Data Governance Manager

Role Summary
The Data Governance Lead acts as Bristlecone's senior on-the-ground governance resource for the client's master data governance initiative, serving as the execution arm for a governance operating model the client has already defined. This role owns program cadence and sponsor reporting, drives business data ownership across functions, and ensures the master data, cataloging and data quality foundations required to unblock the Agent E-Commerce initiative are established and sustained.

Key Responsibilities
Serve as the primary interface to the client's Data Governance lead and Global Data Strategy sponsor; own the overall governance operating model and program cadence.
Hold accountability for the master data ownership framework — defining who owns which product master attributes across Marketing, Digital, Supply Chain and R&D.
Lead business ownership workshops and sponsor reporting; oversee Atlan/DQLabs governance strategy and quality decisions across the Data Governance Foundations and Data Quality Improvement streams.
Conduct workshops to identify and formally establish business data owners/stewards for critical product attributes; define the Data Governance Operating Model (roles, responsibilities, stewardship workflows, decision-making).
Collaborate with business owners to define, document and prioritize data quality rules (completeness, accuracy, validity) for the initiative — documentation only; implementation of underlying fixes remains with the client's build teams.
Coordinate hand-off of specifications to the client's IT build team.
Document business definitions, master data context and ownership in Atlan; support root-cause analysis on prioritized attributes.
Deliver a comprehensive “Program-in-a-Box” toolkit — templates, process guides and framework documents — plus a Final Handover & Operational Framework document for ongoing program management.
Required Skills & Experience
10+ years in data governance, master data management or data quality management, ideally within a CPG or similar large-enterprise environment.
Demonstrated experience defining and operationalizing data governance operating models — ownership, stewardship workflows, decision rights.
Strong stakeholder management and workshop facilitation skills; proven ability to convert reluctant business owners using quantified impact.
Hands-on familiarity with data catalog and data quality tooling (e.g., Atlan, DQLabs/Teal Labs, Collibra, Informatica or equivalent).
Working knowledge of product master data structures (SAP MDG/ERP, PIM/MDM platforms such as Stibo) and how they feed downstream data products.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable presenting to senior sponsors (VP/CxO level) and facilitating cross-functional workshops.
Prior experience delivering program governance frameworks, toolkits and handover documentation for enterprise data initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with AI-driven or agentic commerce/PDP initiatives, or governance support for GenAI-enabled data products.
Familiarity with root-cause analysis and remediation planning for product master data (e.g., GTIN standardization, packaging hierarchy, SKU lifecycle status).