9 In-Demand Data Governance Skills

Data governance is the process and regulations that govern how companies and organizations manage data, including how to collect it, keep it secure, and make sure it is of good quality. As the volume and availability of data are constantly increasing, governance regulations and frameworks must be put in place so that companies can set standards when it comes to data management practices.

Working in data governance can be an interesting and rewarding career, with a good job outlook and high salaries. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), careers in data management, such as database administrators and data architects, have a job outlook of 9 percent, which is above average, and earn a median annual salary of $123,100 [1]. Explore the skills you need to begin a career in data governance and the types of jobs available in this field.

What is data governance?

Data governance determines how organizations and employees collect, manage, and store data. Data governance frameworks, policies, and regulations are put in place to protect the public’s data from misuse and to ensure the safety, quality, and ethical use of data. 

Companies and organizations implement data governance frameworks tailored to their data needs, outlining processes and structures to follow when working with data. The benefits of implementing a data governance framework include the following:

• Allows for clean auditing of information

• Maintains data quality and consistency

• Ensures regulatory compliance 

• Builds trust with customers and suppliers

• Mitigates risk

Essential data governance skills

Working in data governance requires you to build a range of both technical and workplace skills. You must have the technical skills to work with data; the legal knowledge to understand regulatory and compliance laws; and the workplace skills to communicate well with others, solve problems, and manage projects. Check out nine essential data governance skills below. 

1. Data management

To work in data governance, you have to fully understand the data lifecycle and how to manage each stage. You’ll find eight stages in the data management lifecycle, and as each one feeds into the next, it’s vital that you understand this as a starting point. The lifecycle stages are:

1. Generation

2. Collection

3. Processing

4. Storage

5. Management

6. Analysis

7. Visualization

8. Interpretation 

Data management for governance involves preparing and storing data, managing data flow and who has access to data, and developing standards and policies to protect data. 

2. Data analytics

Data governance professionals are skilled in data analysis. In this role, you need to be able to analyze and interpret data to understand patterns, trends, and inconsistencies and draw meaningful conclusions based on this data. Being able to identify issues is important, as well as being able to use data to inform important decisions. 

You’ll find it beneficial to boost your data analytics skills by learning how to use data analytics tools, software, and strategies. These might include statistical modeling, algorithms, data mining, machine learning, natural language processing, and artificial intelligence. You may choose to learn Tableau for data visualization, R for statistical analysis, or Python for data analysis.

3. Regulatory compliance

A very important data governance skill is understanding regulatory compliance, which is central to any data governance position. Regulatory compliance refers to how your organization manages data within the laws and regulations that govern your industry and data handling in general. Any data governance policies and processes that you create must clearly adhere to data security and privacy laws, as well as comply with regulations regarding data handling in your field. 

Regulatory compliance will require you to understand the legal and ethical issues surrounding data, stay current on changing regulations, and apply compliance controls to ensure that your company meets all necessary legal requirements.

4. Data security 

Along with data regulations, another important aspect of data governance is data security. Employers expect a data governance professional to know how to protect data and information from being accessed by unauthorized individuals. You will need to be able to formulate frameworks and policies that protect against cyber threats and data breaches, maintain the physical security of hardware and devices, implement access controls, and ensure the encryption of sensitive files.

5. Technical proficiency 

Data governance is a technical field, and you must have a good grasp of the technologies that support your work. This includes data management tools, big data analysis tools, structured Query Language (SQL), Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), and cloud platforms. The tools you’ll use in a data governance position will likely fall into one of three categories:

1. Data cataloging: To help you store data in a single location with easy points of access; examples include Alation and Informatica

2. Data quality: To ensure data is of good quality, including tools for cleaning, storing, and monitoring data; examples include Talend and Precisely 

3. Data modeling: To support data interpretation; examples include Apache Spark and Lucidchart

In addition to being able to use these tools, you must also be able to select the most appropriate tools to meet the data governance needs of your company and remain up-to-date on emerging tools relevant to data governance. 

6. Communication

Data compliance professionals need excellent communication skills because an essential part of the role is explaining complex information to stakeholders, colleagues, and non-technical parties.

You’ll also need to use your excellent communication skills when writing policies and procedures, building relationships with colleagues, collaborating in teams, and dealing with conflicts. 

7. Project management

Data governance involves working on and managing several areas of a project at a time, so project management is an important skill to master. You’ll work with a team and be responsible for planning projects and monitoring progress; setting goals, objectives, timelines, and budgets; and allocating appropriate resources. Some sub-skills you’ll need to excel in project management include:

• Time management

• Organization 

• Leadership 

• Communication 

• Problem-solving

8. Attention to detail

Working in data governance requires accuracy because you must adhere to standards and regulations. Sometimes this can involve working with small details that could have big consequences if you miss them. Your role will involve collecting, storing, managing, and processing data in a way that is safe and consistent and complies with data governance laws and regulations, and this requires a keen eye for detail. 

9. Leadership

As a data governance professional, you must be able to lead teams, and your job will involve teaching others, persuading stakeholders, and ensuring that everyone is following governance standards within your organization. You will play a lead role in ensuring that your organization can use data for decision-making because it is accurate, safe, and compliant. 

How to build skills in data governance 

To begin your data governance career, a bachelor’s degree in a major such as computer science, data management, or information technology is a strong way of building data governance skills through both theoretical and hands-on experience. To further develop your skills for a higher-level data governance position, you might consider earning a master’s degree in data analytics or cybersecurity. This way, you can choose an area of data governance that allows you to expand on the specific skills that interest you.

In addition to a degree, you can build your data governance skills with online courses and certifications. Options to consider include:

• CompTIA Data+ certification

• CompTIA Project+ certification

• Chartered Data Scientist (CDS) certification

• IBM Data Management Professional Certificate

• AWS Security, Compliance, and Governance for AI Solutions

While education and courses are great for bolstering your resume, consider building your practical experience too. Obtaining entry-level data analyst or data entry roles and attending events and conferences can help you build your data governance skills, cementing them further.

Who hires data governance professionals?

Data governance is important for any business or organization that stores, manages, or uses data to drive decision-making, which means you can find data governance jobs in most industries. With the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, data governance is becoming an increasingly important factor, as AI and considerations around bias and ethics present new challenges. Some examples of industries where data governance is a particular consideration include:

• Health care

• Government agencies

• Finance

• Manufacturing

• Retail

• Technology

• Computer systems design

• Software publishing

Data governance jobs

As the industry options for data governance are vast, you’ll find a range of data governance jobs available to you if you have the right data governance skills, education, and experience. Examples of data governance job roles and average annual salary include:

• Data governance manager: $121,754

• Data governance analyst: $102,074

• Data architect: $132,515

• Data center infrastructure manager: $139,337

• Database administrator: $89,910

• Data governance specialist: $101,227 

• Database developer: $96,197

• Data governance lead: $132,274

*All annual base salary data is sourced from Glassdoor as of April 2025 and does not include additional pay, such as commission and benefits.

Build data governance skills on Coursera

Data governance is an important aspect of the data lifecycle, ensuring security, quality, and ethical use of data. If you’d like to learn more about data governance, consider taking an online course. A great starting point is to learn about data analytics and data management, which are crucial skills in data governance. Check out the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate on Coursera, which will demonstrate how you can organize, analyze, and visualize data to catch errors and inconsistencies. You can also opt for the Meta Data Analyst Professional Certificate, where you’ll have the opportunity to develop a foundational understanding of data management practices in the organizational context.