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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Master Data Specialist

💰 $70,000 - $110,000

Data ManagementITData GovernanceBusiness IntelligenceData Analysis

🎯 Role Definition

As a Master Data Specialist, you will be the central steward of our organization's most critical data assets. You are responsible for establishing and maintaining a "single source of truth" for master data across all systems and business units. This role is crucial for enabling data-driven decision-making, improving operational efficiency, and supporting key business processes from supply chain to sales. You will work cross-functionally to define data standards, enforce governance policies, and resolve data quality issues, ensuring the highest level of data integrity and reliability for the entire enterprise.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Data Analyst
  • Business Systems Analyst
  • Database Administrator
  • Data Steward

Advancement To:

  • Senior Master Data Specialist / MDM Lead
  • Master Data Manager
  • Data Governance Manager
  • Data Architect

Lateral Moves:

  • Data Quality Analyst
  • Business Intelligence Developer
  • ETL Developer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  1. Oversee the end-to-end lifecycle management of critical master data domains, including Customer, Product, Vendor, and Material, ensuring accuracy and completeness within our core ERP (e.g., SAP, Oracle) and MDM platforms.
  2. Actively enforce and champion enterprise-wide data governance policies, standards, and procedures to ensure data is managed as a critical corporate asset.
  3. Proactively identify, investigate, and resolve complex data quality issues by performing root cause analysis and implementing corrective and preventative action plans.
  4. Collaborate closely with cross-functional business stakeholders from Finance, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Sales to understand their data requirements and translate them into actionable data management rules.
  5. Execute the creation, modification, and deactivation of master data records in accordance with established business rules and service level agreements (SLAs).
  6. Develop and maintain data quality dashboards and reports to monitor the health of master data, tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics over time.
  7. Define and document the business rules, processes, and workflows for master data creation and maintenance, ensuring clarity and consistency across the organization.
  8. Act as a primary point of contact and subject matter expert (SME) for all master data-related inquiries, escalations, and projects.
  9. Participate in system integration and data migration projects, ensuring that master data is mapped, cleansed, and loaded correctly into target systems.
  10. Conduct regular data cleansing and data enrichment activities to improve the overall quality, completeness, and value of master data repositories.
  11. Train business users and data stewards on master data management tools, processes, and best practices to foster a culture of data accountability.
  12. Manage data hierarchies, classifications, and attributes to support business reporting, analytics, and operational processes.
  13. Perform mass data updates using appropriate tools (e.g., LSMW, data loaders) while ensuring data integrity and adherence to governance protocols.
  14. Analyze the impact of proposed changes to master data structures and attributes on downstream systems and business processes.
  15. Support the MDM technical team by defining data matching, merging, and survivorship rules to create and maintain the "golden record."
  16. Develop and maintain a comprehensive data dictionary and business glossary for all master data elements, ensuring clear and consistent definitions.
  17. Evaluate and recommend improvements to MDM systems, processes, and tools to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and user experience.
  18. Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations (like GDPR and CCPA) by managing sensitive data elements within the master data domains.
  19. Facilitate data stewardship council meetings, presenting data quality metrics and driving decisions on data standards and policies.
  20. Lead data validation efforts during software upgrades, system enhancements, and new module implementations to ensure data integrity is maintained.
  21. Coordinate with IT and business teams to troubleshoot and resolve data synchronization issues between the MDM hub and connected applications.
  22. Define data validation rules within the MDM platform to prevent the entry of poor-quality data at the source.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • MDM Platforms: Hands-on experience with one or more Master Data Management (MDM) tools such as Informatica MDM, SAP Master Data Governance (MDG), Profisee, Stibo Systems, or Reltio.
  • ERP Systems: Deep functional knowledge of master data modules within major ERP systems, particularly SAP (S/4HANA) or Oracle E-Business Suite.
  • SQL Proficiency: Strong ability to write and execute complex SQL queries for data analysis, profiling, extraction, and validation across various database systems.
  • Data Quality Tools: Experience using data quality and profiling tools like Talend Data Quality, Trillium, Ataccama, or Informatica Data Quality (IDQ).
  • Data Loading Tools: Proficiency with data loading utilities such as SAP LSMW, Winshuttle, or other proprietary data integration tools.
  • Reporting & Visualization: Familiarity with creating dashboards and reports in tools like Power BI, Tableau, or Qlik to communicate data quality metrics effectively.
  • ETL Concepts: Solid understanding of ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) principles and how they apply to data integration and migration projects.

Soft Skills

  • Meticulous Attention to Detail: An unwavering commitment to accuracy and precision, with the ability to spot inconsistencies that others might miss.
  • Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: A systematic and logical approach to troubleshooting complex data issues, from identification and root cause analysis to final resolution.
  • Exceptional Communication: The ability to clearly articulate complex data concepts and governance policies to both technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: A natural ability to build relationships and work effectively with diverse teams across the organization to achieve common data goals.
  • Process-Oriented Mindset: The skill to define, document, and continuously improve intricate business processes related to data management.
  • Influence and Negotiation: Capable of influencing stakeholders and negotiating priorities to drive adherence to data governance standards.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

  • Master's Degree or a relevant professional certification (e.g., Certified Data Management Professional - CDMP).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Information Systems
  • Computer Science
  • Business Administration
  • Data Science
  • Finance

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3-5 years of dedicated experience in a master data management, data governance, or closely related data-centric role.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of experience in a complex enterprise environment, including direct, hands-on involvement in at least one full-cycle MDM implementation project.
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