Principal Data Lead

Job Summary

Provides technical expertise, leads, manages and supports activities related to data architecture for reporting services, and design expertise in data warehouses, data marts, and business intelligence enterprise reporting. Works with large and complex data sets to evaluate, recommend, and support the implementation of business strategies. Identifies and compiles data sets using a variety of tools to help predict, improve, and measure the success of key business-to-business outcomes. Develops tools and processes to maintain a common, firm-wide data standard. Implements norms for creation and maintenance of common data dictionaries. Assesses, manages, and maintains strategies to reduce data redundancy, increasing the consistency, quality, and confidence of data used for decision making. Mentors, trains and assists team members and serves as lead data subject-matter-expert and liaison between line of business partners and Information Technology. Contributes to strategic planning and influences best practices and may serve as a key advisor to leadership regarding significant business decisions.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides technical expertise and supports activities related to data architecture for reporting services, and design expertise in data warehouses, data marts, and business intelligence enterprise reporting. Identifies ways to increase the use of business intelligence within the firm, designing end-to-end business intelligence solutions that provide insights and information for key decision-makers
• Ensures alignment with Synovus business architecture and strategy. Acts as a project lead for new business intelligence initiatives related to supported business area. Leads meetings with managers and subject matter experts to define and gather requirements and overall objectives.
• Works closely with governance leadership team in developing and implementing a data governance model for a variety of Synovus data. Meets with technology and business partners to identify areas where data governance is necessary.
• Works cross functionally with varying data owners across the organization to support the implementation of processes and procedures to ensure that governance, stewardship, transparency and control of Synovus data assets is maintained at all times.
• Manages the selection and testing of appropriate toolsets for data governance processes. Builds an enterprise data asset map and data dictionary. Works with Engineering to establish gating, data utilization policies, and external agency guidelines.
• Supports the data governance working group to ensure the highest level of scrutiny on data access and proliferation. Assists with revising, updating and enhancing existing data governance working group processes to meet the organization's evolving needs. Supports business intelligence teams with internal intake processes and priority management.
• Plans and executes system testing. Leads the analysis and reconciliation of data and reporting projects and initiatives delivery. Develops, maintains and reports all relevant product, site and customer metrics and applies findings to develop appropriate goals and projections. Creates documentation on data requests as they are fulfilled to include validation, testing and user acceptance
• Identifies opportunities for Master Data Management to standardize data definitions. Manages and implements accurate and complete metadata. Identifies and exploits opportunities for enhanced Business Intelligence that align with the company's business architecture and strategy
• Serves as a liaison between internal business customers and Information Technology on both strategic and tactical projects building a close working relationship with all partners. Manages and leads new business intelligence initiatives related to the supported business area. Leads meetings with managers and other subject matter experts to define and gather requirements and objectives.
• Serves as a final escalation point for data issues ensuring team members are focused on delivering high-quality data on-time and in accordance to the data roadmap. Represents the team in project planning and other meetings and works in conjunction with leadership to drive the overall direction of the team.
• Serves and is recognized as a subject-matter-expert with knowledge of emerging trends. Influences best practices and serves as a key advisor to management regarding business decisions. Contributes to strategic planning as requested. Assists in the planning and development of new technology to improve performance and productivity, reduce Information Technology costs and improve profitability. Solves complex problem situations and participates in the identification of opportunities for improvement to processes, procedures or tools.
• Each team member is expected to be aware of risk within their functional area. This includes observing all policies, procedures, laws, regulations and risk limits specific to their role. Additionally, they should raise and report known or suspected violations to the appropriate Company authority in a timely fashion.
• Performs other related duties as required.

The information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Synovus is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive work environment.

Minimum Education:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, or a related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Minimum Experience:

• Twelve years of experience in Information technology including collecting business requirements related to usage of data, performing data mapping and conducting data quality assessments and developing, utilizing and writing new automation.

Required Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• Understanding of reporting and/or visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, SSRS, SQL Server)
• Knowledge of a variety of technologies, data models, and insights across all relevant data sources
• Understanding of Governance principles
• Understands concepts like data mining, extraction and analysis as it pertains to a specific bank pillar (e.g., Commercial, Retail, Wealth)
• Analytical and critical thinking skills
• Ability to quickly shift between technology stacks
• Ability to mentor and train team member
• Strong verbal and written communication skills