Kapitus is seeking a strategic, hands-on Vice President, Data Governance to architect and execute our enterprise data governance strategy. Reporting directly to the Chief Data and AI Officer, you will be responsible for establishing, leading and maintaining enterprise-wide data governance frameworks, policies, and standards that ensures regulatory compliance and position data as a strategic asset. You will play a pivotal role in enabling Kapitus’ data-driven and AI-enabled future, collaborating with business, technology, and compliance leaders to drive a culture of data stewardship, risk management, and innovation.
The ideal candidate has led data governance initiatives at large finance and/or technology companies, and is equally comfortable setting strategy, prioritizing initiatives based on ROI/Cost and rolling up their sleeves to get into the details to make them successful. You are skilled at building consensus among executives on key data principles, and also ensure data integrity, security, transparency, and ethical use across the company.
What you’ll do:
Enterprise Data Governance Framework Development
- Design and operationalize a comprehensive enterprise data governance framework, including governance councils, data domains, roles and responsibilities, and decision rights, ensuring alignment with business objectives and regulatory compliance.
- Establish enterprise-wide data governance operating models to embed data ownership and stewardship into core business functions.
- Define the governance structure to support AI governance, data ethics, and explainability, ensuring responsible data and model usage across emerging AI/ML initiatives.
- Introduce and manage a multi-tier governance body (e.g., Data Governance Council, Data Stewardship Working Groups) to ensure consistent oversight and alignment across business and technology domains.
Strategic Leadership & Vision
- Drive the strategic vision for enterprise data governance aligned with Kapitus’s transformation agenda, enabling trustworthy data for business intelligence, AI models, regulatory reporting, and operational excellence.
- Serve as a senior advisor to executive leadership on enterprise data risks, regulatory exposure, and data-driven value creation.
- Partner with Legal, Risk, Compliance, and Information Security to proactively identify governance gaps and ensure compliance with evolving regulations (e.g., GLBA, CCPA, GDPR, NYDFS, etc.).
Data Stewardship & Organizational Enablement
- Establish and scale data stewardship programs, defining clear ownership, accountability, and escalation processes for all critical data assets.
- Develop enterprise-wide data literacy and enablement programs to elevate awareness of data governance, privacy, and responsible data practices at all levels of the organization.
- Lead change management initiatives to promote adoption of governance tools, policies, and cultural transformation around data responsibility.
Data Quality, Lineage & Metadata Management
- Champion data quality and fitness-for-use as business-critical capabilities; oversee the deployment of data profiling, data quality monitoring, and remediation protocols across data pipelines.
- Implement modern metadata and data lineage solutions that leverage AI to ensure data traceability, auditability, and model explainability, supporting both internal analytics and external regulatory demands.
Policy Development, Compliance & Ethical Use
- Create, maintain, and enforce enterprise policies and standards related to data classification, retention, security, and ethical AI usage.
- Collaborate closely with the Chief Risk Officer and General Counsel to ensure data use aligns with privacy laws and risk appetite.
Technology & Tooling Strategy
- Lead the selection and implementation of enterprise-grade AI data governance platforms (e.g., Collibra, Informatica, Atlan, Alation) to enable scalable governance, stewardship, and cataloging.
- Partner with the Chief Technology Officer and engineering leaders to integrate governance controls into core data architectures and cloud platforms (e.g., Snowflake, Databricks).
Metrics, Performance Management & Continuous Improvement
- Establish robust performance measurement frameworks to monitor data governance maturity, data quality KPIs, and business value realization.
- Implement continuous improvement processes to evolve governance practices in response to regulatory changes, business needs, and technological advances.
What we’re looking for:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, or related field.
- 10+ years of experience in data management, data governance, or data analytics, with significant experience at large finance and/or technology companies.
- Proven track record of building and leading data governance programs in a regulated environment, ideally in financial services or fintech.
- Deep understanding of data governance frameworks (e.g., DAMA-DMBOK), data quality management, metadata management, data privacy regulations, and responsible AI principles.
- Experience with data governance tools (e.g., Atlan, Collibra, Informatica, Alation) and cloud data platforms (e.g., Snowflake, Databricks).
- Demonstrated ability to build consensus among executive stakeholders on data definitions and standards.
- Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to translate business needs into data governance requirements and solutions.
- Experience managing cross-functional teams and driving organizational change.
Preferred Experience
- Demonstrated success in building enterprise data governance and data management programs from the ground up in lending, banking on financial services.
- Ability to operate effectively in matrixed, high-growth organizations, and influence without authority.
- Experience operationalizing data privacy, security, and responsible AI practices.
- Strong understanding of data architecture, data engineering, and cloud-native data platforms.
Kapitus Total Rewards Package Includes:
- Competitive Base Salary Range of $225,000-$325,000 Kapitus is providing this as a good faith salary range to comply with applicable law. The applicant’s final salary will depend on a number of factors including the applicant’s geographic location, skills, and experience.
- Annual Incentive Compensation Eligibility – Up to 20% annually
- Health Insurance: We offer comprehensive medical, dental, and employer-paid vision plans through UnitedHealthcare (UHC), with various coverage levels available to meet the needs of our employees and their families.
- 100% Company Paid Insurances: Kapitus fully covers the cost of basic short-term and long-term disability insurance, as well as vision insurance, ensuring our employees have comprehensive protection without any personal expense.
- Voluntary Insurance: Supplemental life insurance as well as enhanced short- and long-term disability coverage are available through Mutual of Omaha, providing additional security for our employees. Additionally, Colonial Accident and Hospitalization insurances are also available, offering further protection against unforeseen events.
- Paid Maternity and Parental Leave: Beyond state-mandated leave policies, Kapitus provides company-paid maternity and parental leave, supporting our employees during important family milestones.
- LifeBalance Program: Enhance your lifestyle with our LifeBalance membership, which offers discounts on outdoor activities, the arts, health, and fitness. Additional benefits include:
- Pet and car insurance discounts.
- Financial services such as LegalShield.
- Relaxation and stress management tools, including a fully covered annual subscription to The Calm App.
- Plum Benefits Discount Program: Access exclusive discounts on shows, travel, car rentals, and more, enriching your personal and family life.
- Tuition Reimbursement: Pursue further education with up to $5,000 annually in tuition reimbursement, plus opportunities to attend relevant conferences and career development events.
- Transit Reimbursement: We also offer transit reimbursement for all work-related travel, supporting your involvement in career and personal development activities.
- Paid Time Off and Sick Time
- Retirement Benefits: Our 401K plan is managed through Fidelity, featuring a 25% match on employee contributions, helping you plan for a secure financial future.
About Kapitus:
Kapitus is one of the most reliable and respected names in small business financing. As both a direct lender and a marketplace built with a trusted network of lending partners, we can provide small businesses with the financing they need when, and how it is needed.
We have spent our entire existence building a culture that makes us excited to come to work in the morning. Our company is fast paced, teammates need to be self-directed and have an internal motivation to do the right thing, even when the right thing takes a lot of hard work.
We show our teammates our appreciation by offering great benefits, competitive pay and solid opportunity for growth.
Company Mission:
At Kapitus, our mission is to help small business owners grow their organizations by providing tailored, transparent, and ethical financing solutions. We invest in every business owner’s story and we are dedicated to building lasting relationships to champion their goals. We promise to keep the best interests of our clients at the center of the financing process by operating with transparency, fairness, and integrity.
