Data Steward Lead - Contractor

At Early Warning, we’ve powered and protected the U.S. financial system for over thirty years with cutting-edge solutions like Zelle®, Paze®, and so much more. As a trusted name in payments, we partner with thousands of institutions to increase access to financial services and protect transactions for hundreds of millions of consumers and small businesses.

Early Warning follows a hybrid work model to allow for a more collaborative working environment.

Candidates responding to this posting must independently possess the eligibility to work in the United States, for any employer, at the date of hire. This position is ineligible for employment Visa sponsorship.

Overall Purpose 

The Data Steward Lead is responsible for ensuring that critical business data is well-defined, high-quality, and properly managed in alignment with enterprise data governance standards. This role bridges business operations and the Data Governance (DG) function, enabling the adoption of metadata and data quality management practices that support trusted, well-documented, and compliant data use across the firm. 

Essential Functions 

1. Metadata Management 

• Maintains and enhances business metadata in the enterprise data catalog (e.g., glossary, data dictionaries, and lineage). 

• Defines and documents business terms, data elements, and approved data definitions in partnership with Data Owners and SMEs. 

• Collaborates with the Data Governance team to ensure alignment and traceability between business definitions, technical metadata, and lineage. 

• Identifies and validates data sources and systems of record; validates ownership, stewardship, and usage context to support data governance objectives. 

2. Data Quality Management 

• Develops and maintains business rules for data quality (e.g., completeness, accuracy, timeliness, validity, and consistency). 

• Partners with the DG and Engineering teams to implement automated data quality monitoring and reporting processes. 

• Analyzes data quality metrics and remediation results; escalates persistent/unresolved issues to Data Owners as needed. 

• Contributes to the prioritization of remediation and root-cause analysis for critical or recurring data quality issues. 

3. Data Governance Execution 

• Participates in Data Domain Councils to review and refine data standards, resolve data issues, and drive continuous improvement in governance practices. 

• Serves as the primary liaison between the business and the DG team for assigned data domains, ensuring alignment on priorities, definitions, and expectations. 

• Supports the rollout and adoption of new governance standards, policies, and tools by guiding teams in integrating them into operational processes and daily workflows. 

• Contributes to pilot projects that asses data quality improvements and quantify business value achieved through enhanced data governance.  

4. Risk and Compliance Alignment 

• Ensures business-owned data adheres to firmwide data management and retention policies. 

• Supports regulatory, audit, and control reviews related to metadata accuracy, lineage traceability, and data quality controls. 

• Support the company’s commitment to risk management and protecting the integrity and confidentiality of systems and data. 

Minimum Qualifications 

• Education or experience typically obtained through completion of a bachelor’s degree. 

• 8+ years of experience in data management, business analysis, or related field within financial services or a regulated industry. 

• Strong understanding of data governance frameworks (e.g., DAMA-DMBOK), metadata management, data lineage, data quality, and compliance. 

• Familiarity with data governance tools (e.g., Collibra, Informatica, Alation) and cloud platforms (e.g., Snowflake, Azure, AWS). 

• Knowledge of relevant regulations and data privacy/security standards. 

• Ability to communicate complex data concepts in business-friendly language. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Previous experience in financial services or a regulated environment. 

• DCAM, CDMP or similar certification 

Success Measures 

• % of critical data elements documented with approved business definitions and lineage. 

• % of defined data quality rules implemented and monitored. 

• Reduction in recurring data quality issues over time. 

• Engagement and adoption metrics from business teams (e.g., metadata updates, data issue closure rates). 

Physical Requirements

Early Warning works together in a highly collaborative office environment. Working conditions consist of a normal office environment. Work is primarily sedentary and requires extensive use of a computer and involves sitting for periods of approximately four hours. Work may require occasional standing, walking, kneeling, and reaching. Must be able to lift 10 pounds occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently. Requires visual acuity and dexterity to view, prepare, and manipulate documents and office equipment including personal computers. Requires the ability to communicate with internal and/or external customers.

Employee must be able to perform essential functions and physical requirements of position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Early Warning Services, LLC (“Early Warning”) considers for employment, hires, retains and promotes qualified candidates on the basis of ability, potential, and valid qualifications without regard to race, religious creed, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, protected veteran or disability status or any factor prohibited by law, and as such affirms in policy and practice to support and promote equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and municipal laws. The company also prohibits discrimination on other bases such as medical condition, marital status or any other factor that is irrelevant to the performance of our employees. 

Early Warning Services LLC is a proud participant in E-Verify, a federal program to help ensure a legal and authorized workforce. As part of our hiring process, we electronically verify the employment eligibility of all new hires through E-Verify. For more information on your rights and responsibilities under E-Verify please visit Home | E-Verify.