Data Governance Technical Program Manager

Responsibilities

• Lead enterprise data governance programs across regulated industry domains such as research, clinical, manufacturing, quality, commercial, and enterprise data
• Own program planning, roadmap development, milestone tracking, dependency management, risk identification, and executive reporting for governance initiatives
• Coordinate implementation of governance capabilities across modern data platforms, including Databricks environments and enterprise data catalog tools
• Partner with architecture and engineering teams to embed governance practices within Medallion Architecture frameworks, including Bronze, Silver, and Gold data layers
• Manage workstreams related to data ownership, stewardship models, business glossaries, metadata standards, data catalog adoption, lineage tracking, data quality, and access controls
• Facilitate governance forums, cross-functional working sessions, design reviews, and leadership updates to drive alignment and decision-making
• Translate business, regulatory, compliance, and privacy requirements into structured program deliverables and measurable outcomes
• Track adoption metrics such as catalog coverage, glossary completeness, lineage availability, data quality improvements, and issue remediation progress
• Coordinate with platform teams on governance capabilities such as access control, data certification, lineage enablement, and workspace governance models
• Support governance programs for sensitive and regulated data, ensuring adherence to applicable industry compliance and privacy standards
• Drive change management initiatives, including communication, training, onboarding, and adoption of governance tools and best practices
• Maintain comprehensive program documentation, including status reporting, risk logs, decision tracking, and implementation plans

Required experience and skills

• 6 or more years of experience in technical program management, data governance, data platform delivery, or related roles
• Experience working in regulated environments such as pharmaceutical, life sciences, healthcare, or similar industries
• Strong understanding of data governance principles, including data ownership, stewardship, metadata management, business glossary, lineage, data quality, access management, privacy classification, and lifecycle management
• Working knowledge of Databricks Lakehouse concepts, including Unity Catalog, Delta Lake, and Medallion Architecture
• Experience with enterprise data governance and catalog platforms such as Collibra, including cataloging, glossary management, workflows, lineage, and adoption tracking
• Proven ability to manage complex cross-functional programs involving engineering, architecture, analytics, security, compliance, and business stakeholders
• Familiarity with regulated data concepts and compliance frameworks relevant to sensitive and controlled data environments
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage competing priorities, dependencies, and ambiguity
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to present technical concepts clearly to diverse audiences
• Experience using program delivery and collaboration tools such as Agile frameworks, issue tracking platforms, and documentation systems is preferred

FAQ

1. What are the primary responsibilities of a Data Governance Technical Program Manager?
A Data Governance Technical Program Manager leads enterprise-wide initiatives that improve data governance, quality, compliance, and operational effectiveness. The role focuses on coordinating governance programs, managing cross-functional projects, defining implementation roadmaps, and ensuring governance objectives align with business and technology strategies.

2. How does this role support enterprise data governance programs?
The program manager helps establish governance frameworks, oversees implementation efforts, tracks program milestones, and drives adoption across the organization. They work with stakeholders to ensure governance policies, standards, and processes are effectively integrated into daily operations.

3. What is the relationship between data governance and program management in this role?
This position combines governance expertise with program leadership. While governance focuses on data ownership, quality, compliance, and accountability, program management ensures governance initiatives are planned, executed, measured, and successfully delivered across multiple teams.

4. What types of projects are typically managed?
Projects may include data quality improvement programs, metadata management initiatives, master data management implementations, governance operating model development, regulatory compliance efforts, data catalog deployments, and enterprise data transformation programs.

5. How does the role collaborate with business and technical teams?
The program manager works closely with data owners, data stewards, engineering teams, architects, compliance leaders, and business stakeholders. They facilitate communication, manage dependencies, align priorities, and ensure governance initiatives meet organizational objectives.