Data Governance Specialist

The CDC Foundation helps the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) save and improve lives by unleashing the power of collaboration between CDC, philanthropies, corporations, organizations and individuals to protect the health, safety and security of America and the world. The CDC Foundation is the go-to nonprofit authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners and private-sector resources to support CDC’s critical health protection mission. Since 1995, the CDC Foundation has raised over $1.9 billion and launched more than 1,300 programs impacting a variety of health threats from chronic disease conditions including cardiovascular disease and cancer, to infectious diseases like rotavirus and HIV, to emergency responses, including COVID-19 and Ebola. The CDC Foundation managed hundreds of programs in the United States and in more than 90 countries last year. Visit www.cdcfoundation.org for more information.  
Job HighlightsLocation: Remote, must be based in the United StatesSalary Range: $81,000-$117,875 per year, plus benefits. Individual salary offers will be based on experience and qualifications unique to each candidate. Position Type: Grant funded, limited-term opportunityPosition End Date: June 30, 2025
OverviewThe Data Governance Specialist will drive the development of a tailored public health data governance framework that is aligned with industry standards and regulatory requirements. This role is aligned to the Workforce Acceleration Initiative (WAI). WAI is a federally funded CDC Foundation program with the goal of helping the nation’s public health agencies by providing them with the technology and data experts they need to accelerate their information system improvements. Working within Hawaii Department of Public Health. The Data Governance Specialist will be responsible for the development and implementation of comprehensive data governance policies, procedures, and frameworks for the Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH). This role will focus on ensuring consistent and standardized data sharing, use, and management across HDOH program areas. The expert will work closely with HDOH staff to develop policies, identify gaps, create workflows, and ensure compliance with best practices in data governance. A key component of the role will be driving collaborative discussions and establishing frameworks based on successful examples from other jurisdictions. The Data Governance Specialist will be hired by the CDC Foundation and assigned to the Hawaii Department of Public Health, Public Health Surveillance Team. This position is eligible for a fully remote work arrangement for U.S. based candidates.

Responsibilities

• Lead the identification of gaps in current HDOH data governance policies and procedures, develop a core list of new ones to be created based on this gap analysis.
• Develop a core set of data governance policies and procedures, in collaboration with HDOH stakeholders, that facilitate standardized data sharing and usage.
• Research and apply best practices from other jurisdictions, adapting them to meet the specific requirements of HDOH, inclusive of data governance and health equity.
• Identify, codify, and implement workflows and automated processes in SharePoint for data sharing frameworks used within HDOH. 
• Draft, revise, and implement standardized agency-wide data sharing frameworks, ensuring alignment with public health data needs and organizational goals for reducing barriers to secure, appropriate data exchange.
• Facilitate collaborative meetings with HDOH stakeholders to refine data sharing workflows, draft templates, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of policies.
• Maintain a Data Use Agreement (DUA) and Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) library in SharePoint, and work with legal teams to standardize templates for future agreements.
• Convene meetings with stakeholders to establish and standardize data terms, business glossaries, and equity elements for HDOH data management.
• Pilot the implementation of these standardized data reference dictionaries, terms, and glossaries, training HDOH staff on their use.
• Continue to expand and roll out additional data dictionaries, terms, glossaries, and Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) measures across HDOH.
• Develop and implement a communications plan for educating HDOH staff on data governance standards and frameworks.
• Conduct training sessions with HDOH staff on data sharing frameworks, DUAs, DSAs, and standardized data references.
• Ensure that all new staff are trained on data governance processes and that data governance standards are maintained through continuous communication and updates.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Data Management, Public Health, Information Systems, or a related field.
• Master’s degree in a relevant field is preferred but not required.
• 5+ years of experience in data governance, data management, or a related role, with a focus on public health, healthcare, or government data systems.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing data governance frameworks, policies, and procedures.
• Experience working with data sharing agreements (DUAs, DSAs) and ensuring compliance with data privacy and security standards.
• Familiarity with public health data systems and practices, including the handling and governance of sensitive and protected health information (PHI).
• Significant experience working with legal teams on data governance and data sharing agreements is highly desirable.
• In-depth knowledge of data governance principles and best practices, including data lifecycle management, data privacy, security, and information sharing protocols.
• Proficiency with platforms such as SharePoint or other document management systems for organizing data use agreements, policies, and collaborative workflows.
• Experience with data standardization initiatives, including developing and implementing business glossaries, data dictionaries, and standardized data terms.
• Understanding of Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), principles of data equity, and how these integrate with public health program goals and public health data systems is advantageous.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to facilitate collaborative discussions and lead meetings with diverse stakeholders, including public health officials, data stewards, subject matter experts, IT professionals, and legal teams.
• Experience developing and implementing training programs to educate teams on data governance policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Proven ability to work in cross-functional teams and build consensus around complex data governance initiatives.
• Previous experience in project management, including developing and managing work breakdown structures (WBS), timelines, and deliverables.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery of data governance milestones and adherence to project goals.
• Understanding of data privacy laws and regulatory requirements related to public health data, including HIPAA and other relevant privacy regulations.
• Experience in working with legal teams to draft, review, and implement data use agreements and data sharing frameworks.

Special NotesThis role is involved in a dynamic public health program. As such, roles and responsibilities are subject to change as situations evolve. Roles and responsibilities listed above may be expanded upon or updated to match priorities and needs, once written approval is received by the CDC Foundation in order to best support the public health programming.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical disabilities, veteran status, and all other characteristics protected by law.
We comply with all applicable laws including E.O. 11246 and the Vietnam Era Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 governing employment practices and do not discriminate on the basis of any unlawful criteria in accordance with 41 C.F.R. §§ 60-300.5(a)(12) and 60-741.5(a)(7). As a federal government contractor, we take affirmative action on behalf of protected veterans.
The CDC Foundation is a smoke-free environment.  Relocation expenses are not included.