Data Program Manager

Location: Brussels (Schaerbeek)
Languages: French, Dutch and English is a must, both spoken and written. (German is a plus)
Employment Type: Freelance
Start Date: ASAP

Context of the mission/Objective(s) of the job:
Client is today faced with the evolution of the energy landscape (integration of renewable energy and decentralised generation, arrival of new players on the market, closure of central generation units, arrival of batteries, EV, CRM, CEP, etc.) and the opportunities of digitalisation (automation, AI, remote monitoring, etc.) combined with the major ambitions of its main activities (support for electrification, integration of flexibility, management of congestion, etc.). Data plays a key role in supporting these evolutions within Client: more and more, data is an enabler for thedecision-making process (operational, tactical, strategic). However, we are confronted with a number of datarelated challenges:

Roles and responsibilities around data management are not clear and aligned today, problems with timely/quality delivery of data initiatives, to meet these challenges, Client wants to focus on:
- Setting up data domains. All Client data is assigned to a domain, to which an owner is assigned. The owner then becomes accountable for the data in his domain. He is supported by the data steward, who is responsible for monitoring data quality etc.
- The switch from IT-led data products to business-led data products. The responsibility for qualitative, timely delivered data products will lie with the business. The development of the data products will then be done via multidisciplinary (business and IT) teams and will be led by a data product owner;
- The realization of new business-led data products for critical data;
- Extensive coaching to enable and support transition;
In the past, this approach was tested and refined by setting up a number of "pilot" data products - which have
now been realised and further industrialised.

Responsibilities.
The transition from IT-led to business-led data products and the setup and realization of new data products requires a structured approach, support and guidance by a Program Manager. We expect the PM to take on the following tasks:
- The PM works out the vision (incl why story) for the data products within his program - in close cooperation with the business experts and product owners. He manages the scope, budget and timing.
- Develops governance (detailing, aligning, of terms or references, processes linked to this governance, ).
- Manages and chairs steering committee for his program.
- The structured set-up of new data products (e.g. scoping, progress monitoring, etc.), in consultation with business and IT;
- Helps set up data product teams;
- Plan initiatives to increase data competences; Client provides the content of the training program.
- Coaches the data product owner, data domain owner and data steward.
- He acts as SPOC to business and IT for the implementation of the data program. Provides feedback to ensure the model is implemented consistently.
- Establishing and facilitating communities of practice for Data Stewards, Data Owners, etc. The PM ensures feedback from data stewards, data owners and data products to management.
- Ad hoc transversal data quality initiatives may be set up. The PM manages such initiatives in his program, and can pull one or more of them if necessary.

Requirements.
- Demonstrable and extensive experience/knowledge of at least 6 years in data management, governance, architecture, modeling, and certainly in data mesh principles.
- Proven experience as a program manager. You have extensive experience in managing data related programs, setting up and pulling governance/steerco's,
- Experience in setting up and supervising the introduction of data products or initiatives aimed at increased data quality and exchange between different users (internal) and publications (external)
- Excellent knowledge of French, Dutch and English is a must, both spoken and written. (German is a plus)
- Knowledge of Client business and context is a plus.
- Strong communication skills (both with more technical data profiles and management profiles)
- Convincing in a diplomatic manner;
- Analytical, flexible and has excellent planning and organizational skills.
- Master's degree, preferably as a (commercial) engineer or IT
- Working independently and in a team and coming up with creative solutions.