Data Governance Lead Full Time

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United A”rab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world’s most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organisation to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day.

Overview of the role:

Data Governance Lead will be responsible for establishing and leading the data governance framework, policies, and best practices across the organization. This role ensures data quality, security, and compliance while driving strategic initiatives to maximize the value of data assets. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in data management, governance, and regulatory compliance within a large, diversified business group.
Furthermore, role will include leading a highly focused and competitive team, driving them towards achieving key business outcomes efficiently and cost-effectively.

What you will do:

• Develop and implement a group-wide data governance strategy, policies, and standards.
• Establish data ownership, stewardship, and accountability models across business units.
• Lead the end-to-end process of designing, documenting, developing, implementing, and testing innovative
• prototypes that showcase the value of data. You will present these prototypes to various stakeholders, demonstrating the potential impact on our business.
• Define and enforce data quality, integrity, and security standards.
• Ensure compliance with local and international data regulations (e.g., GDPR, DIFC Data Protection Law, UAE
• Personal Data Protection Law).
• Oversee data privacy, classification, and protection mechanisms.
• Work closely with Legal, Risk, IT, AI Office and Compliance teams to align data governance policies.
• Implement data quality frameworks to improve accuracy, consistency, and completeness.
• Lead Master Data Management (MDM/MDG) initiatives for key domains (e.g., customer, product, supplier).
• Define and monitor data KPIs and governance metrics.
• Oversee the selection and implementation of data governance tools (e.g., Collibra, Informatica, IBM Data Governance, Ovaledge).
• Enable and support the other functions like Legal, Risk, IT, AI Office and Compliance teams by implementing required tools / products
• Collaborate with IT stakeholders to ensure data architecture, integration, and lineage tracking.
• Drive data governance awareness and training programs across the organization.
• Partner with business leaders, IT stakeholders to embed governance into decision-making.
• Act as the data governance champion to foster a culture of data-driven excellence.
• Implement DQ scorecard across enterprise.

Required Skills to be successful:

• Over 15 years of experience in data governance, data management, and enterprise data strategy.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills.
• Strong technical expertise and background.

About the Team:

You will be reporting to Head of Data Engineering & Operations

What equips you for the role:

• Proven track record in developing and implementing enterprise-wide data governance frameworks.
• Strong knowledge of data privacy laws, compliance regulations, and governance tools.
• Experience in large-scale business groups, retail, automotive, finance, or diversified conglomerates.
• 15+ years of experience in data governance, data management, or enterprise data strategy.
• Excellent leadership, stakeholder management, and communication skills.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Data Management, Information Systems, Business, Computer Science, or related fields.
• Certifications in Data Governance, Data Privacy, or Compliance (e.g., DCAM, CDMP, CIPP) are preferred.
• Experience in Team Management, Partner Management, Stakeholder Management, Business Communications
• Expertise in data governance frameworks (DAMA, DCAM, EDM Council).
• Strong understanding of cloud-based data ecosystems (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).
• Proven experience in implementing Data Governance and Privacy Tools, Products including the Budget & Financials
• Proficiency in data quality, metadata management, and MDM/MDG solutions.
• Strong expertise in Business Communications and Presentations

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Before you click “apply”: Please read the job description carefully to ensure you can confidently demonstrate why this opportunity is right for you and take the time to put together a well-crafted and personalised CV to further boost your visibility. Our global Talent Acquisition team members are all assigned to specific businesses to ensure that we make the best matches between talent and opportunities. We not only consider the requisite compatibility of skills and behaviours, but also how candidates align with our Values of Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, and Excellence.

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