Reed Smith LLP

US Job Description

Firm Information

Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. With an inclusive culture and innovative mindset, we deliver smarter, more creative legal services that drive better outcomes for our clients. Our deep industry knowledge, long-standing relationships and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for complex disputes, transactions and regulatory matters.

Our team of 3,000 people (including more than 1,600 lawyers) across more than 30 offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, operate as one global partnership to drive progress for our clients, for ourselves and for our communities.

Position Summary

Under the direction of the Global Director, Digital Transformation & IT Center of Excellence, the Enterprise Data Architect – Governance & Cloud is responsible for leading the execution of enterprise data architecture and governance. This role plays a key part in developing and implementing scalable data solutions that support business and analytics needs, while ensuring alignment with enterprise standards, regulatory requirements, and organizational priorities.

The position serves as a subject matter expert in data architecture and governance and collaborates closely with IT, cybersecurity, information governance, and business stakeholders to establish data practices that promote integrity, security, and usability. While operating with a high degree of independence, this role partners with the Director to ensure work is aligned with firm strategy and receives the necessary approvals as part of the broader data and technology governance process.

The position is remote; however, the individual must reside within 1-2 hours of commuting distance from the Pittsburgh office. This is to accommodate potential emergencies, special circumstances, or occasional in-office work requests. While the role primarily follows a regular schedule, there may be instances requiring flexibility to work beyond standard hours, making proximity to the office important.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain enterprise-wide data governance and cloud data management practices in partnership with the Global Director of Digital Transformation & IT Center of Excellence, ensuring alignment with business objectives and data standards.
• Collaborate with key business and IT teams, including the Financial Intelligence Unit, Client Intelligence, Innovation, and Client Value groups, to support analytics initiatives and ensure that data is reliable, well-managed, documented, and suitable for use.
• Develop, enforce, and monitor data governance policies, standards, and procedures that ensure privacy, security, compliance, and ethical use, under the guidance and approval of the Director. Coordinate with Information Governance and Cybersecurity teams to align with regulatory requirements and broader risk management strategies. Maintain documentation such as systems of record, business logic, data flow diagrams, and technical configurations to support data integrity and architectural consistency.
• Execute data quality processes such as lineage, validation, and control to ensure data integrity and consistency across platforms.
• Lead the integration, management, and optimization of data movement across cloud-to-cloud, cloud-to-on-premise, and on-premise-to-on-premise environments, under the guidance of the Director.
• Serve as the subject matter expert for data architecture and governance, providing technical expertise to support data-related initiatives across the firm.
• Cleanse, enrich, and validate master data to ensure accuracy and consistency across systems. Collaborate with business users and technical teams to identify and resolve data issues and support effective master data workflows.
• Monitor and report on the effectiveness of data governance and cloud data management efforts. Recommend and implement improvements in coordination with the Director to enhance reliability, performance, and efficiency.
• Promote a culture of data-driven decision-making and continuous innovation by enabling teams with access to high-quality, well-governed data assets.
• Lead and participate in special projects, system upgrades, and process improvement initiatives related to data governance, cloud data management, and analytics enablement.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, evolving data architecture, and apply best practices to support ongoing growth and innovation. Maintain current knowledge of trends in data governance, cloud platforms, and analytics to inform system design recommendations.
• Configure, test, and troubleshoot data architecture components and cloud-based data flows using ETL tools and scripts to ensure optimal performance, resiliency, and cost-efficiency. Under the direction of the Director, define and apply technical standards for data architecture and integration to ensure consistency, interoperability, and alignment with enterprise data strategies.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Job duties and responsibilities included are not exhaustive and may be supplemented as necessary. Reed Smith reserves the right to revise or modify job duties and responsibilities at any time.

Requirements

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Data Management, or a related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience:

• Minimum of seven years of directly relevant work in data governance, data management, and cloud-based data architecture.
• Demonstrated success in developing and implementing data governance frameworks, policies, and procedures in alignment with enterprise standards and under the guidance of leadership.
• Proven ability to execute and coordinate data quality management processes, including data lineage, validation, and quality control.
• Hands-on experience managing and optimizing both cloud-based and on-premise data platforms, including Microsoft SQL, Snowflake, and Azure data resources.
• Background in supporting analytics initiatives by ensuring access to high-quality, well-governed data assets.
• Experience developing and applying data governance policies and risk controls to ensure data privacy, security, compliance, and ethical use.
• Experience ensuring a single source of truth while maximizing data availability through centralized warehouses and data marts.
• Experience collaborating with information governance, cybersecurity, and business teams to align data governance and cloud initiatives with organizational risk management and compliance standards.
• Proven ability to serve as a subject matter expert in data architecture and provide guidance, enablement, or knowledge transfer to IT trainers and non-technical stakeholders.
• Familiarity with monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of data governance and cloud data management initiatives, including recommending and implementing improvements.
• Experience with creating documentation to help data users understand and use firm data, including architectural guides, data dictionaries, and business logic catalog.
• Proven ability to support the management of consumption-based cloud costs related to data storage, preparation, and use.

Skills:

• Mastery of data coding and general scripting languages including MS SQL, Python, PowerShell, and Regular Expressions
• Strong knowledge of data governance principles, frameworks, and best practices.
• Strong knowledge of data modeling specifically in Data Vault, Lake, and Relational/Star Schema.
• Proficiency in data management concepts, including data quality, data lineage, metadata management, and data security.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly and effectively.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to exercise independent judgment in evaluating data governance issues, making decisions on architecture or process design, and supporting continuous improvement.
• Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across technical, governance, business, and analytics teams throughout the enterprise.

Other

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Equipment to be Used: Personal computer and other office equipment such as telephone, calculator, copier, scanner, etc.

Essential Job Functions:

• Ability to sit and/or stand for prolonged periods, as the role involves extensive computer use and meetings.
• Maintain intense eye usage and finger, hand, and wrist dexterity associated with prolonged computer use, including typing and using a mouse.
• Proficiently use computers, telecommunication devices, and other digital collaboration tools.
• Accurately read and interpret written documents, data displays, computer screens, and other visual displays to perform essential professional functions, with sufficient visual acuity to carry out these responsibilities effectively.
• Hear and understand verbal communication, including conversations, instructions, phone and video calls, to facilitate effective collaboration and coordination with team members and stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with internal teams and stakeholders to exchange information, coordinate activities, and ensure mutual understanding in support of organizational goals and initiatives.
• Exercise independent judgment and discretion in decision-making, maintaining resilience and cognitive flexibility while adapting to shifting priorities, ambiguity, and dynamic work situations.
• Assess complex situations and determine appropriate actions.
• Sustain concentration, apply critical thinking, and make sound decisions in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment.
• Maintain high attention to detail and effectively manage multiple priorities.
• Regulate emotions and manage stress effectively to maintain focus, decision-making, and composure in high-pressure or fast-paced work environments.
• Work independently, managing tasks and deadlines in a remote or hybrid work environment without direct oversight.
• Interact professionally with colleagues and stakeholders, maintaining constructive and collaborative working relationships.
• Handle sensitive or confidential data governance and compliance-related information with discretion, ensuring adherence to firm policies and regulatory standards.
• Ability to convey complex technical information clearly and effectively to non-technical audiences, supporting education and knowledge transfer across the organization.
• Collaborate across geographically distributed teams and adjust to differing communication styles and time zones, including working outside standard business hours to meet project deadlines or business needs.

Working Conditions

Works remotely. Occasionally called upon to work hours in excess of your normal daily schedule. Potential for in-office work requests as needed, so proximity to the office is important.

Pay Ranges

This represents the presently-anticipated low and high end of Reed Smith’s pay range for this position. Actual pay may vary based on various factors, including but not limited to location and experience.

• Pittsburgh: $112,000 - $130,000

Employee Benefits Overview

Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Medical Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Virtual Health Services
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Accident Insurance
• Hospital Indemnity Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Short-Term Disability Coverage
• Long-Term Disability Coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Lyra Health Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid Family Leave (for eligible Exempt and Non-Exempt staff)
• College Savings Plan
• Transportation Benefit
• Back-up Child Care Services
• College Coach Program
• Pet Insurance
• Paid Sick Time (for Exempt staff)
• Paid Time Off (available to all full-time, non-temporary employees)

Reed Smith offers a challenging work environment, business casual dress code and a total compensation package that includes a competitive salary, flexible benefits program, tuition assistance, and generous 401(k) plan.

Reed Smith is an Equal Opportunity Employer with Core Values of Integrity, Excellence, Teamwork & Respect, Innovation, and Impact. Reed Smith also provides reasonable accommodations in accordance with law, including in the application and interview process.

Qualified candidates only. No search firms.