Position Purpose

As a Data Modeling and Governance Specialist at Aspira, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our data governance framework and enhancing our data modeling practices to support informed decision-making across the organization. This position requires a unique combination of analytical expertise, strategic thinking, and collaborative leadership, as you will be tasked with developing and implementing robust data governance policies and data models that ensure data integrity, consistency, and accessibility. You will work closely with data architects, compliance officers, and business units to establish best practices and standards that align with our company’s mission and regulatory requirements.

In this role, you will lead initiatives to create comprehensive data models that reflect business processes and facilitate advanced analytics capabilities. Your experience in data governance frameworks and modeling methodologies will be critical in promoting data literacy and fostering a culture of data-driven decision-making. Additionally, you will provide mentorship to team members, drive continuous improvement efforts, and contribute to the evolution of our data strategy, ensuring our data assets are effectively utilized to generate actionable insights and enhance overall business performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of data governance frameworks and policies, ensuring data accuracy, consistency, and compliance across all business units.
• Design and optimize data models (Dimensional and Relational) that effectively represent business processes and support advanced analytics initiatives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define data requirements and establish best practices for data modeling and governance.
• Conduct thorough assessments of existing data architectures and recommend enhancements to improve data quality and accessibility.
• Facilitate workshops and training sessions to promote data literacy and awareness of governance practices throughout the organization.
• Oversee the documentation of data models, policies, and procedures to ensure clear communication and adherence to governance standards.
• Monitor and assess data quality metrics, implementing corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives as necessary.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on data governance and modeling, providing guidance and support to stakeholders and team members.
• Stay current with industry trends, regulatory changes, and emerging technologies to inform data governance strategies and practices.
• Manage data-related projects, coordinating efforts across teams to ensure successful implementation and alignment with business objectives.
• Collaborate with IT and data engineering teams to ensure data governance practices are integrated into data pipelines and workflows.
• Review and approve data access requests, ensuring compliance with governance policies and protecting sensitive information.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive data governance roadmap that aligns with the organization’s strategic goals and initiatives.
• Facilitate communication between business units and data teams to address and resolve data-related challenges effectively.
• Advocate for a data-driven culture, promoting the value of accurate and governed data in decision-making processes.
• Adhere to company policies and procedures, upholding high standards for data management, quality, and security.
• Create and maintain DDL scripts for Databricks/Snowflake databases in the repository.
• Create a framework for field-level data lineage and definitions for reports and tables, tracking and maintaining values to ensure consistent definitions and visibility for all customers.
• Create data quality scripts for pipelines when needed.
• Promotes Aspira policies and procedures, the quality of its products and reputation, and consistently supports compliance and all applicable initiatives by maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of information, protecting the assets of the organization, acting with ethics and integrity.
• Supports the Data, Engineering,  and Information Technology departments by participating in relevant projects and priorities and competes with other duties as assigned.

Desired Qualifications

•  Proven experience in developing and implementing data governance frameworks and policies, with a focus on ensuring data quality, consistency, and compliance across organizations.
• Strong background in data modeling techniques, including conceptual, logical, and physical modeling, as well as proficiency in tools such as ERwin, Lucidchart, or similar software.
• In-depth knowledge of data management principles and best practices, with a demonstrated ability to assess and improve data quality metrics and data lifecycle management.
• Familiarity with data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) and experience in implementing governance practices to ensure compliance and protect sensitive information.
• Exceptional problem-solving skills, with a proven track record of addressing complex data issues and driving effective solutions in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, facilitate discussions, and drive a data-driven culture throughout the organization.
• Knowledgeable in Databricks Unity Catalog, Microsoft Purview, AWS Glue Data Catalog, and compatible external tools that integrate with Snowflake installations.

Desired Education and Experience

•  Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Systems, Data Science, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in data governance, data modeling, or data management roles, with a focus on large-scale data environments.
• Proven track record in implementing data governance frameworks for organizations with over 500 employees.
• Experience with at least three data modeling tools (e.g., ERwin, IBM InfoSphere, Lucidchart) and proficiency in SQL.
• Demonstrated success in leading data quality initiatives that improved data accuracy by 30% or more within a year.
• Familiarity with regulatory standards such as GDPR or CCPA, with direct experience in compliance-related projects.

Desired Hardware and Software Competency

•  Proficiency in data modeling tools such as ERwin, IBM InfoSphere, or Microsoft Visio for creating and managing complex data models.
• Experience with data governance platforms like Collibra, Informatica, or Talend for managing data quality and compliance initiatives.
• Familiarity with cloud-based data solutions, including AWS (Redshift, Glue), Azure (Data Factory, Synapse), or Google Cloud (BigQuery).
• Strong skills in SQL and experience with relational databases (e.g., Oracle, SQL Server) and NoSQL databases (e.g., MongoDB, DynamoDB) for data management and analysis.
• Knowledge of data integration and ETL tools such as Apache NiFi, Talend, or Alteryx for data pipeline development and data transformation.
• Experience with data visualization tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker to communicate data insights effectively to stakeholders.
• Experienced with Snowflake, Redshift, and Databricks pipelines, with skills in troubleshooting and developing data quality scripts as needed.

General Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met satisfactorily to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. If requested, reasonable accommodation will be made to enable incumbents with disabilities to perform the essential function absent undue hardship, as this position requires:

• Stationary work, frequent moving to access resources and complete tasks, and positioning self to move in a manner that can be described as bending, stooping, kneeling, reaching, the occasional ascension/descension of a ladder, and/or climbing, with general coordination and balance necessary for safety of movement, manual dexterity to operate office equipment such as phones, computers, copiers, and faxes, as well as the ability to move, transport, position, push /pull materials and objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Daily determination, at a level suitable for safety and awareness within a warehouse environment, obtained through an ability to visually detect, perceive, identify, recognize, and inspect, at a far and close range, with the ability to differentiate colors, is required in tandem with the ability to verbally communicate, converse, discern, convey, and exchange information.
• Frequent operation of a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, printer, etc.,
• Scheduled hours, such as weekend, evening, or holiday shifts may occur as required by the business.