Water Business Group Data Steward

Water Business Group Data Steward (194390)

At HDR, employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected. This role shapes how data is defined, used, and reused across our Water Business Group and HDR.

When data is defined differently from team to team, project to project, or region to region, it becomes harder to trust, harder to reuse, and harder to scale. This role works to fix that at the source by establishing consistent data definitions, fostering shared understanding, and enabling confident reuse across projects, teams, and time.

• Establish and coordinate a network of SME expertise across the Water Business Group to define technical standards aligned with Water data practices and enterprise expectations.
• Develop and maintain business‑aligned data definitions for key engineering and technical terms that support structured data models, reporting, automation, and AI use cases.
• Build alignment and consensus around data processes, priority, and expected use within the Water Business Group.
• Promote consistent, responsible use of technical data—including access, data quality, best practice for format, and reuse.
• Support governance of externally sourced datasets with regards to access, approvals, inventory awareness, storage, and lifecycle considerations.
• Promote data fluency across the Water Business Group.
• Coordinate with the Technology Director to align data workflows and initiatives with the Water BG Strategy.
• Lead change‑management efforts to drive adoption of data standards, practices, and tools across the Water BG.
• Regularly communicate and collaborate with other Data Stewards, Enterprise Data Science Teams, and Enterprise Data Operations staff.
• Ensure new tools identified for implementation within the Water BG are aligned with data strategy.

Embedded in the Water Business Group (not an IT role), this role is enablement‑focused, collaborative, and part of technology leadership that supports effective project delivery.

• Understand how data is delivered, defined and used in the Water industry and on projects.
• Trusted by peers and leaders, with strong data fluency and curiosity to keep learning.
• Can translate complex practices into clear, usable guidance and make decisions that drive consensus.
• Bring a solid technical network for feedback and alignment.
• Demonstrate credibility in data, technology, and delivery practices and can influence teams through clarity, consistency, and outcomes.
• Able to clearly communicate the importance of data integrity at all levels of the organization.
• Experienced leaders—this role is not intended for early‑career staff.

• Establish repeatable data practices that define how data is captured, structured, governed, and reused across systems, workflows, and delivery teams.
• Maintain a Water service line data glossary that people use.
• Provide a go‑to steward for BGs to train staff and answer data questions.
• Translate data definitions and classifications into data models and AI tools that are reliable and structured enough to answer leadership questions.
• Ensure teams have the tools to leverage data effectively for project delivery and pursuits.
• Encourage proactive reference to shared definitions instead of creating local terminology.

• Ten years of strategic leadership experience focused on growing, developing and leading teams in change management and working with data.
• Fifteen years of overall experience providing diverse data‑centric solutions and services to an organization and the industry.

• Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, data science, business, computer science, or a related discipline (or equivalent experience).
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in the Water engineering industry.
• Experience in development and management of diverse teams.
• Ability to work cooperatively with other leaders, operations managers, technical directors, and marketing managers.
• Committed to quality, improvement, and HDR values.
• Active participation in HDR’s employee‑owned culture is a must.

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.