VP, Product - Data Governance

Department Overview

WDTech is W&D’s in-house technology team – a group of collaborative and highly skilled technology professionals, all of whom are leading experts in real estate data, data science, and technology. 

WDTech Product works hand-in-hand with the business to translate business outcomes into actionable product strategies, aligning user needs with innovative solutions, via close collaboration with our engineering partners, to ensure W&D maintains a competitive advantage as our technology landscape and target market rapidly evolve.   

The Impact You Will Have  

As Vice President, Product – Data Governance, you will lead Walker & Dunlop’s enterprise data governance program and product strategy. This role is responsible for establishing the processes, controls, and governance capabilities that support the responsible management and use of data across the organization. 

Reporting within WDTech Product, this leader will oversee governance capabilities within Securiti.ai and partner across Legal, Risk, Compliance, Information Security, Engineering, and business teams to operationalize scalable governance practices that support regulatory requirements, business priorities, and AI-enabled initiatives. 

Primary Responsibilities 

• Lead Walker & Dunlop’s Data Governance Office, including governance processes, stewardship models, and cross-functional collaboration practices.  

• Define and manage the roadmap for enterprise data governance capabilities, including data discovery, classification, lineage, privacy, access governance, and AI governance.  

• Partner with Legal, Risk, Compliance, and Information Security to establish governance policies, standards, controls, and monitoring practices.  

• Collaborate with Engineering, Infrastructure, and Data Product teams to integrate governance capabilities throughout the data lifecycle.  

• Lead enterprise data inventory, classification, and lineage initiatives to improve visibility and protection of sensitive and regulated data.  

• Support privacy and data rights processes to help ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.  

• Establish governance and oversight practices for AI-enabled systems, including data usage, traceability, and appropriate review controls.  

• Define and report on governance metrics, including program maturity, data quality, policy adherence, and control effectiveness.  

• Build and develop the data governance team and steward network across the organization.  

• Communicate governance priorities, progress, and risks to executive leadership and key stakeholders.  

• Partner with business teams to encourage adoption of governance practices and improve accessibility of governed data assets. 

• Perform other duties as assigned 

Education and Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Business, Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Management, or a related field; advanced degree or relevant certifications preferred.  

• 10+ years of experience in product management, data governance, data management, privacy, or related leadership roles.  

• Experience building or maturing enterprise data governance programs within regulated or complex operating environments.  

• Experience with enterprise governance platforms such as Securiti.ai, Collibra, Alation, Informatica, OneTrust, BigID, or similar technologies.  

• Experience partnering cross-functionally with Legal, Risk, Compliance, Information Security, Engineering, and business stakeholders.  

• Experience in commercial real estate, financial services, lending, capital markets, or similarly regulated industries preferred. 

 
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

• Strong understanding of data governance, data management, privacy, and data risk practices.  

• Knowledge of regulatory and compliance considerations related to enterprise data management.  

• Ability to translate governance requirements into scalable processes, tools, and user experiences.  

• Understanding of modern data ecosystems, including analytics, cloud platforms, operational systems, and AI-enabled technologies.  

• Strong product and program management skills, including prioritization, execution, and stakeholder alignment.  

• Excellent cross-functional collaboration and relationship-building skills.  

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively across technical and non-technical audiences.  

• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.  

• High level of accountability, professionalism, and sound judgment.  

• Ability to show ownership of your work, take on challenges and acknowledge growth opportunities, and demonstrate patience when learning new processes 

• Courtesy, respect, and thoughtfulness in teaming with colleagues and other stakeholders 

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  This position has an estimated base salary of $220,000 - $270,000 plus a discretionary bonus. An employment offer is based on the applicant’s relevant work experience, applicable knowledge, skills, abilities, internal equity, and alignment with market data.

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