Director, Data Management (Higher Education)
Director, Data Management
Sydney | Leading University | 12-Month FTC | Hybrid | Salary + Super + up to 10% bonus
Our client, a leading Sydney university, is seeking an accomplished Director, Data Management to establish and lead the institution’s enterprise data management function.
Reporting to the Chief Data Officer, this senior leadership role sets the strategy, frameworks, and operating model for managing data as a trusted institutional asset. You’ll oversee key disciplines including governance, stewardship, quality, metadata, and master data – ensuring that data across the university is accurate, consistent, secure, and fit for purpose.
This role is pivotal in enabling their broader data and digital strategy by building robust, compliant, and sustainable data foundations that support analytics, AI, and digital innovation.
Key Responsibilities
* Define and implement their enterprise data management strategy and operating model, aligned with institutional priorities
* Oversee frameworks for governance, stewardship, quality, metadata, master/reference data, and records obligations
* Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team, fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
* Embed enterprise data ownership and stewardship models across the organisation
* Implement quality controls and remediation processes for critical data domains
* Build and maintain metadata repositories, catalogues, and glossaries for consistent data use
* Lead master and reference data initiatives, ensuring authoritative sources for key datasets
* Ensure compliance with privacy, records, and higher education regulatory obligations (Privacy Act, State Records Act, TEQSA, GDPR where applicable)
* Partner with academic and professional areas to embed best practices and resolve data quality or ownership challenges
* Represent Data Management in governance forums, providing insights and recommendations to senior leadership
* Stay across trends in data management and drive the adoption of modern tools and methods to uplift data maturity
About You
* Tertiary qualifications in information or data management (or related discipline) and extensive leadership experience
* Proven success in enterprise data management within large, complex organisations
* Strong knowledge across governance, stewardship, quality, metadata, and compliance disciplines
* Experience establishing frameworks and embedding them operationally across diverse functions
* Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills at senior levels
* Strong analytical capability and problem-solving mindset
* Familiarity with higher education regulatory frameworks (TEQSA, Privacy Act, State Records Act)
* Demonstrated leadership in developing high-performing teams
* Commitment to ethical, compliant, and responsible data management
Contract Details
* 12-month fixed-term contract
* Hybrid working model – must be based in NSW
* Salary + Super up to 10% annual bonus
* Full Australian work rights required
Why Join?
Play a defining role in shaping how one of Australia’s leading universities manages its most valuable asset – data. You’ll build the frameworks, teams, and culture that underpin trusted, compliant, and future-ready data capabilities.