Data Subject Matter Expert (SME)

About the role

The Data Subject Matter Expert (Data SME) acts as the bridge between business stakeholders and technical teams, ensuring data is accurate, well‑governed, and effectively leveraged to meet organisational goals. You will provide strategic guidance on data structures, definitions, quality standards and governance practices across a range of initiatives.

Key responsibilities

• Analyse business requirements and translate them into clear data needs and specifications.
• Review data sources, models, workflows, reports and dashboards to identify gaps, duplication, quality issues or improvement opportunities.
• Define and maintain business glossaries, data dictionaries, metadata standards and data ownership models.
• Support data governance programmes, including classification, validation rules and data management procedures.
• Collaborate with data analysts, engineers, scientists, developers and project managers during workshops, testing, system validation and stakeholder meetings.
• Provide subject‑matter expertise for data migration, system implementation, reporting development and analytics projects.
• Validate analytical outputs, ensuring recommendations are meaningful and aligned with business context.

Required profile

• Strong understanding of data management, data governance, data quality and information management principles.
• Proven ability to work cross‑functionally with business and technical teams.
• Excellent communication skills to convey complex data concepts to non‑technical audiences.
• Experience in defining data standards, ownership structures and governance frameworks.

Required skills