In today’s world, data is considered the new oil, and managing it effectively has become an important business strategy. This is where a Data Governance Manager comes in. A Data Governance Manager is responsible for creating and implementing policies, procedures, and standards for managing an organization’s data assets. In this blog post, we will explore the job description, key responsibilities, daily routine, salary expectations, tools and languages used, qualifications, and sample interview questions for a Data Governance Manager.
Data Governance Manager Job Description
As a Data Governance Manager, your primary responsibility is to ensure that the organization’s data assets are properly managed and secured. You will work closely with various departments to establish policies and procedures for collecting, storing, and sharing data, as well as ensuring compliance with data regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA. Additionally, you will be responsible for:
- Developing and implementing a data governance framework
- Identifying and mitigating data quality issues
- Collaborating with stakeholders to define and maintain data standards
- Creating and enforcing data retention policies
- Ensuring the accuracy and completeness of data
- Designing and implementing data classification policies
- Providing training on data governance best practices
- Managing data security and privacy controls
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and implement a data governance framework: As a Data Governance Manager, you will be responsible for creating and implementing a data governance framework that outlines the policies, procedures, and standards for managing the organization’s data assets.
- Identify and mitigate data quality issues: You will work with various departments to identify data quality issues and develop strategies to mitigate them. This may involve implementing data validation checks, creating data cleaning processes, or establishing data stewardship roles.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to define and maintain data standards: You will work with stakeholders to define and maintain data standards for the organization. This includes data definitions, business rules, data classification, and data lineage.
- Create and enforce data retention policies: You will develop and enforce data retention policies that define how long data should be kept and how it should be disposed of.
- Ensure the accuracy and completeness of data: You will be responsible for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of data by implementing data quality controls, monitoring data usage, and conducting data audits.
- Design and implement data classification policies: You will develop and implement data classification policies that define how data should be classified based on its sensitivity, criticality, and regulatory requirements.
- Provide training on data governance best practices: You will provide training on data governance best practices to ensure that employees understand their roles and responsibilities in managing data.
- Manage data security and privacy controls: You will be responsible for managing data security and privacy controls to ensure that data is protected from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.
What does a normal day look like?
A typical day for a Data Governance Manager may involve:
- Meeting with stakeholders to discuss data governance policies and procedures
- Collaborating with IT teams to develop data quality controls
- Conducting data audits to ensure data accuracy and completeness
- Providing training on data governance best practices
- Managing data security and privacy controls
- Reviewing data retention policies and making recommendations for updates
- Developing data classification policies
- Tracking and reporting on data governance metrics
How much does a Data Governance Manager make in 2023?
The demand for Data Governance Managers is generally always high. According to Glassdoor, the typical annual salary for Data Governance Manager in 2023 is $132,969. This fits within the ‘most likely range’ of between $103k and $173k.
The highest reported Data Governance Manager on Glassdoor makes $219k per year.
Typical Tools and Languages
Data Governance Managers typically use a variety of tools and technologies to manage data governance processes. Some common tools and languages include:
- Data governance software: These tools help to automate data governance processes and ensure that policies and procedures are being followed.
- SQL: Data Governance Managers may use SQL to query and analyze data to identify data quality issues or anomalies.
- Microsoft Excel: Excel can be used to manage data, create reports, and track metrics related to data governance processes.
- Data modeling tools: These tools can be used to create data models and ensure that data is structured and organized in a consistent manner.
Qualifications
A successful Data Governance Manager should possess a combination of technical and soft skills, as well as relevant education and experience. Here are some of the typical qualifications required for this role:
- Education: A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Management, or a related field is typically required. Some employers may prefer a Master’s degree in a relevant field.
- Experience: 5-10 years of experience in data management, data governance, data quality, or related fields is typically required for this role. Experience in leading data governance initiatives and managing teams is highly desirable.
- Technical Skills: Knowledge of data governance concepts and frameworks, as well as experience working with data governance tools and technologies such as data dictionaries, metadata management tools, and data lineage tools. Familiarity with data modeling concepts and tools is also preferred.
- Soft Skills: Strong communication, leadership, and project management skills are critical for success in this role. A Data Governance Manager should be able to communicate complex data governance concepts to technical and non-technical stakeholders alike and be able to lead cross-functional teams to achieve data governance objectives.
- Certifications: There are several relevant certifications in the field of data governance, such as the Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) or the Certified Information Management Professional (CIMP), which may be preferred by some employers.
If you’re looking to take your knowledge on Data Govnernance further, we’ve done the work to review the best data governance books in this post. Suggest checking it out!
Sample Interview Questions
Preparing for an interview is an essential aspect of securing a job. As a data governance manager, you should expect to be asked questions that evaluate your experience, knowledge, and problem-solving skills. Here are some sample interview questions that you can use to prepare for your next interview:
- What inspired you to pursue a career in data governance management, and what motivates you to continue in this field?
- What data governance frameworks have you worked with in the past? Can you describe your experience with implementing them?
- Can you provide an example of a time when you had to resolve a data governance issue, and how you approached the problem?
- What is your experience with data privacy regulations such as GDPR and CCPA, and how have you implemented them in the past?
- How do you approach communication and collaboration with different teams and stakeholders involved in data governance management, such as IT, compliance, and legal?
- Can you explain how you would establish a data governance program from scratch for a new organization?
- Can you describe a successful data governance project that you led, and what made it successful?
- How do you stay updated on the latest developments in the field of data governance management, and what resources do you rely on?
- How do you prioritize and manage competing demands and requests for data from different teams and stakeholders within an organization?
- Can you explain how you would handle a situation where there is a conflict between data governance policies and the needs of the business, and how you would balance these competing interests?
These are just a few examples of the types of questions you may encounter during a data governance manager interview. By preparing thoughtful and insightful answers to these questions, you can demonstrate your knowledge, experience, and ability to solve complex data governance challenges.
A Data Governance Manager plays a crucial role in ensuring that data within an organization is managed efficiently and effectively. This requires a combination of technical skills, business acumen, and leadership abilities. A successful Data Governance Manager must be able to balance competing priorities and work closely with cross-functional teams to implement data policies and procedures that meet the organization’s strategic objectives.
With the increasing importance of data in today’s business landscape, the demand for skilled Data Governance Managers is expected to continue to grow. By understanding the key responsibilities, qualifications, and interview questions for this role, you can prepare yourself for a career in this exciting and dynamic field.
If you are interested in pursuing a career as a Data Governance Manager, we recommend gaining experience in related roles such as data analyst, data architect, or data quality specialist. Additionally, pursuing relevant certifications such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP), or Data Governance and Stewardship Professional (DGSP) can help you stand out from other candidates.
Ben is a full-time data leadership professional and a part-time blogger.
When he’s not writing articles for Data Driven Daily, Ben is a Head of Data Strategy at a large financial institution.
He has over 12 years’ experience in Banking and Financial Services, during which he has led large data engineering and business intelligence teams, managed cloud migration programs, and spearheaded regulatory change initiatives.