Manager, Data Governance Operations

Canada Life

$95K — $130K *
Finance & Insurance
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-10 years of applied data governance experience at a leadership level.
  • Strong people management skills.
  • Expert in Microsoft products, especially PowerPoint and Excel.
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills.
  • Agile and customer service-oriented mindset.
  • Passionately curious with a desire to learn new things.
  • Experience in financial services and insurance is an asset.
  • Data certification (e.g., DGSP or CDMP) is a plus.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and promote excellence in data governance and innovation.
  • Provide motivating leadership to a team of Data Governance Professionals.
  • Develop, maintain, and enhance data governance processes.
  • Partner with business and oversight partners to implement governance processes.
  • Advance operational efficiencies within Data Governance.
  • Guide business users on data utilization within set policies.
  • Support Data Owners with decision-making on data management.

Benefits

  • Collaborative work environment with like-minded colleagues.
  • Opportunities for professional growth and development.
  • Access to a community of practice participation.
  • Front-line support to the data community.
  • Open to learning and sharing with senior leadership.
Full Job Description
Permanent Full Time

We are looking for a Manager, Data Governance Operations to lead the execution, scaling, and continuous improvement of enterprise data governance practices across Canada Life. This role is accountable for operationalizing governance frameworks, ensuring regulatory compliance, and driving adoption of trusted data practices across the data lifecycle.

As a key leader within the Enterprise Data Governance function, you will manage a team of governance professionals and act as a critical bridge between business, technology, and oversight functions. You will ensure that governance controls are practical, scalable, and embedded into day-to-day operations, enabling the organization to treat data as a strategic asset while managing risk effectively.

What you will do

Governance Framework & Operations
  • Lead the execution and continuous improvement of Data Governance policies, standards, procedures, and guidelines.
  • Operationalize governance across key domains: data access, data usage, retention & disposition, metadata, data quality and data anonymization.
  • Ensure alignment with enterprise frameworks, including Three Lines of Defense (3LoD).
  • Establish and monitor governance KPIs, controls, and reporting mechanisms to track program effectiveness and maturity.


Regulatory & Risk Management
  • Ensure compliance with applicable regulations and standards, including: PIPEDA, Quebec Law 25, OSFI B-13, OSFI E-21.
  • Partner with Legal, Risk & Compliance, Privacy, and Security teams to interpret regulatory requirements and embed them into governance processes.
  • Oversee and manage data risks, issues, and exceptions, including remediation planning and reporting.
  • Ensure effective data de-identification, anonymization, and privacy controls are implemented and adhered to.


Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Lead, coach, and develop a team of Data Governance professionals, driving accountability and delivery excellence.
  • Partner with Data Owners, Data Stewards, and business stakeholders to drive adoption of governance practices.
  • Deliver and oversee data governance training and enablement programs to improve data literacy and compliance.
  • Translate complex governance concepts into clear, actionable guidance for business and technical audiences.


Program Delivery & Continuous Improvement
  • Lead or support data governance initiatives and projects, ensuring timely and effective delivery.
  • Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, scalability, and automation in governance processes.
  • Drive a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and accountability within the data governance function.


What you will bring
  • 5-10 years of experience in data governance, data management, or related disciplines.
  • 3+ years of leadership experience, including team management and stakeholder engagement.
  • Strong experience in financial services or insurance environments.
  • Deep knowledge of data governance domains, including data access and usage, data retention & disposition, data privacy, anonymization, and de-identification.
  • Proven experience developing and implementing data governance policies, standards, guidelines and procedures.
  • Strong understanding of regulatory frameworks (PIPEDA, Law 25, OSFI B-13, OSFI E-21).
  • Experience working within the Three Lines of Defense model.
  • Hands-on experience with data governance tools (e.g., Informatica, Collibra, Microsoft Purview,).
  • Experience delivering data governance training and stakeholder enablement programs.
  • Strong project management experience, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and initiatives.
  • Professional certification such as DAMA CDMP (or equivalent) preferred.
  • Experience scaling enterprise-wide data governance programs
  • Strong ability to balance control and enablement (governance without slowing the business)
  • Experience integrating governance into modern data platforms
  • Proven track record of driving adoption and cultural change in data governance
  • Service - You act as a trusted advisor, enabling the business while protecting data assets.
  • Execution - You deliver practical, scalable governance solutions that drive measurable outcomes.
  • Leadership - You inspire, develop, and empower your team to perform at a high level.
  • Collaboration - You build strong partnerships across business, technology, and oversight functions.
  • Risk Awareness - You proactively identify and mitigate data risks while ensuring compliance


The base salary for this position is between $95,000.00 - $130,000.00 annually. This represents base salary only and does not represent other variable compensation components of our total compensation ( i.e. annual bonus, commission etc). If you are selected to move forward in our recruitment process, your recruiter will be able to discuss additional details of our total rewards program with you.

Career opportunities will be open a minimum of 5 business days from the date of posting, closing dates will vary depending on the search activity. All applications received will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Requisition ID: 5618

Category: Digital Technology

Location:

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