Data Subject Matter Expert

Role Overview

The Data Subject Matter Expert (SME) provides in-depth expertise and support in data management, quality assurance, governance, analytics, and business data processes. This position is pivotal in assisting teams to grasp intricate data requirements, foster sound data practices, enhance data integrity, and ensure uniform and effective data utilization throughout business units.

Primary Responsibilities

• Analyze business data needs and scrutinize current data frameworks to identify gaps and suggest enhancements in data collection, storage, processing, and application.
• Collaborate with both business and technical stakeholders to convert business demands into unambiguous and actionable data requirements.
• Support creation and upkeep of data definitions, business rules, standards, metadata, and dictionaries to standardize key business terms, data elements, calculations, and reporting metrics across different systems and teams.
• Investigate data quality issues, inconsistencies, and process deficiencies by conducting analysis, validating data, pinpointing root causes, recommending solutions, and aiding remediation efforts.
• Participate in data governance efforts, migration projects, reporting, system rollouts, data integration, and continuous process improvement initiatives.
• Review data models, reports, system specs, and proposed changes for compliance with business and data standards.
• Communicate complex data ideas clearly to technical and non-technical audiences, and guide analysts, engineers, developers, project teams, and business users to base decisions on accurate data and well-defined business requirements.

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree, diploma, or similar credentials in Data Management, Computer Science, IT, Business Analytics, Statistics, Mathematics, Information Systems, or related fields.
• Strong grasp of data management, governance frameworks, quality principles, data analysis, and information management.
• Competency in examining complex datasets to discover trends, anomalies, interrelationships, and data quality challenges.
• Expertise in data definitions, business rules, metadata, dictionaries, and standards.
• Knowledge of data governance structures including data ownership, stewardship, lineage, and lifecycle management.
• Proficient in SQL and relational database concepts.
• Experience with business intelligence and data visualization tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or Looker.
• Understanding of data integration methods, ETL/ELT workflows, API usage, data warehouses, and migration strategies.
• Ability to translate business needs into practical and clear data and technical specifications.
• Strong problem-solving aptitude to identify issues' root causes and implement corrective actions.
• Meticulous attention to detail when assessing data models, reports, business rules, and documentation.
• Capacity to develop and maintain documentation, standards, procedures, and governance artifacts.
• Awareness of data privacy, security, confidentiality, access controls, and responsible data handling.
• Effective written and verbal communication to clarify complex data topics.
• Collaboration skills to work effectively with analysts, engineers, developers, architects, project managers, and stakeholders.
• Organizational skills to manage multiple competing data projects and priorities.
• Additional advantage: familiarity with Python, R, cloud data platforms, or data management tools.
• Ability to assess the business impact of data issues and prioritize improvements appropriately.
• A proactive, structured approach emphasizing data accuracy, consistency, usability, governance, and ongoing enhancements.