Data Governance & Quality Lead

Career at Damen

About us

Hop aboard Damen Naval; the naval division of the family-owned Damen Shipyards Group, where 12,000 professionals work worldwide. Damen Naval delivers advanced naval vessels to clients all over the globe. By implementing the most innovative technological developments in practice, we continue to push the boundaries of the shipbuilding industry. You can be part of our team! Are you ready for duty?

The role

As the Data Governance & Quality Lead at Damen Naval, you will hold a pivotal position in establishing and enforcing the foundational policies, standards, and processes that ensure the accuracy, consistency, security, and usability of our data across its entire lifecycle. You will be instrumental in supporting data owners to define data quality dimensions, and strategically manage data stewards. By partnering closely with diverse stakeholders, you will proactively address complex data challenges and champion continuous improvement in our data management practices. Your leadership will directly enable reliable analytics and informed decision-making, crucial for the design of next-generation ships and the efficiency of our operations.

Key accountabilities

In this role, your responsibilities will include:

• Define and maintain data ownership, formulate and uphold data quality rules, develop robust data risk profiles, ensure comprehensive data security, and manage data definitions and descriptions in accordance with established governance frameworks.
• Partner closely with engineers, project managers, supply chain, and other key stakeholders to deeply understand their data needs and provide definitions and documentation that contribute to informed decision-making.
• Continuously monitor key data metrics, help stewards to validate and cleanse data, and proactively address errors to maintain accuracy, completeness, consistency, and timeliness across our datasets.
• Guarantee alignment with all regulatory requirements while actively identifying, assessing, and mitigating data-related risks such as breaches, misuse, and non-compliance.
• Provide ongoing support and comprehensive training to end-users on defining and resolving data quality issues and implementing best practices.
• Stay updated on the latest tools and technologies in data management, explore new methods to enhance data quality, and foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement through training and guidance.
• Document processes, methodologies, and findings for knowledge sharing.

Skills & experience

We are looking for candidates with the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in IT or a relevant field with at least 6 years of relevant experience.
• 3+ years of experience in program and project management, preferably within data governance, data quality, or large-scale data transformation programs.
• A strong foundation in data management principles, governance frameworks, and regulatory compliance (e.g., GDPR, ISO standards).
• Familiarity with Lean Six Sigma or other process improvement methodologies, ideally tailored for Industry 4.0 and system engineering, with a proven track record in process development and improvement, preferably in ship construction or a related industry.
• Experience in the maritime, defense, or a related industry is highly valued, but an essential requirement is to possess a strong engineering mindset.
• Technical Understanding: Understanding of BI reporting systems and processes, and experience working with data analysis tools.
• Good command of both written and verbal English, with Dutch proficiency being a plus. Awareness of potential business travel, work abroad, or intercontinental assignments.
• Excellent references antecedents as a pre-employment security screening is standard part of the recruitment procedure.
• Permanent EU citizenship and passport are both required and candidates with NL/EU (work) visa or with both an EU and non-EU nationality and/or passport are not eligible in accordance with the requirements imposed by the military nature of our projects.

What we offer

At Damen Naval, we highly value our employees, and we will support your professional and personal development. We also provide our employees with:

• A competitive salary and 8% holiday pay.
• 27 holidays and 13 ADV days.
• Travel allowance of 23 cents per kilometre.
• PME-pension arrangement with an employer contribution of 60%.
• Profit sharing based on company results.
• Flexibility to work from home up to two days a week.
• Additional benefits including a bicycle plan and company fitness.

Why Damen?

Damen has 35 shipyards on five different continents and operates in more than 100 countries. You contribute to this growth while benefitting from the diverse development and career opportunities that our company offers. With our extensive portfolio of products and solutions you will never get bored and never stop learning. We offer you a world of possibilities. Working at Damen means contributing to the highest quality in shipbuilding, with an eye to the future and future generations. We want to make the world a better place by becoming the most sustainable maritime solution provider. For that, we need you. Become part of our family.