Director, Data Management & Governance
American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) · United States
- Hybrid
- Full-time
- $165,000 / year
- United States
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Job highlights
- Lead enterprise data management and governance strategy.
- Build and manage data stewardship community.
- Implement data catalog and MDM solutions.
- Ensure data privacy and regulatory compliance.
- Drive data quality and AI initiatives.
About the role
Director of Data Management and Governance
American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) is seeking a strategic, senior data and technology leader for its enterprise Data & Analytics leadership team. This is a hands-on role focused on improving outcomes with data & analytics and driving additional value through more effective use of enterprise data. You will act as a consultative business partner to help achieve strategic organizational initiatives and own the strategy and execution of data management and governance organization-wide in a modern, business value-oriented approach.
Key Responsibilities
This role is responsible for building and scaling metadata management efforts, implementing and maintaining the enterprise data catalog, and overseeing master data management and reference data management. You will partner closely with analytics teams, business stakeholders, and lead data stewardship as a community of practice, along with key data improvement initiatives. The data management strategy must support enabling self-service analytics, data accessibility, robust AI/ML, data privacy compliance, and data product development. A partnering mindset is essential, as data governance requires close collaboration with data owners, Legal and Cyber teams, architecture and engineering, the data stewardship community, and technology delivery teams.
This new role will eventually have direct reporting employees and/or contractors. It also involves matrix leadership of the data stewardship community. The position reports directly to the AVP, Analytics & Data Insights.
- Define and execute the enterprise data management and governance strategy aligned to business objectives and overall data/analytics senior leadership vision and strategy. Own the roadmap for strategic data management and governance.
- Build and lead a high-performing organization-wide data stewardship community of practice that is domain embedded and has clear data ownership.
- Build and lead an efficient and effective enterprise data management team and function.
- Lead master data management strategy, delivery, and operations, including key enterprise reference data management.
- Lead the building and scaling of metadata management efforts, along with implementing and maintaining the enterprise data catalog.
- Lead Data Management & Governance to operationalize policies as code (RBAC, masking, row-level security, audit logging).
- Design and implement processes and systems for regulatory compliance (e.g., FERPA, GDPR, CCPA).
- Establish platform governance for security compliance.
- Drive the design and implementation of scalable, resilient data pipelines for master data management workloads.
- Ensure observability, lineage, and quality frameworks are embedded in pipelines and orchestration.
- Lead cross-functional efforts to improve data quality, focusing on areas where data quality creates friction to broader business initiatives, drivers, or efficiency outcomes.
- Foster a culture of automation, reliability, and continuous improvement while leveraging AI to improve data management efficiency and effectiveness.
- Mentor the team and technical leads, and develop succession plans.
- Own budgeting and forecasting for MDM and data catalog platforms, along with vendor and partner management.
- Plan work and team capacity with the team, peer leaders, and data product owners/management.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Requirements
- 10+ years in data-related roles
- 5+ years in data management/governance leadership
- 7+ years in overall data leadership experience
- Product management experience preferred; data as a product experience highly preferred
- Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Computer Science, or equivalent, with a Master’s in Data/Analytics-related degree preferred
- Expertise with data governance frameworks (DCAM, DAMA), automated policy enforcement, and modern approaches to governance that are business value-driven and partnership-centric
- Proven experience with cloud data platforms (Snowflake, Azure) and Coalesce.io/DBT or similar ELT pipeline and orchestration tools highly preferred
- Cloud data catalog and MDM program, delivery, platform, and operations experience
- Expertise in SQL
- Experience with streaming/event-driven architectures
- Strong knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP)
- Knowledge of data quality frameworks, lineage tools, MDM tools, and observability platforms
- Solid planning, priority setting, product, and project management skills with demonstrated experience managing multiple projects and cross-functional teams concurrently
- Strong experience leading globally distributed remote teams, including employees and contract delivery teams
- Track record of delivering large-scale, mission-critical data management solutions with measurable business impact
- Strategic thinking with the ability to translate business goals into platform capabilities
- Exceptional stakeholder management and influence across business and technology
- Build talent: proven ability to attract, develop, motivate, and retain top data management talent
- Strong experience modernizing and maturing organizational data management practices and establishing a culture of continuous improvement
- In-depth knowledge of architectural best practices, design patterns, governance, and security principles
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, ability to communicate and lead effectively with all levels of the organization, from data engineers to C-Level executives
Benefits & Compensation
APEI offers a robust total rewards program designed to support well-being, recognize contributions, and provide personal and career growth resources. The estimated total compensation package for this role is $150,000.00 to $180,000.00. Factors influencing starting pay include job level, location, skill set, experience, training, peer compensation, and business needs. This range is subject to change.
In addition to pay, APEI offers comprehensive benefits: Medical, Dental, and Vision plans; a 401(K) retirement plan with employer matching; employer-paid basic life insurance, AD&D, and numerous voluntary plan options. Full-time employees also receive a continuing education benefit with 100% tuition reduction on courses within APEI's brands, a robust learning management system, and individual development planning. APEI is committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered.
Some programs may not be available to residents of all states. If you are a resident of a state with pay transparency requirements and this role is remote, you may request additional compensation and benefits information by emailing recruiting@apei.com.
About Us
American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) provides higher education and training to military service members, veterans, nurses, government employees, and motivated professionals. Through American Public University System (APUS), Hondros College of Nursing (HCON), and Rasmussen University, APEI educates service-minded students from military, public service, federal agencies, and nursing communities.
APEI is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. All qualified individuals are treated equally in recruitment, hiring, assignments, advancements, compensation, and all other terms of employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability.
Key skills/competency
- Data Management
- Data Governance
- Metadata Management
- Master Data Management (MDM)
- Data Catalog
- Data Quality
- SQL
- Cloud Data Platforms (Snowflake, Azure)
- Regulatory Compliance (FERPA, GDPR, CCPA)
- Leadership
Skills & topics
- Director of Data Management
- Data Governance
- Data Strategy
- Metadata Management
- Master Data Management
- Data Catalog
- Data Quality
- Analytics Leadership
- Cloud Data Platforms
- SQL
- Snowflake
- Azure
- Data Stewardship
- Regulatory Compliance
- APEI
- Technology Leadership
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight your 10+ years in data roles, 5+ years in data management/governance leadership, and specific achievements in modernizing data practices.
- Showcase technical expertise: Emphasize your experience with cloud data platforms (Snowflake, Azure), SQL, data governance frameworks (DCAM, DAMA), and MDM/data catalog tools.
- Demonstrate leadership skills: Provide examples of building and leading high-performing teams, managing cross-functional projects, and influencing stakeholders.
- Quantify impact: Use metrics to show measurable business impact from delivering large-scale data management solutions.
- Prepare for strategy questions: Be ready to discuss your approach to defining and executing data governance strategy aligned with business objectives.
Technical preparation
Behavioral questions
Frequently asked questions
- What is the primary focus of the Director, Data Management & Governance role at APEI?
- The primary focus is to define and execute the enterprise data management and governance strategy, including building metadata management, implementing a data catalog, and overseeing master and reference data management to drive business value and support analytics initiatives at APEI.
- What are the key technical skills required for the Director, Data Management & Governance position at APEI?
- Key technical skills include extensive experience with data governance frameworks (DCAM, DAMA), cloud data platforms (Snowflake, Azure), SQL, data catalog and MDM tools, and understanding of data quality frameworks and observability platforms. Experience with Coalesce.io/DBT is also highly preferred.
- Does the Director, Data Management & Governance role at APEI involve managing a team?
- Yes, this is a new, senior leadership role that will eventually have direct reporting employees and contractors. It also involves matrix leadership of the data stewardship community throughout the business.
- What is the expected salary range for the Director, Data Management & Governance at APEI?
- The estimated total compensation package for this role is between $150,000.00 and $180,000.00 annually. The final salary depends on factors such as location, experience, and skills.
- How does APEI support the professional development of its employees in this role?
- APEI supports professional development through a robust learning management system, individual development planning, and a continuing education benefit offering 100% tuition reduction on courses within their family of brands for full-time employees.
- What experience is preferred for the Director, Data Management & Governance role at APEI?
- Product management experience is preferred, and experience with 'data as a product' is highly preferred for this Director role at APEI.
- How does APEI ensure data privacy and compliance in this role?
- The Director, Data Management & Governance is responsible for designing and implementing processes and systems for regulatory compliance (e.g., FERPA, GDPR, CCPA) and establishing platform governance for security compliance.
- What is the reporting structure for the Director, Data Management & Governance at APEI?