Data Governance Senior Manager

The Data Governance Senior Manager – APIs and Data Sets

establishes and executes governance frameworks for APIs and critical data sets across Cox Automotive. This role ensures APIs and data sets are secure, compliant, discoverable, and aligned with enterprise standards while enabling innovation. The Senior Manager leads cross-functional initiatives implementing policies that balance regulatory requirements, security risks, and business enablement, partnering with product, engineering, security, legal, and data governance teams.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain enterprise-wide API and data set governance policies, standards, and procedures
• Establish lifecycle governance covering design, development, deployment, versioning, deprecation, and retirement
• Define and enforce design standards, naming conventions, authentication/authorization models, and data quality requirements
• Create governance scorecards and metrics to measure program effectiveness
• Ensure complete metadata documentation including purpose, ownership, dependencies, usage restrictions, and lineage
• Implement classification and tagging frameworks based on sensitivity, criticality, and compliance requirements
• Catalog critical source data and APIs with metadata showing how data is created, obtained, used, and shared
• Partner with Legal, Privacy, and Security teams to ensure compliance with data contracts, privacy regulations, and security requirements
• Roll out data quality policies and standards for critical data sets
• Integrate governance into development workflows through partnership with product and engineering teams
• Drive adoption through training, communication, and change management
• Provide consultation to API and data set owners on governance requirements
• Continuously improve governance processes based on feedback and organizational needs

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline and 8 years’ experience in a related field. The right candidate could also have a different combination, such as a master's degree and 6 years’ experience; a Ph.D. and 3 years’ experience in a related field; or 20 years’ experience in a related field
• Deep understanding of API technologies, protocols (REST, GraphQL, gRPC), and architectural patterns
• Knowledge of data management principles including data quality, metadata management, and data lineage
• Familiarity with API management platforms and data cataloging tools
• Understanding of API security standards and data protection mechanisms
• Experience with data modeling, database technologies, and data integration patterns
• Highly analytical with ability to make strategic decisions with ambiguous information
• Excellent communication and influencing skills to drive consensus across stakeholders
• Strong project management with track record of delivering complex initiatives
• Demonstrated change management expertise including training and organizational adoption
• Ability to balance technical requirements with business needs and risk considerations

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with DAMA-DMBOK or similar data management frameworks
• Knowledge of privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA) and their application
• Background in automotive industry or marketplace platforms
• Experience with governance tools, data quality platforms, and API documentation systems