Head of Data Governance

The Head of Data Governance is responsible for establishing, leading, and continuously maturing the enterprise data governance program across Fresenius Medical Care. This role provides strategic leadership for data governance policies, standards, processes, stewardship, quality, metadata management, and data controls while driving the implementation and adoption of governance technologies. Reporting to the VP, Data & AI Solution Delivery, the Head of Data Governance partners closely with business, clinical, operational, security, privacy, compliance, and technology leaders to ensure data is trusted, governed, secure, and effectively leveraged to support business objectives, analytics, AI, and digital transformation initiatives.

Principal Duties & Responsibilities

· Leads the development and execution of the enterprise data governance strategy, operating model, roadmap, policies, standards, and procedures aligned to organizational objectives.

· Establishes and manages a comprehensive governance framework encompassing data ownership, stewardship, accountability, quality, metadata, lineage, access controls, retention, and lifecycle management.

· Partners with global business functions to define and operationalize data ownership and stewardship responsibilities.

· Leads enterprise-wide data governance councils, working groups, and decision-making forums.

· Directs the implementation and optimization of data governance, catalog, metadata management, lineage, and data quality technologies.

· Defines governance metrics and KPIs and drives continuous improvement of data quality and compliance.

· Collaborates with Information Security, Privacy, Compliance, Legal, and Risk Management teams.

· Supports ERP, EHR, cloud modernization, analytics, and AI initiatives through governance-by-design practices.

· Develops and maintains business glossaries, metadata standards, critical data elements, and lineage documentation.

· Leads staffing, budgeting, vendor management, and governance program operations.

· Provides leadership, coaching, and development for governance professionals and data stewards.

· Serves as a trusted advisor to senior leadership regarding governance maturity, risks, and investments.

· Provides strategic leadership of short- and long-term goals through the use of thoughtful techniques in the communication of the company’s mission and core values as a means to implement positive change and/or create organizational structure within the assigned business unit(s).

· Leads operational efforts through subordinates to complete the administration of business processes and services to ensure the operations effective achievement of goals within the assigned business unit(s).

· Manages a functional area on a national level, or multiple functional areas within a company division. Directs and controls the activities of a broad functional area through several lower department managers within the company.

· Directs and controls the broad activities of the business unit(s) through the interpretation, application and implementation of company-wide policies and processes appropriate to the functional area(s).

· Ensures that budgets and schedules are within company requirements with significant organizational responsibility for the overall control of planning, staffing, budgeting, expense priority management, and recommendation and implementation changes of current methods.

· Provides leadership, guidance and coaching for all direct reports to maintain an engaged and productive workforce; partnering with Human Resources on employee matters.

· Collaborates with employees in the establishment of clear and concise development plans to ensure succession planning and the advancement of future leaders within the organization.

· Works on complex issues and abstract issues/situations where analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth knowledge of the company.

· Strategic leader with broad-based knowledge in individual departments, and strong knowledge of industry practice and business principles.

· Participates with other senior managers to establish strategic plans and objectives. Develops and coordinates simultaneous strategies/initiatives for direct departments and contributes to the development of divisional/business unit strategies.

· Makes final decision on administrative or operational matters and ensures operations effective achievement of objectives.

· Interprets and provides recommendations for change of company-wide policies and practices. Establishes policies appropriate for the function.

· Broad latitude for decisions within scope of the job. Decisions are usually complex and have an impact on the business beyond the functional area with serious impact on the overall success or failure in the area of accountability. Erroneous decisions will have a serious impact on the overall success of functional, division or company operations.

· Regularly interacts with executives, senior management, and/or major customers. Interactions frequently require special skills such as negotiating or influencing customers and/or senior level leaders in matters of significance to the organization.

· Recognized as an influential leader. Interacts with all levels within the organization to manage functional area. Overall responsibility for hiring, coaching and counseling employees, including performance reviews, disciplinary action and terminations.

· Provides technical guidance.

· Performs other related duties as assigned.

Physical Demands & Working Conditions

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Regularly travels between locations primarily during the business day, although some out-of-the-area and overnight travel may be expected.

Supervision

Manages and develops a team of data governance professionals and may directly or indirectly oversee data stewards, governance analysts, metadata specialists, data quality professionals, and related governance resources.

Education & Required Credentials

Bachelor's Degree in Information Management, Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, or related field. Master's Degree preferred. Relevant certifications such as CDMP, DCAM, DAMA, DGSP, or equivalent are preferred.

Experience & Skills

· 12+ years of progressive experience in data management, governance, analytics, or related disciplines.

· 5+ years leading enterprise-scale data governance programs.

· Experience implementing data governance, catalog, metadata, lineage, and data quality tools.

· Strong knowledge of governance, stewardship, metadata, master data, and data quality disciplines.

· Experience supporting cloud-based data platforms and AI initiatives.

· Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and organizational leadership skills.

Benefit Overview: This position offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) with company match, paid time off, parental leave and potential for performance-based bonuses

depending on company and individual performance

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