Data Governance Chief Specialist

Khibraty; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 300,000 - 450,000; Full time

Job summary

Khibraty in Abu Dhabi seeks a data governance leader to develop and enforce frameworks, ensure compliance with policies, and integrate risk management. The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's in a related field, over 20 years of experience in data governance and management, and strong skills in engaging senior stakeholders. Applicants with a Master's degree are preferred. The role emphasizes driving cross-entity data alignment and performance improvement.

Qualifications

• 20+ years of experience in data governance and management.
• Expertise in policy design and data modelling.
• Experience in multinational environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of data governance frameworks.
• Define and enforce compliance with data policies.
• Drive performance management KPIs and data quality assessments.

Skills

Data governance

Data management

Information architecture

Digital transformation

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Data Management, Business Administration, or Information Technology

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Role Summary

Leads the design and enforcement of Government-Wide data governance frameworks, policies, and standards. Ensures compliance with government regulations, drives performance management KPIs, and enables cross-entity alignment and data sharing.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead development and continuous enhancement of Government-Wide data governance frameworks, including policies and standards.
• Define, measure, and enforce compliance with government data policies and standards through structured monitoring, audits, and performance tracking mechanisms.
• Drive the development, rollout, and governance of government-wide data performance indices to assess and enhance data quality, data sharing, and data management capabilities across entities.
• Lead and manage the end-to-end KPI measurement cycle, including data collection, validation, scoring, and quality assurance.
• Maintain and govern the Government Wide data information model, including enterprise data architecture, key data domains, and relationships.
• Maintain and govern the central data catalogue, metadata, and reference data, ensuring alignment on ownership and resolving cross-entity data inconsistencies and conflicts.
• Promote and enable cross-entity data sharing by engaging with government entities, driving adoption of data sharing platforms, and fostering a collaborative data culture.
• Lead operationalization of governance bodies (e.g., Data Committees, Working Groups) to ensure oversight, alignment, and escalation management.
• Provide strategic oversight on data-related risks and ensure integration with enterprise risk management practices.
• Engage senior stakeholders across government to align governance priorities with strategic and data transformation initiatives.
• Lead continuous improvement of internal governance team practices and performance.

Key Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Data Management, Business Administration, Information Technology, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.
• 20+ years of experience in data governance, data management, information architecture, or digital transformation, with expertise in policy design, data modelling, and enterprise data architecture.
• Proven experience implementing and governing data policies, standards, and operating models in complex, multi-entity or multinational environments.
• Demonstrated experience establishing and scaling enterprise or national-level data governance functions, including compliance and performance measurement frameworks.
• Strong knowledge of data management domains and global frameworks (e.g., DAMA).
• Experience engaging senior stakeholders and leading cross-entity initiatives.