Sr. Director – Data and Information Governance

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world.

The Enterprise Data Team, part of the Digital Core Organization in Tech@Lilly, collaborates to speed business decisions through innovative enterprise data and analytics solutions, and frictionless access to trusted AI-ready data products.  We work globally with our cross-functional Tech@Lilly partners to strategically align their needs with our fully integrated and intuitive data and analytic ecosystem.

The Data & Information Governance Lead is a senior strategic role within the Enterprise Data Team responsible for treating data as a key enterprise asset and ensuring it is governed, shared, and utilized in line with Lilly’s business goals and regulatory requirements. This leader defines the enterprise data governance strategy and connects it with top-level corporate governance. They act as Enterprise Data's point person on data governance, bridging executive directives and on-the-ground implementation. In practice, this means setting policies on how data is managed (quality, access, lifecycle) and leading cross-functional efforts so that high-quality data is accessible for innovation but always handled responsibly. By guiding both strategy and execution, the Data & Information Governance Lead ensures Lilly’s data is trusted, well-governed, and accelerating value across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Align Data Strategy with Global Governance: Serve as the primary liaison to the GDGC, Lilly’s executive governance committee for information and data. In this capacity, advocate for the Enterprise Data Program’s needs and ensure that enterprise data policies reflect GDGC’s strategic direction. Translate GDGC decisions into actionable plans (e.g. company-wide data principles, access policies) for the enterprise data team and functional data owners. This role effectively bridges corporate governance and day-to-day data management, keeping enterprise data efforts aligned with Lilly’s overarching digital governance goals.
• Lead Cross-Functional Data Council (BDCF): Chair the Business Data Council Forum (BDCF), a cross-functional governance body comprising data leaders from all major business units. Through the BDCF, drive a unified approach to data governance across silos – establishing common standards, sharing best practices, and gaining buy-in on key initiatives. Ensure that GDGC mandates (for example, new data sharing policies) are disseminated and implemented consistently via BDCF members. Use this forum to surface enterprise-level data issues and opportunities, fostering a collaborative “one Lilly” approach to data stewardship.
• Drive Enterprise Data Sharing Initiatives: Champion initiatives that enable easier and governed data sharing across the organization. Identify data silos or bottlenecks and work with Enterprise Data Product Owners to improve data discoverability and access (such as expanding the internal Data Marketplace and streamlining approval workflows). A notable example under this leadership was the formation of a GDGC-sponsored subcommittee to accelerate data access: the team ingested a broad set of vetted business documents (QDOCs classified Yellow/Orange) into the Enterprise Data Backbone, reducing provisioning lead time from months to weeks for approved analytics use cases. Continue to pursue such opportunities that balance agility with control – making more data readily available for analytics and AI, while respecting owner approvals and compliance requirements.
• Oversee Data Policy, Compliance & Quality: Own and update the enterprise data governance policies, ensuring they address data quality, privacy, security, and compliance needs. Work closely with Privacy, Information Security, Compliance, and Legal teams to enforce policies in line with regulations (e.g. GDPR, HIPAA) and internal standards. This includes guidance on data classification, retention, and usage. Lead the integration of oversight processes like the Data Usage Committee (DUC) into the governance framework, so that sensitive data use is reviewed and approved with cross-functional input (Privacy, Legal, InfoSec). Additionally, spearhead data quality management efforts – setting data quality metrics and accountability (data owners/stewards in each domain) to continually improve the reliability of enterprise data.
• Strategic Leadership & Change Management: Provide visionary leadership to instill a data-driven culture and strong data stewardship throughout Lilly. Communicate the value of data governance to executives and frontline teams alike, tailoring messages to gain support. Lead change management for new governance initiatives – for instance, rolling out new data access processes or governance tools – by educating stakeholders and addressing concerns proactively. Mentor and guide a small team (or influencing network) of data governance professionals and data stewards. The individual in this role must influence without direct authority across many functional areas, requiring excellent relationship-building skills. They will frequently interact with senior leadership (to report progress and advocate for resources) as well as with technical teams (to ensure governance requirements are built into data solutions), effectively connecting the boardroom with the data trenches.
• Functional Advocate for Finance – In addition to the primary governance responsibilities, be responsible for managing the relationship with the Global Finance organization.  Serve as the primary contact for Tech@Lilly Finance teams, conveying needs to the Enterprise Data Team and advocating for functional strategies. Build relationships with key stakeholders, and ensure they understand the EDO vision, products and services. Collaborate to maintain value stories and adoption metrics. Understand and communicate Enterprise Data processes and guide functional teams in executing them.  Partner with Product Managers to support functional priorities.

What You Should Bring:

• Strategic & Analytical Mindset: Thinks big-picture about how data can empower the business, with the skill to also devise practical governance solutions. Proven track record of establishing data governance frameworks (policies, standards, quality metrics) that deliver business value. Capable of assessing complex data issues and regulatory requirements, then translating them into clear, actionable policies and roadmaps. Comfortable making data-informed decisions and prioritizing initiatives based on business impact.
• Domain Knowledge: Deep understanding of data governance principles and best practices – including data quality management, metadata management, master data management, and information lifecycle management. Familiarity with modern data architectures (data lakes, cloud platforms, data catalogs) and how governance is applied in such environments. Knowledge of the pharmaceutical or biotech industry’s data environment is a plus, given Lilly’s context (e.g. understanding GxP data requirements, privacy considerations for patient data, etc.).
• Regulatory & Compliance Acumen: Solid knowledge of data privacy laws and regulations (such as GDPR, CCPA) and industry standards for data protection. Experience ensuring compliance with data regulations and working with auditors or risk management teams on data issues. Able to proactively identify and mitigate data-related risks. Familiar with handling of sensitive data types (PHI/PII) and implementing appropriate controls.
• Exceptional Communication & Influence: Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with an ability to influence at all levels of the organization. Comfortable presenting to senior executives and governance boards, as well as conducting training for end users. Able to articulate complex data concepts in business-friendly terms and inspire trust in the governance program. Strong negotiation and facilitation abilities to drive consensus on data standards and resolve conflicts (for instance, between siloed teams with different data practices).
• Collaboration & Change Leadership: Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams or working groups without formal authority, rallying diverse stakeholders around a common vision. Adept at change management – driving adoption of new processes or tools through engagement, education, and support. Empathy and patience to understand stakeholder concerns and address them in the rollout of governance initiatives. A “bridge builder” who can connect technical, legal, and business perspectives to achieve sustainable change in how data is managed.
• ​Relevant certifications (e.g., Certified Data Management Professional) or continued learning in data governance are a plus, signaling a commitment to staying current with best practices.
• An advanced degree (MBA or MS in Data Management or similar) is preferred for the strategic and business breadth this role demands.
• Experience chairing or coordinating governance councils or committees is highly valuable (for example, having led a data stewardship council or similar in a large organization).

Basic Requirements:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Information Management, Data Science, Computer Science, Business Administration, or related field required.
• Leadership Experience: 10+ years of experience in data governance, data management, or a related field, including proven leadership of enterprise-scale initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement data governance strategies and drive cross-functional programs to completion.

Location:  US, Indianapolis.  Travel less than 10% of the time.

Organization Overview

Lilly IT builds and maintains capabilities using cutting edge technologies like most prominent tech companies. What differentiates Lilly IT is that we redefine what’s possible through tech to advance our purpose – creating medicines that make life better for people around the world, like data driven drug discovery and connected clinical trials. We hire the best technology professionals from a variety of backgrounds, so they can bring an assortment of knowledge, skills, and diverse thinking to deliver innovative solutions in every area of our business.

The Global Information and Services Tech team is at the forefront of digitalization to enable and advance the entire company, with increased productivity and best-in-class Customer experiences. This team provides a robust and sustainable infrastructure of hardware, software and services that are critical to enable our global workforce and business to operate and transform. As leaders in technology and understanding business requirements and challenges, this team defines and leads the overall company technology strategy.

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form (https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia Network, Black Employees at Lilly, Chinese Culture Network, Japanese International Leadership Network (JILN), Lilly India Network, Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), PRIDE (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN), Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL), enAble (for people with disabilities). Learn more about all of our groups.

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location.  The anticipated wage for this position is

Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

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