Senior Data Governance Specialist

Thales Group; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended Health

Dental

HSA

RRSP/TFSA plans

Paid holidays and vacation

Well-Being program

Employee Discounts

Job summary

Thales Group across Ottawa is seeking a Senior Data Governance Specialist to lead the development and execution of data governance on the AJISS program. You will charter scope, align owners and stewards, and drive governance adoption to enable trusted data across domains.

The role requires stakeholder collaboration, data quality focus, and the ability to deploy governance frameworks within a hybrid work model in Ottawa. This is a high-impact analytics and security-conscious position.

Qualifications

• Must have 5–10 years leading data governance or data analysis on large programs.
• Document business processes and system requirements over 12+ years of experience.
• Degree in Computer Science, Business Administration, or related discipline.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office tools.

Responsibilities

• Author a data governance charter with scope, vision and principles.
• Develop a data governance structure and roadmap.
• Identify data quality elements and measurement points.
• Establish a framework to improve data accuracy and reliability.
• Lead collaboration across teams to identify data sources, owners and stewards.
• Document data governance processes, policies and procedures.
• Work with cross-functional teams to investigate data trends and gaps.
• Produce metrics and reporting protocols to support decisions.
• Ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability of enterprise data per regulations.
• Reinforce data governance principles and adoption.
• Promote continuous data management improvement.
• Evaluate data toolsets to guide integration improvements.

Skills

Data governance

Data quality

Data modeling

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

MS Office

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related discipline

Tools

SQL

Power BI

Tableau

Data governance tools

Job description

Hybrid Ottawa Senior Data Governance Specialist Position Summary

Location: Ottawa, Canada. In fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible.

As a key member of the Data Management team, the Senior Data Governance Specialist is responsible for promoting and guiding the development of data governance on the AJISS program. Acting as a strategic lead for establishing adherence to a data governance framework, this position is accountable for the creation of a data governance charter, establishment of data related goals, identifying data owners and stewards across multiple domains, and aligning data initiatives with business value objectives. Working closely with other teams across Thales, the Senior Data Governance Specialist will define the data governance scope, vision and structure, and champion the importance of data governance as a purposeful strength to drive high performance and success.

Regulatory Compliance Requirement

This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software or technical information controlled under the Canadian Export Control List and/or the US the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). All applicants must be eligible or able to obtain authorization for such access.

This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software or technical information controlled under the Canadian Export Control List, the Canadian Controlled Goods Program, the Canadian Industrial Security Program, the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the US Export Administration Regulations (EAR). All applicants must be eligible or able to obtain authorization for such access including eligibility to the Canadian Controlled Goods Program and able to obtain a Canadian Enhanced Reliability security clearance.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Author a data governance charter, including scope, vision and principles
• Develop a data governance structure and roadmap
• Identify and define data quality elements and measure points
• Establish a framework to improve data accuracy and reliability
• Lead collaboration efforts with multiple teams to detect data sources, owners and stewards
• Document data governance business processes, policies and procedures
• Work with cross-functional teams to investigate data trends, variances, gaps and improvements
• Produce metrics/KPIs and reporting protocols to support business decisions and long-term data sustainability
• Ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of enterprise data in accordance with relevant regulations and best practices
• Reinforce program data governance principles and adoption
• Promote a culture of continuous data management improvement
• Evaluate data toolsets to provide direction on improving data integration needs and best practices

Minimum Requirements

• 5 -10 years of demonstrated experience within the last 10 years leading data business analysis on a large scale program
• Minimum of 12 years of professional experience documenting business processes and system requirements
• Degree in Computer science, business Administration, or related discipline.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office tools
• Possess strong organizational and time-management skills
• Collaborative mindset and experience working with cross-functional teams
• Attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Knowledge of database concepts and data modeling.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working within an Engineering or Defense Environment
• Experience with enterprise data environments and multi-stakeholder projects is an asset.
• Understanding of data governance, data quality, and reporting practices
• Familiarity with data pipeline automation and workflow management
• Certifications in data analytics, data management, or business intelligence tools (e.g., Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, SQL certification).

Special Position Requirements

Type of Role: Hybrid (Home/Office) - flexibility to work from home, but expected to be in office a minimum of 3 days per week and as required to support the business.

40 hours per week

Physical Environment: Office environment

The reference Total Target Compensation (TTC) market range for this position, inclusive of annual base salary and the variable compensation target, is between Total Target Cash (TTC) $85,000 - $95,000 - 105,000 CAD Annual. This reflects how companies in a similar industry and geographic region generally pay for similar jobs. This range helps the Company make pay decisions as one data point among many. Where a position falls within this range is also dependent on other factors including - but not limited to - the employee’s career path history, competencies, skills and performance, as well as the company’s annual salary budget, the customer’s program requirements, and the company’s internal equity. Thales may offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant's status protected by local, state, or federal law.

Benefits

• Company paid Extended Health, Dental, HSA, Life, AD&D, Short-term Disability, Cancer Care Program, travel insurance, Employee Assistance Plan and Well-Being program.
• Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP, DCPP, TFSA) with a company contribution and a match to a DCPP, with no vesting period.
• Company paid holidays, vacation days, and paid sick leave.
• Voluntary Life, AD&D, Critical Illness, Long-Term Disability.
• Employee Discounts on home, auto, and gym membership.

Thales is an equal opportunity employer which values diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. Thales is committed to providing accommodations in all parts of the interview process. Applicants selected for an interview who require accommodation are asked to advise accordingly upon the invitation for an interview. We will work with you to meet your needs. All accommodation information provided will be treated as confidential and used only for the purpose of providing an accessible candidate experience.

We use artificial intelligence-enabled tools as part of our recruitment process to support activities such as candidate discovery, résumé matching, and interview scheduling. These tools may help screen and assess applications and recommend potential matches based on the requirements within the job description. All hiring decisions, including candidate evaluation, selection, and disposition, are made by human recruiters. Artificial intelligence does not make hiring decisions on our behalf.