About the job
The Associate Director of Data Strategy and Governance is responsible for spearheading the University’s data governance initiatives. This role collaborates with senior leaders and data stewards to cultivate a data-driven culture, enhancing best practices in metadata management, data quality, and data security. This position plays a crucial role in elevating Harvard’s overall data maturity.
Reporting to the Associate Provost for Institutional Research & Analytics and working closely with the AVP for Administrative Technology Services in HUIT, the Associate Director will coordinate efforts with both OIRA and HUIT to meet the data needs of the entire University.
Key Responsibilities:
This role is integral in uniting stakeholders across the University to address pressing data-related challenges, while establishing mechanisms to safeguard and strategically utilize our data. As the University’s data maturity progresses, the responsibilities of the Associate Director may adapt accordingly.
Organizational Development & Communications:
- Lead and recruit members for the Executive Data Committee (EDC), University Data Advisory Group (UDAG), and Data Stewardship Council (DSC).
- Establish effective communication channels regarding data initiatives across various schools and departments and build a thriving community of practice among data stewards.
- Develop and sustain a curriculum for data governance training for data stewards and other key stakeholders.
- Enhance executive support for data governance initiatives throughout the University.
- Deliver strategic updates on data initiatives to various University stakeholders.
- Engage in thought leadership discussions and forums on data strategy and governance in higher education.
Data Strategy Development:
- Collaborate in creating an enterprise data strategy for the University, taking the lead on project management to track progress toward its goals.
- Facilitate the identification, development, and promotion of strategic data initiatives.
Data Governance Execution:
- Establish data governance standards, policies, procedures, and best practices, and create a framework to disseminate these practices among stakeholder groups.
- Improve the University’s management of metadata (e.g., data definitions, data lineage) across diverse data sources.
- Collaborate with the Information Security and Data Privacy (ISDP) team on data security and privacy efforts, ensuring compliance with regulations.