HR Data Governance Lead
Westlake · Houston
Westlake offers you the potential to enrich your work life and career experience in an entrepreneurial environment. We work together to enhance peoples' lives through our products and presence in the communities in which we operate.
SUMMARY
The HR Data Governance Lead maintains and enforces the data governance framework specifically for our HR ecosystem and downstream HR technologies. This role ensures that all employee, organizational, and foundational data is accurate, consistent, secure, and fully compliant with global data privacy regulations. This role serves as the strategic bridge between HR Operations, People Analytics, IT, Legal and business leaders to translate business rules into concrete data configurations, organization standards, and rigorous auditing practices.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
May include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Maintain the global HR data governance framework, data dictionary, and KPIs.
- Serve as project manager for data governance strategy roadmap
- Govern the configuration rules for Supervisory Organizations, Cost Centers, Functional Areas, Locations, etc. to prevent data fragmentation and maintain data model integrity.
- Assess the data integrity impact of bi-annual Workday releases, structural tenant changes, and mass data loads (EIBs).
- Develop and run automated audit schedules within Workday (using custom reports and dashboards) to proactively identify data anomalies, duplicates, or orphaned positions.
- Work with relevant HR business partners to correct identified data issues; provide training and guidance to prevent future occurrences.
- Lead Root Cause Analysis (RCA) on repeating data errors and partner with Workday Security Administrators to fix business process gaps causing data entry errors.
- Define and monitor retention, archiving, and purging schedules for historical employee records within the tenant.
- Partner with the HRIS to review, audit, and approve custom security groups, ensuring strict alignment with the "least privilege" access principle for sensitive fields (e.g., compensation, diversity data).
- Establish and facilitate a data governance council across global regions and various sub-departments including Business Leads, HRIS, People Analytics, Talent Management, Compensation, and Payroll to align priorities and secure support for strategic initiatives, projects, or decisions.
- Partner with People Analytics team to create clear, accessible data entry documentation and job aids to improve data literacy among HR Business Partners and corporate HR functional areas.
- Collaborate with cross‑functional teams and senior leaders to influence strategic direction and resource allocation.
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Information Systems, Business Administration, or related field and a minimum of 5 years of experience in HR data management and HR systems.
- Strong communication, attention to detail, problem-solving, and organizational skills are crucial. The ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment is also important.
- Familiarity with data cataloging or governance tools is highly desirable.
- Solid understanding of international data privacy laws relating to employee records.
- Exceptional stakeholder and project management skills with the ability to drive data discipline among non-technical HR teams.
- Ability to influence decisions and priorities at all management levels, challenge inefficiencies or risks proactively, and enforce compliance with data governance standards through clear communication, follow‑through, and accountability.
- Structural mindset needed to coordinate complex data flow issues across systems and departments.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Applications including Excel and PowerPoint, including the ability to present material in a clear and meaningful way.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; stand; walk; use hands to touch, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, or crouch. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus. Additionally, this position must make general decisions requiring judgement and perform activities requiring sustained concentration.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The noise level in the work environment is sometimes moderate when working in an office. Travel including air travel or auto travel may occasionally be required.
Westlake is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristics protected by applicable legislation.
If you are an active Westlake employee (or an employee of any Westlake affiliates), please do not apply here. You will apply via the Jobs Hub application in Workday.