Data Governance Systems Designer

IBM; Chicago (IL); Remote; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k)

Paid time off

Training and certification assistance

Job summary

IBM Consulting is seeking a Data Governance Systems Designer to define and operationalize governance for data products across large modernization programs. You will specify data definitions, ownership, quality rules, and metadata to ensure trust and auditable platforms.

You will document lineage, metadata, and classification across AWS/Databricks and SAP data, and implement data quality and monitoring with product owners and engineers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Willingness to travel 4 days per week.
• Proven governance experience in complex enterprise environments.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain business glossary, data elements, ownership, and steward models.
• Document data lineage, metadata, and classification for data products on AWS/Databricks and SAP data.
• Design data quality rules, thresholds, and monitoring with data product owners and engineers.
• Align logical models with governance standards (Erwin/ER Studio).
• Apply governance policies in Databricks Unity Catalog and Collibra if adopted.
• Run governance workshops and establish stewardship forums with stakeholders.
• Support compliance, privacy, and audit needs; report governance metrics.
• Design and implement metadata management repositories and data quality dashboards.
• Collaborate with technical teams to implement data quality rules and automate monitoring.

Skills

Data governance

Data analysis

Data management

SQL

Collibra

Databricks Unity Catalog

Erwin/ER Studio

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Collibra

Alation

Microsoft Purview

Databricks Unity Catalog

AWS data platforms

Job description

Introduction

A career in IBM Consulting is built on long‑term client relationships and close collaboration worldwide. You'll work with leading companies across industries, helping them shape their hybrid cloud and AI journeys. With support from our strategic partners, robust IBM technology, and Red Hat, you'll have the tools to drive meaningful change and accelerate client impact. At IBM Consulting, curiosity fuels success. You'll be encouraged to challenge the norm, explore new ideas, and create innovative solutions that deliver real results. Our culture of growth and empathy focuses on your long‑term career development while valuing your unique skills and experiences.

Your role and responsibilities

Data Governance Systems Designer with a data governance focus to define and operationalize governance for data products built in a large data modernization program. You will design the data definitions, ownership, quality rules, and metadata that make the new platform trusted and auditable.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the business glossary, critical data elements, data definitions, and data ownership/stewardship models.
• Document data lineage, metadata, and classification for data products across AWS/Databricks and SAP-sourced data.
• Design data quality rules, thresholds, and monitoring requirements with data product owners and engineers.
• Work with data modelers and engineers to keep logical models (in Erwin / ER Studio, where used) aligned with governance standards.
• Apply governance policies in Databricks Unity Catalog (access, classification, lineage), and in a governance tool such as Collibra if it is adopted.
• Run governance workshops, issue-resolution processes, and stewardship forums with business and IT stakeholders.
• Support compliance, privacy, and audit needs, and report on governance metrics.
• Design, implement, and maintain data governance and data management processes for the client, covering data quality and metadata management.
• Analyze stakeholder needs, develop communication plans, and execute communications to support successful adoption of data governance processes.
• Design and implement metadata management repositories that capture business and data quality rules, and create data quality reports and dashboards.
• Collaborate with technical resources to implement data quality rules and automate monitoring and reporting.
• Operate issue tracking processes and facilitate prompt resolution of data-related issues with the client.

This job can be performed from anywhere in the US

Required education

• Bachelor's Degree

Required technical and professional expertise

• Must be able to travel 4 days per week (mandatory).
• Strong professional expertise in data governance, data analysis, or data management, with demonstrated ability to apply governance principles in complex enterprise environments.
• Hands‑on experience with Collibra, Alation, Microsoft Purview, or similar governance/catalogue tools, along with Databricks Unity Catalog and AWS data platforms.
• Expertise in business glossaries, metadata management, data lineage, data quality frameworks, and governance technologies.
• Strong SQL and data‑profiling skills, with knowledge of data modelling and tools such as Erwin or ER Studio.
• Experience defining and automating data quality rules, monitoring, reporting, and issue management, including governance of unstructured and streaming data.
• Strong stakeholder facilitation, documentation, communication, and cross‑functional collaboration skills.

Preferred technical and professional experience

• Experience integrating data governance and data‑quality processes with enterprise systems, monitoring, and reporting.
• Knowledge of Amazon EventBridge, Apache Kafka, Amazon SQS, and governance of near‑real‑time and real‑time data.
• Knowledge of SAP‑native data products, SAP governance concepts, and SAP IS‑U.
• DAMA/CDMP certification and/or experience in the utilities or energy industry.
• Experience building metadata repositories, data‑quality dashboards, and integrated governance reporting.

ABOUT BUSINESS UNIT

IBM Consulting is IBM’s consulting and global professional services business, with market leading capabilities in business and technology transformation. With deep expertise in many industries, we offer strategy, experience, technology, and operations services to many of the most innovative and valuable companies in the world. Our people are focused on accelerating our clients’ businesses through the power of collaboration. We believe in the power of technology responsibly used to help people, partners and the planet.

YOUR LIFE @ IBM

In a world where technology never stands still, we understand that, dedication to our clients success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in all our relationships, lives in what we do as IBMers as we strive to be the catalyst that makes the world work better.

Being an IBMer means you’ll be able to learn and develop yourself and your career, you’ll be encouraged to be courageous and experiment everyday, all whilst having continuous trust and support in an environment where everyone can thrive whatever their personal or professional background.

Our IBMers are growth minded, always staying curious, open to feedback and learning new information and skills to constantly transform themselves and our company. They are trusted to provide on‑going feedback to help other IBMers grow, as well as collaborate with colleagues keeping in mind a team focused approach to include different perspectives to drive exceptional outcomes for our customers. The courage our IBMers have to make critical decisions everyday is essential to IBM becoming the catalyst for progress, always embracing challenges with resources they have to hand, a can‑do attitude and always striving for an outcome focused approach within everything that they do.

Are you ready to be an IBMer?

ABOUT IBM

IBM’s greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.

Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we’re also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 500 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business.

At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it’s time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.

IBM is proud to be an equal‑opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, or other characteristics protected by the applicable law. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.

OTHER RELEVANT JOB DETAILS

• Healthcare benefits including medical & prescription drug coverage, dental, vision, and mental health & well being
• Financial programs such as 401(k), cash balance pension plan, the IBM Employee Stock Purchase Plan, financial counseling, life insurance, short & long- term disability coverage, and opportunities for performance based salary incentive programs
• Generous paid time off including 12 holidays, minimum 56 hours sick time, 120 hours vacation, 12 weeks parental bonding leave in accordance with IBM Policy, and other Paid Care Leave programs. IBM also offers paid family leave benefits to eligible employees where required by applicable law
• Training and educational resources on our personalized, AI-driven learning platform where IBMers can grow skills and obtain industry-recognized certifications to achieve their career goals
• Diverse and inclusive employee resource groups, giving & volunteer opportunities, and discounts on retail products, services & experiences

We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.

IBM will not be providing visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Therefore, in order to be considered for this position, you must have the ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship.

The compensation range and benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year. The salary will vary depending on your job-related skills, experience and location. Pay increment and frequency of pay will be in accordance with employment classification and applicable laws. For part time roles, your compensation and benefits will be adjusted to reflect your hours. Benefits may be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year.