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Posted Mar 30, 2026

Senior Data Governance SME

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About the position Driven by Innovation and built on Trust, rockITdata is a unique SDVOSB services company that partners with leading commercial healthcare/life sciences organizations on cutting edge innovations - think AI, automation and data transformation. We then bring those commercially tested solutions to government entities to deliver predictable, measurable impact for the American taxpayer and consumer. rockITdata is seeking a Senior Data Governance SME to lead complex metadata inventory activities and stakeholder engagement. This role will conduct deep-dive sessions with system owners of critical enterprise systems and develop governance standards aligned with federal data management requirements. This position is a hybrid role with part time onsite expectations in Rosslyn, Virginia. Responsibilities • Lead deep-dive sessions with Data Owners, Stewards, and SMEs for priority systems • Design and validate metadata schema development aligned to DCAT and NIST standards • Conduct tier classification and prioritization of enterprise data systems • Facilitate in-person stakeholder interviews and validation sessions • Develop governance policy templates and data quality rule frameworks • Validate metadata completeness and accuracy before enterprise catalog ingest • Lead SME coordination for cross-system metadata harmonization • Support development of Metadata Management Framework standards • Provide subject matter expertise for technology evaluation criteria • Mentor Data Governance Analysts on proper inventory techniques and stakeholder engagement • Coordinate with QA teams on quality validation procedures Requirements • Bachelor's degree in Information Management, Data Science, Computer Science, or related field • Minimum 7 years of experience in data governance, data catalog implementation, or metadata management • Demonstrated ability to conduct productive sessions with senior Government stakeholders (O-6/GS-15 level) • Experience with enterprise data catalog platforms (Collibra, Alation, Informatica, or similar) • Strong knowledge of metadata standards (DCAT, Dublin Core, NIST) • Experience developing data governance policies and procedures for federal agencies • Active Secret clearance or ability to obtain within 30 days of contract award • Excellent facilitation and communication skills for executive stakeholder engagement Nice-to-haves • Master's degree in related field • CDMP (Certified Data Management Professional) or DGSP certification • Experience with DoD or federal health agency governance programs • Knowledge of HIPAA, Privacy Act, and federal data protection requirements • Experience with DHA, VA, or other federal health agency data systems • Familiarity with DoD Data Strategy and enterprise data frameworks