7 Tips for Beginning a Data Governance Career
How do you begin your data governance career? The Data Governance industry is booming with the adoption of advanced analytics, AI, and data compliance and privacy. The Global Data Governance Market is projected to reach 7.2 Billion by 2027 (Global News Wires). Data Governance is impacted within every industry and the demand for resources currently outweighs the available talent pool
1.
Focus on both your communication and people skills. Data Governance involves collaborating with multiple stakeholders within an organization and working on cross-functional teams. Understanding how to work differently across various functions of an organization will help one become successful in a data governance role.
2.
Start with a basic understanding of data management. Learning how data moves within an organization and how it is stored, accessed, secured, and consumed. Learn the importance of why data quality, accuracy, and completeness are important for an organization’s business functions.
3.
Begin to learn the fundamentals of data compliance and privacy. Depending on what area of the world you live in, many data governance programs are driven by the need to comply with local and federal laws such as GDPR or CCPA to ensure that data is being used properly by an organization. Data policies are often created to adhere to these needs and are foundational to a data governance initiative.
4.
Research the different approaches and opinions to data governance. There is no one size fits all approach to data governance. Data governance is driven by people, culture, process, and politics. Here are some examples of data governance approaches adopted by organizations today: Federated Data Governance, Top Down Data Governance, Centralized Data Governance, Decentralized Data Governance, Agile Data Governance, and hybrid approaches.
5.
Begin data governance education and join a community of practitioners. With so many different approaches to data governance, it may be hard to select the right education. Learning from other members of the data governance community is the most trusted source of information on the market. DataQG offers the leading peer-driven learning and a community platform for practitioners globally. Earn certificates and connect with industry leaders in the space.
6.
Understand the various roles and responsibilities within the data governance space. Find what area you are passionate about and build your skills accordingly. Data governance will vary from organization to organization. Many roles will wear different hats and will work collaboratively with both IT and the business. Some example job roles are Data Steward, Data Owner, Data Governance Manager, Data Governance Specialist, Data Quality Specialist, Data Privacy Specialist, Data Analyst, Data Architect, Data Governance Officer, Data Analytics Manager, Data Governance Officer, and Chief Data Officer.
7.
Find a mentor. The data governance community of professionals is quite open to sharing experiences and lessons learned. Finding an individual who has worked in the industry and navigated challenges can be very valuable when pursuing a career in data governance. Networking events, Linkedin, or dedicated communities like DataQG can be a great place to find mentorship in the data governance space.