GroupM

Director, Data Governance

Location: Global

Reporting to: VP – Data Excellence

WHO WE ARE

Choreograph is WPP’s global data products and technology company. Our mission is to transform marketing by building the fastest, most connected data platform that bridges marketing strategy to scaled activation.

We partner with agencies and clients to unlock the full value of data by combining technology, data, and analytics expertise. This is delivered through the Open Media Studio, an AI-enabled media and data platform designed for the future of advertising.

Our team of over 1,000 thinkers, builders, creators, and problem-solvers spans 20 markets worldwide, driving innovation and excellence in the advertising industry.

Situated within Choreograph’s Reporting and Analytics group, the Collective Intelligence data modelling product team is responsible for realising the strategic value of combining data assets from across the GroupM business to unlock insights and power cross-functional data driven use cases. They will lead teams building scalable, reusable data modelling assets —libraries of data transformation scripts, APIs to expose data for other Choreograph products, and media team-facing self-service tools—to efficiently meet the data needs of client teams, media and investment teams, analytic product teams, and other stakeholders across WPP. This team is tasked with “making sense of the world” of media and advertising data, addressing gaps in processes, tools, and organizational structures.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are seeking an accomplished Director of Data Governance to lead the development and implementation of our data governance strategy specifically for the data platform. You will ensure data quality, compliance, and accessibility within the platform, enabling reliable and efficient data delivery to downstream consumers. You will be responsible for establishing and maintaining data governance policies, standards, and procedures, with a strong focus on Master Data Management (MDM), Data Cataloguing, and regulatory compliance, all within the context of the data platform. You will be adept at guiding cross-functional teams, particularly engineering, DevOps, Data Modelling, and visualization teams, and embedding data governance principles into scalable, impactful platform features. This role is pivotal to the success of our data initiatives, ensuring data-driven insights are reliable, secure, and compliant within the data platform ecosystem.

The Director will guide the cross functional teams in enhancing the availability, usability, and application of data within the platform, ensuring data is readily available for analytics and reporting. This experienced leader will identify and capitalize on opportunities to improve data quality and enhance data discoverability within the platform, while ensuring adherence to data governance principles. They will be responsible for maintaining strategic product direction and assisting the development team in the successful delivery of initiatives to develop scalable, reusable data transformation logic assets (SQL scripts, DBT models, metadata sets) that integrate seamlessly within the data platform, all within a robust data governance framework.

Key Responsibilities:

• Data Governance Strategy & Execution: Develop, own, and execute the data governance roadmap specifically for the data platform, encompassing data quality, MDM, data cataloguing, and compliance.
• Policy & Standards: Establish and maintain data governance policies, standards, and procedures to ensure data integrity, security, and compliance with relevant regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) within the data platform.
• MDM Implementation: Lead the implementation and management of Master Data Management (MDM) solutions to ensure consistent and accurate master data within the data platform.
• Data Cataloging: Oversee the development and maintenance of a comprehensive data catalog, enabling users to easily discover, understand, and access data assets within the data platform.
• Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure data governance practices align with regulatory requirements and internal policies, and proactively identify and mitigate data-related risks within the data platform.
• Data Quality Management: Define and implement data quality metrics and processes to monitor and improve data accuracy, completeness, and consistency within the data platform.
• Collaboration & Communication (Engineering, DevOps, Data Modelling, Visualization): Collaborate closely with engineering, DevOps, Data Modelling, and visualization teams to ensure data governance principles are integrated into all aspects of the data platform development and operation.
• Data Pipeline Governance: Implement governance controls over data pipelines, ensuring data lineage, data quality, and security are maintained throughout the data flow.
• Data Product Governance: Define and enforce data governance standards for data products built on the data platform, ensuring data quality, security, and compliance.
• Innovation & Research: Use research and market awareness to identify new opportunities and drive data platform innovation, while ensuring data governance considerations are integrated into new initiatives.
• Training & Documentation: Support data platform adoption and engagement by developing effective training, documentation, and user guides, emphasizing data governance best practices.
• Performance Monitoring: Monitor and analyze key data platform performance metrics to identify areas for improvement, and track the effectiveness of data governance initiatives.

About You:

We are looking for a candidate who can display the following attributes:

• Data Governance Expertise: Experience in data governance, data quality management, MDM, and data cataloging within a modern data platform environment (e.g., cloud-based data warehouses, data lakes, data pipelines).
• Data Platform Experience: Proven experience working with modern data platforms, including cloud-based data warehouses, data lakes, and data pipelines.
• Prototyping & Scaling: Demonstrated ability to prototype solutions, scale platform features, and bridge analytics with business execution, while adhering to data governance principles.
• Technical Acumen: Strong understanding of data architecture, data modeling, data integration, data warehousing concepts, and data governance frameworks (e.g., DAMA-DMBOK).
• Technical Skills (Preferred): Experience with MDM and data cataloging tools, data modeling tools, cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP), and data transformation tools (e.g., dbt).
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with engineering, DevOps, data modeling, and visualization teams.
• Analytical & Strategic Thinking: Ability to identify opportunities, address challenges, and optimize data platform performance using strong problem-solving skills, strategic thinking, and consideration of data governance implications.
• Communication & Influence: Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence decisions and work effectively in team-oriented environments.
• Compliance & Security: Strong understanding of data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) and their impact on data governance practices.
• Digital Advertising Knowledge (Bonus): Expertise in campaign planning, budgeting, targeting, and optimization techniques is a plus, but not required.

(Please note this is a UK based role and requires individuals to have the right to work in this location)

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