Data Governance & Enablement Lead

The Data Governance & Enablement Lead is an exceptional communicator able to bridge technical and non-technical audiences at all levels of the organization and will champion a culture of data stewardship and self-service analytics in support of the ASPCA’s mission to end cruelty to animals. They will serve as a subject matter expert (SME) and operational driver of the ASPCA’s enterprise data governance program, while also bringing meaningful business intelligence capability to a growing team. This individual is an exceptional communicator able to bridge technical and non-technical audiences at all levels of the organization and will champion a culture of data stewardship and self-service analytics in support of the ASPCA’s mission to end cruelty to animals., Partnering closely with the Director of Enterprise Data Management & Business Intelligence, this role will assume day-to-day ownership of the newly established Enterprise Data Governance framework, sponsored by senior leadership to drive coordination, continuous improvement, and long-term maturation across the organization. In parallel, this individual will contribute to Power BI standards, training, and best practices, helping to expand BI capacity on a small but high-impact team. This role requires a highly self-directed, proactive individual who can independently identify needs, initiate action, and advance priorities.

The ideal candidate is a governance practitioner first, experienced in operationalizing frameworks, managing workgroups, and building data stewardship culture, who also brings hands-on Power BI skills and a genuine interest in enabling others to use data effectively

• The Data Governance & Enablement Lead reports directly to the Director, Enterprise Data Management & Business Intelligence and has no direct reports., Responsibility buckets are listed in general order of importance, and include but are not limited to:

Data Governance Framework Operationalization & Continuous Improvement

• Assume ownership of the ASPCA’s newly established Enterprise Data Governance framework, driving day-to-day operations, enforcing standards, and continuously maturing governance practices across the organization
• Serve as Coordinator for the Data Governance Council; manage agendas, document decisions, track action items, and maintain official governance artifacts including charters, policies, standards, and decision logs
• Lead the launch and facilitation of new governance workgroups as they are initiated, ensuring each develops a charter, defines scope, and executes against near-term and long-term priorities; continuously evaluate and improve the effectiveness of active workgroups
• Collaborate with the Director, Enterprise Data Management & BI and cross-functional stakeholders to onboard and support data stewards and data owners, define roles and responsibilities, and reinforce accountability over time
• Ensure data governance touchpoints are consistently integrated into project workflows for both new system implementations and existing system harmonization
• Monitor governance metrics and KPIs; proactively identify gaps and risks and escalate issues to the Data Governance Council and Strategic Data Review Board as appropriate
• Evaluate and improve data governance tooling, processes, and operating rhythms on an ongoing basis to increase adoption, efficiency, and organizational trust in data
• Support the Data Catalog and Glossary Tool selection and implementation defining processes for ongoing catalog governance
• Support the Director in preparing materials and recommendations for the Data Governance Council and Strategic Data Review Board

Business Intelligence Enablement

• Develop and enforce Power BI standards, best practices, and quality controls including report design conventions, naming standards, data model governance, row-level security, and workspace organization
• Serve as a Power BI resource for the team and the broader organization, providing hands-on guidance to report developers and business users on building accurate, performant, and maintainable BI solutions
• Design and deliver a tiered Power BI training program for both view-only users and power users, covering navigation, report interpretation, self-service analytics, and development best practices
• Establish and oversee a Power BI quality control process, reviewing reports and datasets prior to publication to ensure accuracy, consistency with enterprise data definitions, and alignment with governance standards
• Partner with Data Engineering and the Director to govern the semantic/BI layer in Snowflake and Power BI, ensuring datasets reflect approved data models and medallion architecture conventions
• Drive self-service BI adoption by making trusted, well-documented datasets readily available; reduce ad hoc report burden through proactive enablement and documentation

Data Quality, Management & Master Data Support

• Support the management of the enterprise data catalog, business glossary, and data dictionary, contributing to the accuracy, accessibility, and consistent application of data definitions, terminology, and metadata across systems and teams
• Help define and monitor data quality metrics, thresholds, and KPIs; support data quality remediation efforts and contribute to continuous improvement in data reliability and trust
• Establish and maintain metadata management standards, including data lineage documentation, data profiling, and business and technical metadata governance
• Develop familiarity with the ASPCA’s MDM platform (Reltio) over time, supporting governance standards around master data domains, golden record definitions, and reference data

Communication, Stakeholder Engagement & Data Literacy

• Serve as a clear and effective communicator on data topics, translating complex data governance, quality, and analytics concepts for stakeholders at all levels of the organization, from front-line program staff to senior leadership
• Develop and deliver proactive, organization-wide communications about data governance updates, new standards, BI capabilities, and data literacy resources through appropriate internal channels
• Develop and maintain the data governance hub (artifacts, decisions, updates) ensuring information is current, accessible, and useful to a broad audience
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with data SMEs across the organization, including program operations teams, privacy ambassadors, Power BI power users, and others engaged in data-related projects

Do you have experience in Technical Proficiency?, Do you have a High school diploma or GED?, Able to serve as an organizational SME, synthesizing technical expertise with practical implementation to guide decision-making across teams

• Skilled at communicating complex data and governance concepts clearly to stakeholders at all organizational levels, from program staff to executive leadership
• Able to plan, coordinate, and execute across multiple concurrent workstreams with a high degree of organization and follow-through
• Builds trusted relationships across teams; works collaboratively to achieve shared goals and foster accountability
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity; able to define structure where it does not yet exist and adapt priorities as organizational needs evolve
• Strong facilitation and meeting management skills; able to drive discussions to clear decisions and documented outcomes
• Demonstrated ability to develop and deliver effective training programs for diverse audiences with varying levels of data literacy
• Champions data literacy, self-service analytics, and stewardship as core to organizational health and mission delivery
• Gives and seeks feedback; continuous learner with a growth mindset
• Cultivates a climate in which individual differences and perspectives are valued, encouraged, and supported

Technical Requirements

• Demonstrated experience owning and continuously improving enterprise data governance frameworks, including governance bodies, policies, standards, and stewardship models
• Advanced proficiency in Power BI including data modeling, DAX, report and dashboard development, workspace and gateway management, row-level security
• Experience managing or contributing to enterprise data catalogs, business glossaries, and data dictionaries, including defining and governing data definitions, terminology, and metadata standards
• Strong understanding of metadata management practices, including data lineage, data profiling, and data quality monitoring and remediation
• Understanding of medallion architecture (Bronze/Silver/Gold) and its role in governing data quality and trust across layers
• Familiarity with star schema design principles and how dimensional modeling supports BI and reporting governance
• Experience with enterprise data platforms including data warehouses and semantic/BI layers (e.g., Snowflake, Power BI)
• Familiarity with Master Data Management (MDM) concepts including master data domains, golden record standards, and reference data governance; hands-on platform experience (e.g., Reltio, Informatica, Stibo) a plus
• Working knowledge of data protection, privacy, and regulatory compliance practices a plus
• Basic understanding of SQL and other programming languages (Python, etc.) a plus

Language

* English

Education and Work Experience

* High School Diploma or GED (Required)

• 5+ years of experience in data governance, data management, business intelligence, or a related data discipline required
• 3+ years of hands-on Power BI development and administration experience, including report governance and training, required
• Demonstrated experience owning and maturing an enterprise data governance framework in a complex, cross-functional organization required
• Experience managing or contributing to an enterprise data catalog, business glossary, or data quality program required
• Experience serving as a data SME on enterprise-wide projects or initiatives required
• Demonstrated experience communicating data concepts and programs to a broad range of audiences, including non-technical stakeholders and senior leadership, required
• Experience in designing and delivering data or BI training programs strongly preferred
• Experience coordinating governance bodies, steering committees, or working groups strongly preferred
• Hands-on MDM platform experience (e.g., Reltio, Informatica, or similar) preferred but not required; willingness to develop MDM proficiency over time is expected
• Experience working in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization preferred

Pulled from the full job description

• On-the-job training
• Paid parental leave
• Parental leave
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

• Dental insurance, Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to education, training, experience, location, business needs, internal equity, market demands or budgeted amount for the role. The target hiring range is for new hire offers only, and compensation may increase beyond the maximum hiring range based on performance over time. The maximum of the hiring range is reserved for candidates with the highest qualifications and relevant experience. The expected hiring salary ranges for this role are set forth below and may be modified in the future.

• $130,000 - $135,000 annually, At the ASPCA, you don’t have to choose between your passion and making a living. Our comprehensive benefits package helps ensure you can live a rewarding life at work and at home. Our benefits include, but are not limited to:
• Affordable health coverage, including medical, employer-paid dental, and optional vision coverage.
• Flexible time off that includes vacation time, sick and bereavement time, paid parental leave, 10 company paid holidays, and paid personal time off that allows you even more flexibility to observe the days that mean the most to you.
• Competitive financial incentives and retirement savings including a 401(k) plan with generous employer contributions - we match dollar for dollar up to 4% and provide an additional 4% contribution toward your future each year.
• Robust professional development opportunities including classes, on-the-job training, coaching and mentorship with industry-leading peers, internal mobility, opportunities to support in the field, and so much more.

The Information Technology (IT) department supports and improves a broad portfolio of technologies to support our staff. IT ensures that all ASPCA staff, partners, and communities have the systems needed to work effectively and efficiently to improve animal welfare. The sub-teams within IT include Product, Data and Reporting Solutions, Operations and Information Security, Technical Support, Enterprise Architecture, and Business Operations., The ASPCA was founded in 1866 on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment by humans and must be protected under the law. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States.

The ASPCA is headquartered in New York City, where we maintain a full-service animal hospital, spay/neuter clinic, mobile spay/neuter and primary pet care clinics, a rehabilitation center for canine victims of cruelty, kitten nursery, adoption center, and two community veterinary centers.

The ASPCA also operates programs and services that extend nationwide. We assist animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary community through research, training, and resources.

At the ASPCA, we are committed to fostering a collaborative and compassionate culture and we welcome all voices to contribute to our lifesaving mission. Our staff represent a vast array of backgrounds and diversity dimensions, bringing with them valuable experiences and perspectives. They join the ASPCA to learn, grow, and continually do their best work on behalf of animals. We are inspired by our staff, partners, and the communities we support across the country who work to improve animal lives. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion at the ASPCA because it elevates our organizational culture, aligns with our Core Values, and enables us to move further and faster toward the ASPCA’s vision - that all animals live good lives; valued by society, protected by its laws, and free from cruelty, pain and suffering. Our EEO Policy: The ASPCA is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the ASPCA’s standard application process, which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on the ASPCA. Please inform the ASPCA’s People Team if you need an accommodation in order to complete any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.