Data Governance Lead

Location: New York

Overview Cleary Gottlieb is a pioneer in globalizing the legal profession. We have 14 offices in major financial centers around the world, but we operate as a single, integrated global partnership and not as a U.S. firm with a network of overseas locations. The firm employs approximately 1,100 lawyers from more than 50 countries.

Since 1946 our lawyers and staff have worked across practices, industries, jurisdictions, and continents to provide clients with simple, actionable approaches to their most complex legal and business challenges, whether domestic or international. We support every client relationship with intellectual agility, commercial acumen, and a human touch.

Cleary Gottlieb is seeking a Data Governance Lead to help establish, implement, and mature the Firm’s global data governance practice. Reporting to the Director of Data Strategy and Governance, this role will translate the Firm’s data governance strategy into an effective operating model, practical standards, clearly defined decision rights, and measurable improvements in the quality, consistency, understanding, and governance of Firm data.

The Data Governance Lead will serve as the operational owner of the Firm’s data governance framework and processes. The role will establish how data governance operates across the Firm, including the Data Owner and Data Steward model, governance forums and decision processes, data quality methodology, metadata and lineage practices, issue management and escalation, governance measurement, and training and adoption.

Working across a federated governance model, the Data Governance Lead will partner closely with Data Owners and Data Stewards and with colleagues across IT, Risk, Finance, Practice Development, Business Development, Innovation, AI, and other functions. The role will initially focus on priority data domains supporting the Firm’s clients, matters, knowledge, financial, and operational activities.

Through this work, the Data Governance Lead will help create a trusted and well-governed data foundation that supports effective decision-making, operational efficiency, client service, analytics, innovation, automation, and AI.Responsibilities Data Governance Operating Model Lead the implementation and day-to-day operation of the Firm’s federated data governance operating model under the direction of the Director of Data Strategy and Governance.

Establish the processes, standards, procedures, roles, decision rights, governance forums, and escalation mechanisms through which the Firm governs data.

Clearly define and document the respective accountabilities of Data Owners, Data Stewards, technology custodians, and Data Governance to prevent ambiguity between business and governance responsibilities.

Establish repeatable governance processes for decisions, approvals, exceptions, escalations, cross-domain issues, and changes to governance standards.

Ensure governance processes enable business accountability rather than transferring ownership of business data or business decisions to IT or the Data Governance function.

Monitor adoption and effectiveness of the operating model and recommend improvements as the Firm’s governance practice matures.

Data Ownership and Stewardship Establish and operationalize the Firm’s Data Owner and Data Steward model, including role definitions, decision rights, responsibilities, working practices, training, and supporting materials.

Enable Data Owners to exercise accountability for their domains by providing consistent processes for making and documenting decisions concerning data definitions, quality expectations, appropriate business use, priorities, and issue remediation.

Establish the processes and tools through which Data Stewards maintain business…