Director, Data Governance

Role Overview

• The Director of Data Governance reports directly into the Global Head of Data & AI, will build, launch, and run our Colliers’ global data governance program.
• Ensure that critical Colliers’ data such as properties, assets, leases, tenants, transactions, market research, client data, etc. is trusted, consistent, compliant, and ready to use across regions and service lines.
• Design and implement a global Colliers’ data governance framework, covering core real estate data domains such as properties, clients, transactions, and enterprise.
• Define enterprise standards for our core data concepts (e.g., property identifiers, asset hierarchies, client hierarchies, geographies, market definitions, transaction attributes and classifications).
• Establish governance ownership and accountability for service lines and regions.
• Balance global consistency with local market needs, regulatory requirements, and data nuances unique to regional/local practices.
• Operationalize governance through workflows, tooling, metrics, and recurring forums.
• Chair or support data governance councils and working groups at global and regional levels.
• Define and track KPIs for data quality, adoption, issue resolution, and policy compliance.
• Drive continuous improvement of governance practices as the data and AI landscape evolves.
• Partner with our data and product teams to ensure our data is fit-for-purpose for BI, analytics, product development, and AI/ML use cases.
• Enable trusted data foundations for core data assets at Colliers’.
• Embed governance controls (lineage, quality checks, approvals) directly into our data pipelines, analytics products, and workflows.
• Lead enterprise data quality strategy, including standards, issue management, root cause analysis, and remediation.
• Ensure our data practices comply with global and regional regulations, including data privacy, data residency, and client confidentiality requirements.
• Partner with Legal, Risk, and Compliance to support audits, client due diligence, and regulatory inquiries related to data and analytics.
• Act as the primary leader for data governance globally.
• Influence senior leaders and business stakeholders to adopt governance standards and ways of working.
• Develop training, communications, and change-management plans to drive adoption.
• Build and lead a small, high-impact governance team over time.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in data governance, data management, analytics, or related enterprise data roles.
• Proven experience building and launching a data governance program from the ground up.
• Strong understanding of modern data architectures (cloud data platforms, modern BI and analytics, AI/ML pipelines).
• Experience operating in a global, matrixed organization with regional regulatory complexity.
• Deep knowledge of data governance concepts, frameworks, and best practices (e.g., DAMA-DMBOK).
• Experience in commercial real estate, professional services, or adjacent data-intensive industries supporting similar use cases.
• Hands-on experience with native cloud data governance, catalog, and quality tools in combination of industry standard governance tools that can support our goals (e.g., Collibra, Alation, Informatica, Purview).
• Familiarity with cloud-based data platforms (e.g., Google Cloud Platform, Azure) and modern data architecture.
• Ability to translate complex technical and regulatory concepts into clear business language.

Tech Stack

• Azure
• Cloud
• Google Cloud Platform
• Informatica

Benefits

• Innovative projects: Work on cutting-edge initiatives that shape our communities, drive our growth, and make a tangible impact.
• Career growth: Advance your career and achieve your goals with industry-leading training and development programs.
• Competitive benefits & compensation: Enjoy a comprehensive and flexible benefits package along with competitive compensation that rewards your contributions and supports your well-being.
• Collaborative culture: Join our enterprising team where innovation thrives, collaboration is key, and our people are empowered to be their authentic selves and do their best work.
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Our robust North American Diversity & Inclusion Program features eight Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), where you can connect, learn, and contribute to a diverse and supportive community.
• Global network: Join a global team of 24,000 professionals across 70 countries, where you'll expand your network and learn from experts in a dynamic international community.