Lead Data Manager

Balance Recruitment; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Balance Recruitment is seeking a senior Lead Data Manager to drive the uplift of metadata for priority data assets across multiple domains. You will shape project delivery, guide metadata specialists and collaborate with stakeholders to build reliable, well-governed data foundations that support strategic decision‑making and AI readiness.

This is a senior, hands-on leadership role requiring the ability to set clear priorities, manage delivery across a multidisciplinary team, and ensure quality

Qualifications

• Strong data governance and metadata management experience.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and drive strategic initiatives.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end uplift of business metadata across priority data assets.
• Define governance, milestones, and reporting cadence for the project.
• Oversee metadata registries, data dictionaries and lineage documentation.
• Coordinate with AI projects and program areas to harmonise terminology.
• Manage delivery risks, blockers and dependencies.
• Ensure metadata records are clear for business and technical audiences.

Skills

Data governance

Metadata management

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Strategic planning

Analytical thinking

Documentation & training

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Project tracking tools

Job description

Lead Data Manager – Metadata Project Lead

Join our client’s team as a Lead Data Manager and lead the end-to-end uplift of business metadata for priority, high-value data assets. You’ll shape project delivery, guide metadata specialists and work with stakeholders to build reliable, well-governed data foundations that support strategic decision-making and AI readiness.

This is a senior, hands-on leadership opportunity for someone who can bring structure to complex data and metadata work, set clear priorities and ensure quality outcomes across a multidisciplinary team.

Key responsibilities

• Establish and maintain project scope, governance, success measures, delivery cadence and reporting.
• Identify and prioritise high-value data assets across approved AI projects and relevant program areas.
• Set priorities, allocate resources, track milestones and manage delivery risks, blockers and dependencies.
• Lead analysis of existing metadata, data dictionaries, lineage, warehouse artefacts and source-system documentation.
• Assess metadata coverage, quality, duplication, gaps and inconsistent terminology; oversee harmonisation where appropriate.
• Ensure metadata records are complete, consistent and written in clear language for business and technical audiences.
• Lead and support metadata registrars and developers, including workflow, performance, wellbeing and capability development.
• Engage subject matter experts, data stewards, engineers, analysts and AI project contacts to validate metadata and resolve feedback.
• Provide training and capability uplift in ISO/IEC 11179 and applicable metadata standards.
• Support sustainable stewardship and ongoing maintenance of registered metadata records.

About you

• You have demonstrated experience implementing the ISO/IEC 11179 standard for metadata registries.
• You bring strong data governance and information management expertise, with knowledge of relevant standards and frameworks such as ONDC metadata attributes, National Archives of Australia requirements and DCAT.
• You have led complex data, metadata or governance projects and multidisciplinary teams.
• You can set strategic direction while managing competing priorities, delivery risks and operational detail.
• You are an effective people leader who can coach, mentor and support staff through change.
• You communicate clearly, build productive stakeholder relationships and adapt your approach to different audiences.
• You have strong research, synthesis and analytical skills, with sound evidence-based judgement.
• You are confident using Microsoft Excel and project tracking tools, and can quickly learn an organisation’s programs and data landscape.
• Experience supporting analytics, automation or AI-related data initiatives will be valuable.

Role details

The initial contract is for up to 12 months, with an estimated start date of 1 December 2026. Work locations are in selected state capital cities, as well as Cairns and Robina, across Queensland, the ACT, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.

The role is expected to be onsite for the first six weeks. A hybrid arrangement may then be considered, subject to business needs and reasonable travel distance to the selected work location.

Candidates must be able to obtain a Baseline security clearance.

Balance Recruitment is committed to equal opportunity employment. We celebrate diversity and encourage people from all sections of our community to apply for.