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Associate Director, Data Governance

Sun LifeSun Life·Financial Services

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About the role

You are as unique as your background, experience and point of view. Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered and challenged to be your best self. You'll work with dynamic colleagues - experts in their fields - who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Your leaders will inspire and help you reach your potential and soar to new heights. Every day, you'll have new and exciting opportunities to make life brighter for our Clients - who are at the heart of everything we do. Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities around the world.

Job Description:

The Associate Director, Data Governance is responsible for driving the development, implementation, and oversight of the organization’s data governance strategy, framework, and operating model. The role ensures data is managed as a strategic asset—secure, high-quality, well-defined, and compliant with regulatory requirements (including PDPO and OSFI Guideline E-21 expectations as operationalized locally). The role provides leadership to establish clear data ownership and stewardship, strengthen data quality management, oversee metadata and lineage practices, and embed governance processes across business functions through an effective Data Governance Council and working forums.

Key Responsibilities

A) Governance Strategy, Framework & Policy

  • Develop and maintain the market data governance framework and operating model, aligned to enterprise direction and applicable policies/standards.
  • Define and socialize governance policies and standards spanning (as applicable): data definitions, data quality, metadata/lineage, access & entitlements, and lifecycle management.

B) Regulatory Alignment (E-21) & Privacy (PDPO)

  • Lead governance activities that support OSFI E-21 Data Risk Management evidence expectations (people/process/technology/data artifacts) in partnership with Risk/Compliance and IT.
  • Work with Compliance to ensure governance practices align with PDPO and internal governance standards; embed privacy-by-design into governance routines and decisions.

C) Data Ownership, Stewardship & Decision Rights

  • Identify Data Owners and drive buy-in on responsibilities; support Data Owners in appointing Data Stewards and Custodians for domains/critical processes.
  • Establish clear decision rights: what is decided at domain forums vs. escalated to the Data Governance Council; ensure single point of accountability for critical elements.

D) Council Leadership & Operating Rhythm

  • Run the council cadence (quarterly council; monthly stewards/working committee; ad-hoc escalations) including agenda design, pre-reads, facilitation, and decision capture.
  • Maintain the governance action log, decision log, issue register, and ensure follow-through to closure; communicate outcomes to executive stakeholders.

E) Critical Data Elements (CDE), Definition, Metadata & Lineage Management

  • Define business glossary and CDE criteria with Data Owners/Stewards; ensure CDE register is complete with ownership, definitions, and business process linkage.
  • Drive metadata and lineage expectations (what must be documented, reviewed, and kept current through change).

F) Data Quality (DQ) Governance, Metrics & Remediation

  • Define DQ standards, KPI/threshold approach, review cadence, and escalation triggers with stakeholders; ensure DQ issues are prioritized and remediated.
  • Produce management-grade reporting (what is governed, what is improving, what is at risk, what decisions/support are needed).


Qualifications & Experience

  • 8–12+ years in Data Management and Governance.
  • Proven experience implementing governance frameworks and operating models
  • Experience with data quality, metadata, lineage, regulatory compliance, data
  • Experience in insurance or financial services is strongly preferred
  • Professional Certificate in Data Governance / AI Governance is preferred.
  • Comfortable operating at the intersection of business, analytics, and technology

Job Category:

Advanced Analytics

Posting End Date:

26/07/2026

Skills & Tags

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Aplyr's read

Sun Life is a global financial services leader, attracting professionals in insurance and investment with a focus on innovation and international growth.

Synthesized from recent postings & public sources

What's promising

  • Sun Life has a strong international presence, offering diverse career opportunities across various regions.
  • The company invests in cutting-edge technology, hiring roles like AI Innovator and MLOps Engineer.
  • Sun Life provides a wide range of roles, from actuarial to data governance, appealing to diverse skill sets.

What to watch

  • The financial services industry is highly competitive, posing challenges for market differentiation.
  • Regulatory changes in different countries can impact Sun Life's operations and strategic decisions.
  • Economic downturns may affect demand for insurance and investment products, impacting revenue.

Why Sun Life

  • Sun Life emphasizes innovation in technology, evident from roles like Manager, AI Innovator.
  • The company offers a global career path, with significant operations in Asia and North America.
  • Sun Life's focus on productivity and capability development is highlighted by dedicated leadership roles.

Aplyr’s read is generated by AI from public sources. Was it useful?

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About Sun Life

Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of insurance and investment products.

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