptance Documents (TAD). • Provide periodic progress reports in department's defined project reporting templates. Required Qualifications & Experience: Certifications (at least one required): • DAMA Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) • Certified Data Governance and Stewardship Professional (DGSP) – ICCP • Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE) – ISACA • Applied Data Governance Practitioner (ADGP) – DataVerify • Information Governance Professional (IGP) – ARMA • Data Governance (ISO/IEC 38505) Foundation – ITCERTS Canada • Atlan University Data Governance Certification Core Experience: • 5+ years (within last 10 years) leading data governance initiatives at the enterprise level. • 5+ years' experience developing and enforcing data standards, stewardship models, and policies. • Strong background in metadata management, data quality, and data lineage documentation. • Proven ability to conduct data maturity assessments and design data governance roadmaps. • Expertise in data compliance and privacy standards (e.g., CCPA, GDPR). • Experience with data cataloging and data orchestration tools (e.g., Snowflake, Alation, Collibra, Informatica). • Skilled in SQL, Python, R, and ETL processes for data manipulation and analysis. • Proficient in Microsoft 365 applications — Excel, Visio, Teams, Word, SharePoint. Preferred Education: • Bachelor's or master's degree in data Analytics, Statistics, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field. Desired Attributes: • Strong analytical, documentation, and communication skills. • Ability to translate business requirements into actionable data governance strategies. • Experience working with government or regulatory agencies preferred. • Proven success in delivering enterprise data management initiatives on time. • Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while maintaining collaboration across departments. Security and Compliance: • Must pass a fingerprint-based background check. • Must adhere to department's confidentiality and security requirements. • All deliverables must meet State of California IT and data security standards. Work Conditions: • Primary location: Sacramento, CA (some remote work permitted). • No travel reimbursement will be provided. Deliverables: • Data Governance Framework and Charter • Data Policies, Standards, and Procedures • Metadata Repository / Data Dictionary • Data Lineage Documentation • Data Governance Roadmap and Continuous Improvement Plan • Training and Knowledge Transfer Sessions