Enterprise Data Strategy& Governance Lead (Direct Contract Role)

We are seeking an experienced Data Strategy Leader to design, implement, and drive an enterprise-wide data strategy within an SME environment. This role requires a unique balance of strategic leadership, hands-on execution, and stakeholder management, ideally within the Information or Telecommunications domain. The successful candidate will embed data-firstprinciples across business and technology teams, establish scalableenterprise data platforms, and lead cross-functional teams to delivermeasurable business outcomes. Data Strategy & Transformation • Lead the enterprise-wide data strategy, embedding data-first principles across business, product, and technology teams. • Translate business objectives into a practical, execution-ready data roadmap suitable for an SME operating environment. • Define and govern enterprise data standards, policies, and operating models aligned to growth and scalability needs. Data Platform & Architecture • Design and deploy a scalable enterprise data lake platform, consolidating data across multiple systems and domains. • Provide hands-on technical leadership in defining enterprise data architecture, models, and integration frameworks. • Ensure platforms support advanced analytics, reporting, and future AI/ML readiness. Stakeholder & Adoption Management • Drive organisation-wide adoption of data capabilities, aligning stakeholders from executive leadership through to delivery teams. • Act as a key bridge between business SMEs, data engineers, analytics teams, and IT leadership. • Lead change management initiatives to embed data-driven decision-making into day-to-day operations. Governance, Quality & Stewardship • Implement data stewardship and ownership models to improve data quality, accountability, and trust. • Establish clear data governance processes pragmatic for an SME context (not overly bureaucratic). Delivery, Execution & Leadership • Build and lead cross-functional data task forces, bringing together domain SMEs and data experts to accelerate execution. • Define KPIs and success metrics to track data strategy impact, value creation, and continuous improvement. • Maintain a pragmatic, delivery-focused approach, balancing long-term strategy with near-term execution. Required Experience & Skills • Demonstrated experience leading data strategy initiatives in an SME environment, including hands-on delivery. • Proven track record of rolling out an enterprise-wide data strategy programme end-to-end. • Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience influencing senior leadership and cross-functional teams. • Hands-on experience with enterprise data platforms, data lakes, and modern data architectures. • Ability to operate at both strategic and technical levels. • Background in Information, Telecommunications, or adjacent data-intensive industries is strongly preferred.