Data Governance Specialist (Ref: 198304)

Operating across agriculture, animal and livestock markets, and food and beverage manufacturing, our client manages activities where reliable information supports production, supply, quality, and commercial decision-making. The organisation is developing stronger data capabilities to improve how information is catalogued, accessed, protected, and applied across a diverse operating environment. This role will contribute to that evolution by helping establish governance practices that support operational needs, regulatory expectations, and responsible future use of data and AI.

The Data Governance Specialist will translate governance requirements into practical controls across the organisation’s data landscape. Based in Manhattan, the role will strengthen the management of information beyond reporting and business intelligence tools, creating clearer standards for classification, access, protection, and responsible use.

Success will involve making governance measurable and usable for technical and business stakeholders. Working across Data Engineering, Analytics, and operational teams, you will help establish consistent controls, resolve governance gaps, and create foundations that can scale as data access expands and AI-related use cases develop.

This is an implementation-focused position for a specialist who can move confidently between policy, platform configuration, and stakeholder adoption. The strongest contribution will be visible in better-defined data ownership, more appropriate permissions, improved discoverability, and a governance model embedded in everyday working practices.

• Establish and operationalise data governance controls across core data platforms and environments.
• Extend governance practices from BI and reporting layers into underlying datasets, tables, columns, and pipelines.
• Design and maintain data classification standards covering business-critical, sensitive, restricted, and regulated information.
• Apply metadata tagging and cataloguing approaches that improve data discoverability and accountability.
• Implement role-based access controls, permission models, and approval workflows appropriate to data sensitivity.
• Partner with Data Engineering and Analytics teams to embed governance into platform design, delivery, and ongoing maintenance.
• Engage business stakeholders to clarify ownership, usage requirements, retention expectations, and acceptable access patterns.
• Identify control weaknesses, prioritise remediation, and track progress through clear governance measures and reporting.
• Support the development of governance practices for expanding data access, automation, and AI-enabled initiatives.
• Create practical guidance, operating procedures, and supporting documentation that encourage consistent adoption.

• Demonstrable experience implementing data governance in a complex or growing organisation.
• Strong practical knowledge of data classification, metadata management, cataloguing, and ownership models.
• Experience configuring or administering role-based access controls and permissions across data platforms.
• Capability to identify sensitive, confidential, or restricted information and translate findings into appropriate controls.
• Understanding of governance across data warehouses, lakes, platforms, BI environments, or comparable enterprise data ecosystems.
• Experience working directly with Data Engineering, Analytics, Information Security, Compliance, and business stakeholders.
• Ability to convert governance principles into repeatable processes, technical requirements, and measurable controls.
• Awareness of the governance implications associated with broader data access, automation, machine learning, and AI use.
• Strong analytical judgement, with the ability to assess risk, prioritise issues, and recommend proportionate action.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain governance expectations to both technical and non-technical audiences.

• The opportunity to build and influence a developing governance capability across agriculture, livestock, and food manufacturing operations.
• Direct exposure to data platform, analytics, access management, and emerging AI governance initiatives.
• A Manhattan-based position with broad visibility across technical, operational, and business stakeholders.
• Meaningful ownership of controls that improve data trust, security, discoverability, and responsible use.
• Scope to shape standards, workflows, and operating practices rather than simply maintain established processes.
• Professional growth through involvement in cross-functional data transformation and governance maturity programmes.
• Access to the systems, stakeholders, and business context required to deliver visible improvements.
• A role with long-term influence as the organisation expands its use of data and strengthens its digital operating model.

This position is suited to a hands-on governance professional who enjoys turning broad requirements into controls that people can apply consistently. Experience gained in data quality, platform governance, access management, information security, or privacy may provide a strong foundation where it includes practical ownership of governance outcomes.

The role is based in Manhattan, New York, and requires the judgement to balance operational access with appropriate protection. Candidates should be prepared to work across disciplines, challenge unclear ownership or permissions constructively, and help establish governance practices that remain effective as the organisation’s data estate and AI ambitions grow.