Tomi Okanlawon

I am a professional Data Governance Specialist with 6+ years of experience. I am confident that with my skill set and wealth of experience, I will be able to bring to your organization an enterprise-wide approach toward data by working with the technical team to standardize and organize data so it can be used as a trusted and strategic asset while ensuring compliance to policies, rules, management processes and security activities and this, in turn, will improve the organization's operational efficiency, help to avoid reputational damages and fines, reduce data breach risk and the cost associated with it, improve customer relationships and give you a competitive advantage.

The following are some soft skills I have developed over the years, which have also helped me excel in my role.

• Stakeholder Engagement skill
• Analytical and Problem-solving skills
• Communication and Presentation Skills
• Leadership Skills 
• Adaptability Skills 
• Project Management and Managerial Skills

Data Governance Specialist | Norake Technologies                                                             

• Spearheaded a cross-functional Data Governance Board to oversee data governance activities, drive accountability, and increase stakeholder engagement by 87%.
• Developed and implemented a comprehensive data governance strategy, including standards, and processes, to ensure the organization’s effective management, protection, and utilization of data assets.
• Defined and maintained data governance roles and responsibilities, including data stewards, data owners, and data custodians, across the business functions and provided guidance and support to ensure their effective engagement in data governance activities.
• Assessed, Improved, and supported the data maturity of the organization.
• Implemented data privacy policies to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements such as GDPR.
• Spearheaded initiatives to assess, remediate, and mitigate data risks and vulnerabilities.
• Provided guidance and support to business and IT teams on data governance best practices, data management principles, and data-related policies and procedures.
• Collaborated with internal audit, compliance, and risk management teams to conduct periodic assessments and audits of data governance controls and processes to ensure adherence to regulatory requirements and industry standards.
• Stayed informed about emerging trends, technologies, and best practices in data governance, data management, and data privacy, while providing recommendations for continuous improvement and innovations.

Data Quality Analyst | Praxis Microfinance Bank                                      

• Worked on implementing the data governance framework involving collaboration with colleagues and data champions.
• Operationalized key data governance components, including data catalogs, business glossaries, data handling lifecycle, and data classification methodologies.
• Created and delivered a Data Literacy program and awareness materials to the organization’s staff.
• Performed data management maturity assessments.
• Developed business cases for data management initiatives.
• Recommended approaches and frameworks for data governance, master data, and metadata management.
• Implemented data management capabilities needed to satisfy business goals and objectives
• Defined the operational and regulatory risks that must be managed within the microfinance bank and ensured and enforced adherence to the policies created.
• Developed and maintained strict principles, standards, policies, and procedures that ensured the quality and security of all company data stored in all systems.
• Collaborated with business units, IT teams, and other stakeholders to identify critical data elements, define data quality standards, and establish data quality metrics and KPIs to measure and monitor data quality and integrity. 

Data Governance Associate | Praxis Microfinance Bank                  

• Supported the Head of Data Governance in establishing the governance and reporting framework for data governance.
• Worked with the Head of Data Governance to develop and implement enterprise data governance and metadata management activities across the organization.
• Supported the adoption of good data management practices across the organization.
• Assisted the Head of Data Governance in identifying key business terms for understanding the organization’s data, collating definitions, validating them, and maintaining them in the enterprise business glossary. 
• Assisted in developing and implementing enterprise data governance and metadata management activities, while supporting the adoption of good data management practices across the organization. 
• Helped members of the organization across various departments with practical guidance on managing data effectively, provided a pragmatic approach, and created standard processes and templates to facilitate good practice. 
• Provided updates on the status of projects, and escalated where there were blockers to delivery. 
• Ensured that every emerging community of data owners and stewards was successful while coordinating forums and flagging where there were issues with poor engagement. 
• Acquired and maintained knowledge of relevant industry trends around data management.
• Supported the analyst community, data users, and consumers working at the front line of data and insight.

University: Federal University of Abeokuta
B.Sc. Holder