Position Title: Data Specialist (Governance and Quality)
Reports To: Head of Data Governance and Quality
Department: Insights/Impact
Term: Permanent Full-Time


Work Arrangements: This is a hybrid role. You will work in our office in Waterloo, ON a minimum of two (2) assigned, consecutive days every other week, plus a fifth (5th) assigned day per month. You are welcome to work from the office more than the minimum requirement and there may be some roles that are required to work in our office more than the minimum requirement.

The Opportunity: Equitable is growing! We are looking for a Data Specialist to join our team!

A key role supporting the Head of the Data Governance & Quality. The focus of the role is to establish a robust enterprise-wide Data Governance and Quality capability to support all lines of Business and Corporate functions to enable transparency and trust in our data, support ease of access, and mitigate data risk. This includes partnering with Business and Corporate leaders and stakeholders to design, implement, operate, and evolve the needed processes, tools, and policies. They will also provide the coaching / guidance / influence necessary to enable a high performing / outcome focused cross functional team.

The role will be an individual contributor and part of the Enterprise Data Insights & Impact (EDII) organization. Along with their colleagues, the role will support the implementation of the overall Enterprise Data Strategy to deliver organizational insights and impact with focus on the Client.

Now is an exciting time to join one of the Waterloo Area's and Southwestern Ontario's Top Employers for 2024!

What you will be doing:

• Support with the implementation of the enterprise-wide data governance processes / tools including data community engagement, issue/change resolution, data access / sharing, and data decision making, while also incorporating data privacy, data protection, and data risk aspects. Support with compliance to regulations and guidelines, collaborating closely with privacy, risk, legal, and compliance teams to address data privacy, security, and reporting requirements.
• Support with the deployment of the Data Quality framework and processes; partner with the business to elicit data quality requirements and implement controls that are monitored and actioned regularly. This includes managing the integrity of 'Master Data' domains such as Client and Advisor data.
• Advise business on Metadata concepts and partner with them to gather relevant metadata to build an enterprise data catalog while ensuring the metadata remains updated / accurate. Additionally, support with data lineage documentation in alignment with the build of the Enterprises data platform
• Participate in data initiatives including those involving the Enterprise Data Platform to deploy Data Governance and Quality processes for the delivery of data for reporting, analytics, operations, and digital capabilities.
• Build and maintain robust relationships with business and technology stakeholders rooted in strong collaboration to allow Data Governance and Quality processes to become embedded in the day-to-day business activities.
• Support with the definition and implementation of key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the effectiveness of data governance and quality program/processes while providing regular reports and insights to senior management.

What you will bring:

• 5+ years of experience with a mix of Data Governance, Data Quality, Master Data Management (MDM), business analysis / data analysis, and data analytics / data science
• Experience with establishing and/or running Enterprise Data Governance in Purview, Data Quality, and MDM (Master Data Management) processes and tools.
• Experience with databases and data modelling concepts including data extraction and manipulation using SQL or similar tools (including advanced Excel skills for data analysis); expertise using Power platform suite of tools such as Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, etc. to build solutions to support/scale Data Governance and Quality capabilities.
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to advise, influence, and collaborate effectively across business partners at different levels.
• Demonstrable track record of working cross-functionally with stakeholders to secure buy-in, creating accepted solutions, and working flexibly to accommodate changing priorities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to continuous improvement; robust prioritization and organizational skills to remain focused on the key outcomes.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate clearly and concisely and present complex / technical concepts simply.
• Analytical mindset and problem-solving approach; focus on bridging the gap between business and technical teams from a data perspective.
• Experience in Insurance or Financial Services industry is an asset; specifically, familiarity with insurance-specific data models and operational/business processes, with experience in insurance core systems (e.g., policy administration, claims management) is desirable.
• Relevant data certifications and knowledge of data governance/management tools and knowledge of coding/programming languages (e.g. Python, Java, C#, Azure Data Factory, Azure DevOps, MS SQL Server) is an asset.
• Post-secondary education or equivalent combination of education and experience in the following or related disciplines: Computer Engineering, Information Systems, Business or another relevant field.

What's in it for you:

• A healthy work-life balance with employee wellness top of mind
• Annual bonus program, annual vacation allowance, and company-paid benefits program
• An additional paid volunteer day each year so you can spend time giving back to the community
• Immediate enrollment in the company's pension program with employer matching
• Employee resource groups that support an inclusive work environment
• Tuition support and specialized program assistance
• An onsite, full-service cafeteria with a variety of daily options
• Discounts on company products and services, and access to exclusive employee perks
• Regular EQ Together events focused on company togetherness and collaboration

As part of the recruitment/offer process you will be required to:

• Provide two professional references (minimum one supervisor and above)
• Undergo a criminal background check

To learn more about Equitable, we encourage you to explore our organization.

At Equitable, we are committed to providing equal access to employment opportunities across our organization. Please contact our HR team at careers@equitable.ca if you would like to receive our job postings in an alternative format or require an accommodation with the application process.

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