Director, Data Trust

The Director of Data Trust is responsible for establishing and operating the enterprise framework that determines who is accountable for data, and how decisions about data are made. what standards apply, and how governance is embedded into day-to-day business processes. The enterprise framework enables trusted, secure, and compliant use of data across Cetera. This leader operationalizes data trust by integrating governance, metadata, stewardship, data policy, privacy, and security practices into the organization's data lifecycle and operating model. The role also leads data quality governance, master data governance, business data stewardship, and governance change management to strengthen business ownership, accountability, adoption, and business value.

As a leader within the Data and Analytics organization, this role partners closely with peer leaders responsible for Data Architecture, Data Quality, Master Data Management, and Business Intelligence & Analytics to ensure enterprise data is trusted, protected, discoverable, and fit for business, regulatory, analytical, and AI use.

Success is measured through improved confidence in enterprise data, stronger governance adoption, reduced data risk, and increased business value from trusted information assets.

Primary Mission

The Director of Data Trust ensures enterprise data is trusted by business users, governed with clear ownership and accountability, protected by enterprise security standards, and managed in line with privacy regulations. This role drives adoption of data governance and stewardship practices while fostering a culture of business ownership and data-driven decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Data Trust

Establish and lead the enterprise Data Trust capability, including governance, metadata management, business glossary, data lineage, stewardship, and policy management to improve confidence in enterprise data.

Governance Operating Model

Develop and mature an enterprise data governance frameworks including data governance policy, standards, decision rights, and stewardship practices that define roles and responsibilities and support consistent data governance across Data Architecture, Data Quality, Master Data Management, Analytics, and business organizations that produce and consume data. Specifically:

• Define the governance structure-Data Governance Council/Office, domain governance, data owners, data stewards, and working groups-and establish RACIs, escalation paths, approval authorities, issue-resolution processes, and governance forums.
• Identify and onboard business data owners and stewards; define their responsibilities; establish stewardship processes; provide training and templates. Accountability for stewardship is a core data-management principle.
• Lead development and adoption of enterprise data policies and standards.
• Establish the governance side of DQ: who defines and approves business DQ expectations, how critical data is prioritized, how issues are escalated, how remediation accountability works, and how DQ performance is reported.
• Establish the decision process through which business owners approve terms, definitions, policies, and standards.
• Define how governance issues are raised, classified, assigned, escalated, resolved, and tracked.
• Establish KPIs to measure the success of data governance programs.

Establish governance practices for Business Data Owners and Data Stewards, facilitate stewardship forums to prioritize requirements, resolve cross-domain ownership and accountability issues, and ensure governance, data quality, and master data management practices are aligned with enterprise priorities, strategic initiatives, and business value.

Data Security & Privacy Partnership

Partner with Information Security, Privacy, Risk, Legal, and Compliance to operationalize data protection, privacy, and regulatory requirements throughout the data lifecycle while enabling responsible access and use of enterprise data.

Business Engagement

Partner with Business leaders, Data Owners, and Data Stewards to drive adoption of Data Trust practices, strengthen accountability for enterprise data assets, and embed data governance into business operations. Lead stakeholder engagement, communications, training, and change management activities that improve stewardship adoption, foster a data-driven culture, and align governance efforts with business objectives and enterprise priorities.

Risk & Regulatory Compliance

Support regulatory compliance and enterprise risk management by implementing governance controls, data classification standards, records management practices, and audit-ready processes aligned with financial services requirements.

Metadata & Data Transparency

Lead enterprise capabilities including the implementation and adoption of an Enterprise Data governance platform, that improve discoverability, lineage, classification, and understanding of enterprise data assets to support business operations, analytics, AI, and regulatory reporting. Experience with enterprise data governance platforms such as Collibra, Informatica, Microsoft Purview, or Alation.

Organizational Leadership

Build and lead a high-performing team of analysts and data governance professionals while fostering collaboration across Data Architecture, Data Quality and Master Data Management, BI and Analytics, Technology, Risk, Security, Compliance, and business organizations to advance Cetera's enterprise data strategy.

Adoption, Risk Reduction & Business Value

Drive business adoption of trusted enterprise data, increase transparency into data ownership, lineage, and sensitive data, and embed trust, security, and privacy practices into delivery processes. Reduce recurring data issues through proactive governance, support positive audit and regulatory outcomes, and strengthen collaboration across architecture, engineering, analytics, risk, security, and business teams.

Required Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Business, Cybersecurity, or a related discipline; Master's degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in enterprise data management, governance, security, privacy, risk management, or related disciplines, including leadership within a regulated financial services environment.
• Demonstrated expertise in enterprise data governance, metadata management, stewardship, data quality, master data management, data classification, information lifecycle management, and modern cloud-based data platforms.
• Proven ability to lead enterprise transformation initiatives, establish operating models, influence executive stakeholders, and build collaborative partnerships across business and technology organizations.
• Experience establishing or operating data stewardship models, including Business Data Owner and Business Data Steward roles, responsibilities, forums, decision rights, and accountability practices.
• Experience governing data quality and master data management practices, including business rules, data quality expectations, authoritative sources, issue remediation, and cross-domain ownership decisions.
• Experience leading governance change management, stakeholder engagement, communications, training, and adoption activities that improve participation and build a data-driven culture.
• Demonstrated ability to align governance practices with business objectives, strategic initiatives, enterprise priorities, and measurable business value.
• Experience assessing and improving enterprise data management capabilities using recognized industry frameworks such as DCAM (Data Management Capability Assessment Model) and / or DAMA DMBOK.
• Strong understanding of financial services regulations and industry frameworks, including FINRA, SEC, GLBA, SOX, applicable privacy regulations, and NIST frameworks.

Preferred Experience

• Financial services or other highly regulated industries.
• Familiarity with regulations such as GLBA, SEC, FINRA, SOX, GDPR, and CCPA.
• Experience supporting AI governance and responsible AI initiatives.
• Experience with NIST Cybersecurity Framework and NIST Privacy Framework

About Us

What we give you in return:

Not many teams can say that they support people's dreams coming to life. We happen to do that every day. And as important as we know your career is, we recognize that there's a whole lot more to life. To ensure that our employees can make the most of their time outside of working hours, we offer a competitive salary and for full-time roles, a benefits package including:

• Inclusive health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans built to support diverse lifestyles, offer preventative care, and protect against hardship.
• Easy access to mental health benefits to meet our team members and their families where they are.
• 20+ days of paid time off (PTO), paid holidays, and 2 paid wellness days to give our employees the time they need to stay close with their loved ones, recharge, and give back to their communities.
• 401(k) savings plan with a generous company contribution (up to 5%), and access to a financial professional to offer our employees the opportunity to plan-ahead for a strong financial future well beyond their working years.
• Paid parental leave to support all team members with birth, adoption, and fostering.
• Health Savings and Flexible Spending Account options to help you save money on healthcare, daycare, commuting, and more.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP), LifeLock, Pet Insurance and more.
• Paid caregiver leave to provide time away from work when caring for an ill or recovering family member.
• Additional benefits such as an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), identity theft protection (LifeLock), pet insurance, and other voluntary benefits to provide extra peace of mind

About Cetera

Cetera Financial Group (Cetera) is a leading network of independent retail broker-dealers and registered investment advisers empowering the delivery of objective financial advice to individuals, families, and company retirement plans across the country through trusted financial advisors and financial institutions. Cetera is one of the largest independent financial advisor networks in the nation and a leading provider of retail services to the investment programs of banks and credit unions.

Advisor support resources offered through Cetera include award-winning wealth management and advisory platforms, comprehensive broker-dealer and registered investment adviser services, practice management support, and innovative technology.

Cetera Financial Group (Cetera) is a network of independent retail firms, including those that are members of FINRA/SIPC: Cetera Advisors LLC; Cetera Wealth Services, LLC (formerly known as Cetera Advisor Networks); Cetera Investment Services LLC (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions or Cetera Investors); and Cetera Financial Specialists LLC. Entities registered as investment advisers with the Securities and Exchange Commission include Cetera Investment Management LLC and Cetera Investment Advisers LLC. Cetera''s principal office is located at 655 W. Broadway, 11th Floor, San Diego, CA 92101. Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. is an SEC registered investment adviser within the Aretec Group, Inc. (dba Cetera Holdings, an affiliate of Cetera). All the referenced entities are under common ownership.

Cetera Financial Group is committed to providing an equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. For us, this is the only acceptable way to do business. Accordingly, all employment decisions at Cetera Financial Group, including those relating to hiring, promotion, transfers, benefits, compensation, and placement, will be made without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, age, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic characteristics, religion, religious dress and/or grooming, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, U.S. military status, political affiliation, or any other class protected by state and/or federal law.

Agencies please note: this recruitment assignment is being managed directly by Cetera's Talent Acquisition team. We will reach out to our preferred agency partners in the rare instance we require additional talent options. Your respect for this process is appreciated.

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