Data Governance Lead

R10103550 Data Governance Lead (Open)

Location:

Radnor, PA (Airgas HO) - Management

How will you CONTRIBUTE and GROW?

The Data Governance Lead operationalizes the Airgas data governance framework: the policies, standards, stewardship model, and certification process through which Airgas data becomes trusted, discoverable, and ready for the decisions and AI that run on it. Working under the direction of the Data Officer and within the Air Liquide Group framework, this leader turns the Airgas Data Principles into daily practice across Airgas' five divisions and their 18 regions, as well as its business units and corporate entities— keeping critical data ownership and stewardship documented and current, ensuring quality is measured and published, and certifying and cataloging data products — enabling the businesses that own the data to trust it, and the company to build on it.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Operate the governance framework

• Operate and continuously improve Airgas' data governance framework — policies, standards, and the stewardship model — in collaboration with the regions, business units, and corporate entities, grounded in the Airgas Data Principles and aligned with the Air Liquide Group framework
• Issue and maintain the data standards and procedures that turn policy into daily practice.

Keep ownership documented and current

• Maintain the register of critical data ownership and stewardship: ensure every critical dataset has a named, supported owner, and keep accountability current as the organization evolves.
• Coach data owners, stewards, and product teams wherever they sit — region, business unit, or corporate entity — in standards and best practices, so quality becomes a habit.

Publish quality

• Partner with the Data Quality Lead, who measures data quality across critical domains: ensure scorecards are published to data owners and leadership on the committed frequency..
• Turn published scores into action — route results to the accountable owners, track remediation commitments through the governance rhythm, and make progress visible over time.

Certify and catalog data products

• Operate the data product certification process and maintain the Airgas data catalog — owners, definitions, certification status, and approved uses — so every consumer knows what they can rely on.
• Support data-risk reviews for AI initiatives, helping ensure that AI and executive reporting run on certified data.

Convene and align

• Manage the operating rhythm of the Airgas Data & AI Council — agenda, decisions, and follow-through — the forum where business domains align on definitions, resolve conflicts, and set priorities.
• Coordinate with Air Liquide counterparts on shared data models and the adoption of Group policies.
• Partner with Data Privacy, IT Security, and Legal to embed their requirements into governance processes from the start.
• Ensure compliance with relevant data privacy, security, and regulatory requirements.

Enable the business

• Advance data and AI literacy across Airgas, and champion what good governance makes possible: trusted reporting, faster delivery, and AI built on data the business can stand behind.

Measure the value

• Work with business sponsors to define the KPIs and expected value of each data product before it is built 
• Track realized value and ROI against those KPIs after deployment, and report the data product portfolio's value story to the Data Officer and business leadership.

JOB INTERACTION NETWORK

INTERNAL

• Divisions and their regions
• Business Units
• Corporate entities
• Air Liquide Data Officers
• Data Quality Leader
• Domain data owners and data stewards 
• Data product and analytics teams 
• Business and functional leadership 
• Data Privacy, IT Security, and Legal
• Customer Experience teams
• AI Acceleration teams 

EXTERNAL 

• Consulting and delivery partners
• External technology and solution providers
• Industry and professional bodies

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Are you a MATCH?

REQUIRED EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in information systems, business, data management, or a related field.
• 10+ years in data management, including 5+ years leading data governance, stewardship, or data quality programs — with evidence of running governance operations at scale, not only designing frameworks.
• Hands-on experience implementing and operating a stewardship model: recruiting and coaching data owners and stewards, maintaining ownership registers, and sustaining accountability through organizational change.
• Working experience with enterprise data catalog and metadata tooling (e.g., Collibra, Alation, Informatica, Microsoft Purview) — implementation or administration, not only usage.
• Experience partnering with data quality measurement teams and turning published metrics into remediation follow-through with business owners.
• Demonstrated ability to write clear policies and standards, and to facilitate senior cross-functional forums — setting agendas, driving decisions, and holding follow-through.
• Experience operating in a matrixed or multi-entity environment, aligning local practice with corporate or group-level frameworks.
• Communication skills strong enough to translate between executives, business process owners, and engineers — and the diplomacy to enforce standards without owning the data.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree is preferred.
• Experience in industrial, manufacturing, or distribution businesses, particularly in SAP-centered environments with complex customer, product, and asset master data. Salesforce experience is a plus.
• Familiarity with AI governance practice — data readiness for AI, model documentation, and emerging regulation such as the EU AI Act.
• Experience in a subsidiary or group-company structure, working with parent-company governance bodies.
• CDMP (DAMA) or comparable data management certification.
• Experience standing up or operating a data product certification, data contract, or similar assurance mechanism.

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Benefits

We care about and support our Airgas Families. This is evident not only through our competitive compensation but also through a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision plans, short-term and long-term disability, life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), pre-tax commuter transportation benefit, parental leave, vacation, sick time, floating holidays, jury duty and funeral/bereavement leave, and paid holidays for all eligible full-time employees.

Additionally, we offer our eligible employees a 401k plan with company matching funds, tuition reimbursement, discounted college tuition for eligible employees’ dependents, and an Airgas Scholarship Program for dependent children.

Associates who are members of collective bargaining units should review their bargaining agreement to determine whether they are eligible for some or all of the benefits described here and to see any special terms or conditions for eligibility.

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Your DIFFERENCES enhance our PERFORMANCE

At Airgas, we are committed to building a workplace that embraces  the diversity of our employees, our customers, patients, community stakeholders and cultures across the world.

We welcome and consider applications from all qualified applicants, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability or any other protected characteristic. We strongly believe a diverse organization opens up opportunities for people to express their talent, both individually and collectively and it helps foster our ability to innovate by living our fundamentals, acting for our success and creating an engaging environment in a changing world.

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About Airgas 

Airgas, an Air Liquide company, is a leading U.S. supplier of industrial, medical and specialty gases, as well as hardgoods and related products; one of the largest U.S. suppliers of safety products; and a leading U.S. supplier of ammonia products and process chemicals. Through the passion and diversity of its 18,000 associates, Airgas fosters a culture of safety, customer success, sustainability and innovation. Airgas associates are empowered to share ideas, take initiative and make decisions.

Airgas is a subsidiary of Air Liquide, a world leader in gases, technologies and services for industry and healthcare. Present in 60 countries with approximately 66,500 employees, Air Liquide serves more than 4 million customers and patients.

Join us for a stimulating experience: At Airgas, you matter and so does the work you do. As a member of our team, you play an important role in the success of your team, making sure our products are created sustainably and delivered safely and efficiently. In turn, you’ll find a welcoming workplace where you’re valued for who you are and where you can fill your potential while growing a fulfilling career — whatever path you choose.

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Equal Employment Opportunity Information

We are an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.  

Airgas, an Air Liquide Company is a Government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 

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