Job Title: Director Data Platform Governance - SAP MDG

Job Overview

We are seeking an experienced Director of Data Platform Governance to lead enterprise data platform governance, master data management, governance tooling, and data quality capabilities across a complex enterprise technology environment. This leadership role will establish and continuously improve the technical standards, controls, integrations, and operating practices required to ensure enterprise data is secure, reliable, traceable, compliant, and fit for business use. The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience in enterprise data management, SAP Master Data Governance (SAP MDG), SimpleMDG, Enterprise Data Platforms (EDP), data quality, metadata management, data lineage, and enterprise integration. The successful candidate will partner with business governance leaders, technology architects, data product owners, and IT teams to embed governance controls across source systems, certified data assets, data products, analytics platforms, and downstream applications.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Data Platform Governance

• Establish and maintain technical governance standards for enterprise data platforms and certified data assets.
• Define platform controls for metadata, data lineage, traceability, data cataloging, and certified data consumption.
• Ensure data products and analytics solutions use approved and certified data sources wherever available.
• Collaborate with technology architects and engineering teams to implement consistent data integration and governance patterns.
• Embed governance checkpoints, access controls, and auditability into data platform delivery practices.

Governance Tooling and Platform Enablement

• Lead the implementation, integration, security, scalability, and operational management of enterprise governance tools.
• Oversee governance capabilities involving SimpleMDG, SAP MDG, metadata catalogs, lineage tools, data quality platforms, workflow automation, bots, and AI agents.
• Ensure governance tools integrate effectively with SAP, enterprise data platforms, downstream applications, and analytics solutions.
• Establish technical standards for configuration, integration, access management, monitoring, and audit trails.
• Partner with business governance teams to translate approved policies and workflows into sustainable technical capabilities.

Master Data Management and SAP Integration

• Lead the technical enablement of enterprise master data governance capabilities across SAP and related platforms.
• Oversee SAP MDG and/or SimpleMDG implementations, enhancements, integrations, and operational support.
• Ensure governed master data is consistently integrated, certified, monitored, and consumed across enterprise applications.
• Maintain end-to-end data traceability from source systems through enterprise data platforms and downstream data products.
• Support ERP transformation programs and enterprise-wide master data modernization initiatives.

Data Quality, Monitoring, and Controls

• Establish enterprise data quality monitoring frameworks, profiling processes, dashboards, scorecards, and preventative controls.
• Ensure business-defined data quality rules and thresholds can be implemented and measured across platforms.
• Partner with business data stewards, data product owners, and technology teams to investigate data quality issues.
• Implement root-cause analysis, remediation tracking, and continuous improvement practices.
• Improve data reliability, transparency, and accountability through measurable governance controls.

Metadata, Catalog, Lineage, and Data Intelligence

• Establish technical metadata management, data cataloging, data discovery, classification, and lineage capabilities.
• Ensure business definitions, critical data elements, and certification decisions are accessible through enterprise governance tools.
• Maintain end-to-end lineage across source systems, certified data assets, data products, and reporting platforms.
• Collaborate with enterprise architects and data engineering teams to improve data transparency and traceability.

Data Lifecycle and Regulatory Compliance

• Establish technical controls for data retention, archiving, disposition, and lifecycle management.
• Ensure data platforms comply with enterprise policies and applicable legal, regulatory, audit, and information governance requirements.
• Improve data storage efficiency, operational reliability, and lifecycle transparency.
• Maintain appropriate controls and audit trails throughout the data lifecycle.

Leadership and Enterprise Collaboration

• Lead cross-functional initiatives involving Digital Technology, Business Transformation, enterprise architecture, data engineering, and business stakeholders.
• Define platform governance priorities, technical roadmaps, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Establish clear ownership boundaries between business-led governance decisions and technology-led platform implementation.
• Drive adoption of governance standards, tools, controls, and repeatable delivery practices.
• Communicate technical strategy, risks, performance, and business outcomes to senior leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Business, Supply Chain, or a related discipline.
• 12 years of progressive experience in data management, enterprise data platforms, master data management, or enterprise information management.
• 5 years of leadership experience managing data platform, data governance technology, or master data management organizations.
• Strong expertise in SAP master data structures, ERP processes, and enterprise data integration.
• Hands-on implementation and operational experience with SAP MDG and/or SimpleMDG.
• Proven experience leading enterprise data quality initiatives and governance tooling implementations.
• Experience enabling data governance operating models and stewardship programs through technology platforms.
• Strong understanding of ERP transformation, enterprise architecture, and cross-platform integration.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, enterprise-scale initiatives across business and technology teams.
• Excellent leadership, communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Enterprise Data Platform governance, certified data assets, and governed data consumption.
• Metadata management, enterprise data catalogs, lineage, classification, and data discovery.
• Data quality monitoring, profiling, scorecards, preventative controls, and remediation workflows.
• SAP MDG, SimpleMDG, master data architecture, and enterprise application integration.
• Data lifecycle management, retention, archiving, and compliance controls.
• Governance workflow automation, bots, AI agents, and metadata or data quality tooling.
• Experience across enterprise data domains such as supply chain, customer, and commercial data.
• Experience with enterprise data products, analytics platforms, and cloud-based data ecosystems.

Leadership Competencies

• Pragmatic execution: Converts governance requirements into measurable technical outcomes.
• Business alignment: Connects trusted data and platform governance to operational and analytical business needs.
• Enterprise thinking: Aligns governance controls, certified data consumption, and quality initiatives with transformation objectives.
• Influential leadership: Builds alignment among senior stakeholders, architects, business owners, and technical teams.
• Change management: Drives adoption of governance standards, tools, and processes.
• Continuous improvement: Improves data quality, platform reliability, compliance, and operational efficiency.