Senior Manager, Master Data Management — Item DomainFunctional Title: Senior Manager, Master Data Management — Item DomainPosition Level: Senior ManagerReports To: Senior Director of MDMEmployment Type: Full-TimeLocation: Westerville, OH (On-site, 5 days/week)Position OverviewThe Senior Manager, Master Data Management — Item Domain is responsible for leading the global strategy, operations, and governance of item master data across all regions and business functions. This role will own the item domain end-to-end — from establishing a centralized item master repository and globalizing lifecycle management processes, to driving data quality, de-duplication, and cross-regional harmonization in a highly complex environment.Today, item master data processes are largely regional, performed by different business units across geographies with limited standardization. No centralized master repository exists, and significant operational inconsistencies persist across regions.
This role will lead the transformation from a fragmented, regionally-driven model to a globally governed, harmonized item data capability — while respecting regional nuances and business-specific requirements.This role will collaborate with item domain leadership — including the domain leader (business) and MDM leader (IT) — to establish the framework and strategy around four key dimensions: data, process, application improvements, and organizational change management. The Senior Manager will then create and execute a roadmap that drives changes across all four dimensions, ensuring a holistic approach to improving the business user experience, driving efficiency, and enabling globalization. Execution will involve close collaboration with system and business SMEs to implement the use cases defined in the roadmap.The Senior Manager will lead a team of data stewards, business analysts, and report analysts, and will collaborate closely with item domain leader and data owners across multiple business units to define business rules, data standards, and quality requirements.
This role also partner with the global process owner for item lifecycle management to drive operational efficiency and consistency.Key Responsibilities Domain Strategy & GlobalizationDefine and execute the global item domain strategy, including roadmap for centralization, harmonization, and governanceLead the globalization of item lifecycle management processes while accommodating regional nuancesDrive cross-regional harmonization to eliminate operational inconsistencies in item data managementEstablish the item master repository as the authoritative source for item golden records across the enterpriseCreate and execute a roadmap that drives improvements across four dimensions: data, process, applications, and organizational change managementCollaborate with item domain leadership (domain leader: business; MDM leader: IT) to establish the framework and strategy for the item domainPartner with system and business SMEs to implement use cases defined in the roadmapAddress all aspects of the business user experience to drive efficiency and globalizationData Quality & StandardsCollaborate with item domain data owners to define business rules, data standards, and data quality requirementsDrive item data de-duplication and ensure consistent data quality across all systemsDefine and monitor item attribution completeness requirements across business units (engineering, sales, legal, finance, accounting, marketing)Establish data quality metrics and reporting to track progress and identify areas requiring remediationLead data certification processes to ensure accuracy and reliability of item master dataItem Master Enhancements and Project DeliveryOversee item assignment to product hierarchy and ensure alignment across business functionsManage item lifecycle processes including creation, modification, classification, and retirementPerform and oversee data model changes, bulk data processing, and data migrationsDrive BOM (Bill of Materials) data integrity and alignment with item master recordsEnsure item data supports downstream operational and analytical needs across all consuming systemsDrive data projects within the item domain from initiation through deliveryLead large-scale data migrations and onboarding of new systems and organizations to the item masterCoordinate with the MDM engineering team on platform capabilities needed for item domain initiativesEnsure project deliverables meet quality standards and align with the broader MDM roadmapTeam Leadership & DevelopmentLead and manage a team of resources including data stewards, business analysts, and report analystsSet team priorities, manage workload, and ensure delivery against program milestonesHire, develop, and retain talent to build a high-performing global item data teamFoster a culture of accountability, data ownership, and continuous improvementScale the team's capabilities to support global operations beyond the current North America scopeMaintain and report on operational and data quality KPIsStakeholder Collaboration & GovernancePartner with item domain data owners across all regions and business functions collaborating with engineering, sales, legal, finance, accounting, marketing, and operations on domain-specific requirementsWork with the Data Governance Council to establish governance structures for the item domainEngage IT and platform teams to ensure technical solutions support item domain business requirementsDrive alignment and consensus across stakeholders with competing priorities and regional perspectivesRequired Qualifications ExperienceMinimum 10 years of experience in master data management, data governance, or data operationsProven track record of leading data domain teams and managing cross-functional stakeholdersExperience creating and executing roadmaps that span data, process, application, and organizational change management dimensionsDemonstrated ability to drive holistic business transformation beyond just data — including process redesign, application improvements, and change managementDemonstrated ability to build and scale teams in complex, multi-country environmentsExperience with large-scale data migrations, bulk data processing, and data model changesProven ability to drive cross-regional harmonization and standardization initiativesDomain & Technical SkillsDeep understanding of item master data including item lifecycle, BOMs, item classification, and product hierarchyExperience defining business rules, data standards, and data quality requirements with business stakeholdersProficiency in data quality management — profiling, monitoring, remediation, and reportingWorking knowledge of SQL and ability to understand data flows across systemsExperience with at least one MDM platform or data management toolUnderstanding of data governance frameworks and stewardship operating modelsLeadership & CommunicationProven ability to lead and develop teams of data stewards, analysts, and specialistsStrong stakeholder management skills across diverse business functions and regionsAbility to influence without direct authority and drive consensus among competing prioritiesExcellent written and verbal communication skills for both technical and business audiencesExperience operating as a domain process owner with accountability for end-to-end outcomesPreferred QualificationsMulti-domain MDM experience (customer, supplier, contact, item)Manufacturing industry experience across multiple countries and regionsExperience establishing a master data repository where none previously existedFamiliarity with product lifecycle management (PLM) and ERP integration with item masterExperience with data governance council participation and domain governance setupKnowledge of global data privacy regulations and compliance requirementsExperience working with offshore vendor partners on large-scale data initiativesCertification in data management or governance (e.g., CDMP, DGSP)Core CompetenciesGlobal mindset: Designs processes that scale globally while respecting regional realitiesDomain ownership: Takes full accountability for the health, quality, and usability of item master dataStakeholder influence: Aligns diverse business functions around common data standards and practicesOperational transformation: Converts fragmented, regional processes into governed, scalable operationsTeam building: Develops high-performing teams capable