Director Business Data Governance & Stewardship

The Director of Business Data Governance & Stewardship is a strategic and collaborative leader responsible for the development and execution of enterprise-wide data governance strategies focused on commercial, operational, and administrative data. This position is responsible for ensuring the accuracy, integrity, accessibility, and stewardship of core business data assets such as customer, product, vendor, employee, and financial data and will work closely with cross-functional teams to build consensus and implement governance frameworks across departments with shared data responsibilities.

This role is fully remote with travel as needed

Key Responsibilities (What you contribute):

• Establish and lead enterprise-wide data governance policies, hierarchies, roles, and responsibilities for operational data domains.

• Build and support a matrixed team of data stewards across commercial and operational departments.

• Serve as a central point of coordination for data governance initiatives.

• Partner with internal stakeholders to co-develop and implement master data management (MDM) strategies.

• Facilitate shared ownership and accountability for data quality and stewardship across commercial and operational business units.

• Align governance efforts with enterprise goals, ensuring that data policies support – not disrupt – commercial and business operations.

• Lead efforts to centralize stewardship practices while respecting and reinforcing departmental ownership of data.

• Establish clear accountability mechanisms and service-level agreements (SLAs) for data management in collaboration with data-owning offices.

• Support the selection, implementation, and optimization of MDM platforms and data governance tools.

• Monitor and improve data accuracy, consistency, and completeness across enterprise systems.

• Develop shared metrics and dashboards to track data quality and stewardship performance.

• Enable departments and work units to leverage high-quality data for reporting, analytics, and decision-making.

• Collaborate with analytics teams to ensure data governance supports business intelligence efforts.

• Ensure adherence to data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) and internal data handling policies.

• Work with HR, Legal, and Compliance teams to define appropriate access controls and permissions.

• Apply Lean principles to streamline data-related processes and reduce inefficiencies.

• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in data governance practices.

• Document policies and procedures and train stakeholders on governance expectations and KPIs.

• Foster a culture of shared responsibility, transparency, and data-driven decision-making.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (What you're good at):

• Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree is preferred

• Minimum of 6 to 8 years of experience required

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and build consensus across stakeholders.

• Strong understanding of MDM platforms, data quality frameworks, and compliance requirements.

• Extensive experience with multiple enterprise CRM & ERP Platforms. Familiarity with HRIS, QMS, and/or Financial Accounting platforms.

• Excellent leadership, communication, problem-solving, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills.

• Ability to translate data insights into meaningful business recommendations.

• Experience with Lean or Six Sigma methodologies is a plus.

• Ability to travel as necessary up to 20%

Pay Range:  $136,461 - $228,467 based on total current and prior years of related experience

About JAX:

The Jackson Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution with a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center and nearly 3,000 employees in locations across the United States (Maine, Connecticut, California), Japan and China. Its mission is to discover precise genomic solutions for disease and empower the global biomedical community in the shared quest to improve human health.

Founded in 1929, JAX applies over nine decades of expertise in genetics to increase understanding of human disease, advancing treatments and cures for cancer, neurological and immune disorders, diabetes, aging and heart disease. It models and interprets genomic complexity, integrates basic research with clinical application, educates current and future scientists, and provides critical data, tools and services to the global biomedical community. For more information, please visit www.jax.org​​​​​​​.

EEO Statement:

The Jackson Laboratory provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, age, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, gender, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, marital status, national origin, veteran status, and other classifications protected by applicable state and local non-discrimination laws.