Data Management Specialist | Data & Product

We are on the journey to transform our digital capabilities, bringing core business processes, people, data & technology together - an enabler for IKEA to become an even better home furnishing retailer in the future. A journey that needs passionate people who embrace change, dare to question and want to make a difference. If that sounds like you, come and join us. Together we can do great things!    

About the area   

Inter IKEA Group is organized in three core businesses - Range, Supply and Retail Concept - and five enabling functions. Together we contribute to the success of IKEA and share responsibility for the franchise offer.  

The enabling functions lead key common activities in networks across Inter IKEA Group, as well as cover specific needs for the core businesses. The five Enabling functions are Operations Management, Business Performance & Support, Communication, Sustainability and People & Culture.   

Operations Management leads and holds together the development and maintenance of a common foundation for how we work together across the value chain, our operating model. We enable strategic movements towards the IKEA goals through the strategic landscape and work closely with all parts of the value chain to achieve them. It includes teams for business insights, capability and process development, strategy and roadmap, data and product, and technology.  

Our mission in the Inter IKEA Group is to build a strong data foundation to enable the growth of IKEA. It covers, among other things, sustainability data and material data, transforming it into a trusted and democratic resource. It empowers IKEA co-workers, suppliers, and customers to make sustainable and efficient decisions across the value chain—giving us the means to understand our past, make informed decisions in the present, and simulate the future impact of different choices. 

We have chosen to organize our work in a data and product paradigm where we are building empowered teams that have the privilege to take responsibility while being supported by servant leaders.  

Data Management & Performance within Operations Management has the ambition of securing quality, connected, available data throughout the IKEA value chain. We provide the competence and deliver the needed tooling to ensure this. We work closely every day with our business and product teams that deliver cutting-edge, data-driven solutions to the many IKEA co-workers.  

As a Data Management Specialist, you bring hands-on data management expertise to Inter IKEA. Working closely with product and process teams in your assigned domains, you help implement our data management framework and improve the quality and usability of our data across the value chain. You act as a trusted partner to subject matter experts and digital product teams — combining technical know-how with strong stakeholder management to get data management embedded in day-to-day ways of working. 

You will: 

• Collaborate with subject matter experts and digital product teams to establish and maintain data standards, policies, controls, and accountability across assigned domains. 
• Support the definition, implementation, and continuous improvement of data governance practices, including metadata management, business glossaries, data lineage, and data catalog capabilities. 
• Facilitate data sharing and data exchange between internal domains and external partners, ensuring compliance with agreed standards, regulatory requirements, security policies, and business needs. 
• Promote data literacy, awareness, and adoption of data management principles through coaching, knowledge sharing, and stakeholder engagement. 
• Support the resolution of data quality issues by selecting appropriate error detection and correction, process control, and process design strategies, working closely with product teams, subject matter experts (SMEs), and data stewards. 
• Ensure consistency by applying relevant development techniques, digital frameworks, and best practices. 

We're looking for an enthusiastic, hands-on data professional who's energized by working close to the data and close to the people who use it. You're passionate about building a solid data foundation and enjoy translating data management principles into practical, everyday improvements. You're comfortable working in a fast-changing environment, and you bring the stakeholder skills to bring others along with you — influencing without formal authority, coaching colleagues, and building trust across business and digital teams. 

• Solid, hands-on knowledge and experience within the Master Data field, including modern data quality practices, strategies, and technical tools. 
• Practical experience working with data catalogs, data products, metadata repositories, lineage solutions, and data governance platforms. 
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence, coach, and drive adoption across business and digital organisations. 
• Understanding of information governance and data management methodologies. 
• Ability to assess how technology changes impact data. 

Beneficial: 

• Experience working in product-oriented organisations and agile delivery models. 
• Data modelling expertise, and a good understanding of underlying business processes and systems. 
• Relevant degree or equivalent experience in a data-related field (e.g. computer science, information management, statistics) — not a strict requirement if you bring the practical experience above. 

This role is full-time (40 hours per week) and will be based in Delft. We look forward to receiving your application. Please apply in by submitting your CV. 

For any questions regarding the application please contact [email protected], 

At IKEA, we are looking for people who believe everyone deserves a seat at the table. You’re welcome no matter where you come from, what you believe, and what you look like. We don’t even care how you have furnished your home. We’re interested in you simply because you’re you. Even if your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. We believe that people’s different perspectives, backgrounds, and personalities make us better at understanding our customers dreams and needs. At IKEA, we’re all on the same project.    If you have a special need that requires accommodation in the recruitment process, just let us know.