Data Governance Specialist Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Data Governance Specialist roles qualify for H-1B visa and O-1 visa sponsorship as specialty occupations requiring a bachelor's degree or higher in information management, computer science, or a related field. Employers across finance, healthcare, and tech actively sponsor this role. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
Find Data Governance Specialist JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 618+ Data Governance Specialist jobs
See all 618+ Data Governance Specialist Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Data Governance Specialist roles.
Get Access To All JobsRole: Data Governance (Metadata)
Location: Jersey City, NJ (Onsite)
Duration: Long Term
Experience: 15 years
Job Description:
The Senior Metadata & Data Mapping Analyst is responsible for defining, managing, and governing enterprise metadata and end-to-end source-to-target data mappings across complex banking and risk data ecosystems. This role partners closely with Business, Risk, Finance, Data, and Technology teams to ensure data is accurate, traceable, governed, and compliant with regulatory expectations, including BCBS 239 principles. In addition to hands-on delivery, this role provides leadership in business development, RFP responses, and small team management, supporting data governance and regulatory transformation initiatives within a regulated financial services environment.
Key Responsibilities:
Metadata Management & Source-to-Target Data Mapping
- Lead the development and maintenance of business and technical metadata across enterprise data platforms.
- Hands-on experience in data cataloguing and data lineage tools.
- Extensive experience in metadata and data quality and source to target mapping and maintaining data dictionary.
- Create and manage detailed source-to-target mappings (STTM) covering:
- Business definitions
- Data attributes and hierarchies
- Transformation rules and calculations
- Aggregation logic and derivations
- Work closely with business stakeholders to ensure mappings reflect true business meaning, not just technical movement.
- Ensure consistency between business glossaries, logical data models, and physical implementations.
- Support mappings across multiple source systems, data warehouses, risk data marts, and reporting layers.
Data Governance & BCBS 239 Compliance
- Support and operationalize data governance frameworks, including:
- Data ownership and stewardship
- Data quality rules and controls
- Data lineage and traceability
- Ensure metadata and data mappings align with BCBS 239 principles, particularly:
- Accuracy and integrity
- Completeness
- Timeliness
- Adaptability
- Traceability and auditability
- Partner with Risk, Finance, and Compliance teams to support regulatory reporting, audit, and supervisory reviews.
- Assist in defining and maintaining data standards, naming conventions, and governance artifacts.
Business & Stakeholder Collaboration
- Act as a bridge between business users and technology teams, ensuring shared understanding of data requirements.
- Facilitate working sessions to capture business definitions, data usage, and reporting needs.
- Translate regulatory, risk, and business requirements into actionable metadata and mapping deliverables.
- Support impact analysis for upstream or downstream data changes.
Delivery & Quality Assurance
- Support Agile or hybrid delivery models by ensuring data mapping and metadata artifacts are delivery-ready.
- Validate implemented mapping through data reconciliation, profiling, and UAT support.
- Identify data quality issues, lineage gaps, and control weaknesses, and drive remediation efforts.
- Ensure documentation meets internal governance and audit standards.
Leadership, Business Development & Operations
- Business Development: Contribute to RFPs, proposals, and client presentations related to data governance, BCBS 239, and regulatory data programs.
- Engagement Leadership: Support planning and execution of data governance and metadata initiatives for clients.
Role: Data Governance (Metadata)
Location: Jersey City, NJ (Onsite)
Duration: Long Term
Experience: 15 years
Job Description:
The Senior Metadata & Data Mapping Analyst is responsible for defining, managing, and governing enterprise metadata and end-to-end source-to-target data mappings across complex banking and risk data ecosystems. This role partners closely with Business, Risk, Finance, Data, and Technology teams to ensure data is accurate, traceable, governed, and compliant with regulatory expectations, including BCBS 239 principles. In addition to hands-on delivery, this role provides leadership in business development, RFP responses, and small team management, supporting data governance and regulatory transformation initiatives within a regulated financial services environment.
Key Responsibilities:
Metadata Management & Source-to-Target Data Mapping
- Lead the development and maintenance of business and technical metadata across enterprise data platforms.
- Hands-on experience in data cataloguing and data lineage tools.
- Extensive experience in metadata and data quality and source to target mapping and maintaining data dictionary.
- Create and manage detailed source-to-target mappings (STTM) covering:
- Business definitions
- Data attributes and hierarchies
- Transformation rules and calculations
- Aggregation logic and derivations
- Work closely with business stakeholders to ensure mappings reflect true business meaning, not just technical movement.
- Ensure consistency between business glossaries, logical data models, and physical implementations.
- Support mappings across multiple source systems, data warehouses, risk data marts, and reporting layers.
Data Governance & BCBS 239 Compliance
- Support and operationalize data governance frameworks, including:
- Data ownership and stewardship
- Data quality rules and controls
- Data lineage and traceability
- Ensure metadata and data mappings align with BCBS 239 principles, particularly:
- Accuracy and integrity
- Completeness
- Timeliness
- Adaptability
- Traceability and auditability
- Partner with Risk, Finance, and Compliance teams to support regulatory reporting, audit, and supervisory reviews.
- Assist in defining and maintaining data standards, naming conventions, and governance artifacts.
Business & Stakeholder Collaboration
- Act as a bridge between business users and technology teams, ensuring shared understanding of data requirements.
- Facilitate working sessions to capture business definitions, data usage, and reporting needs.
- Translate regulatory, risk, and business requirements into actionable metadata and mapping deliverables.
- Support impact analysis for upstream or downstream data changes.
Delivery & Quality Assurance
- Support Agile or hybrid delivery models by ensuring data mapping and metadata artifacts are delivery-ready.
- Validate implemented mapping through data reconciliation, profiling, and UAT support.
- Identify data quality issues, lineage gaps, and control weaknesses, and drive remediation efforts.
- Ensure documentation meets internal governance and audit standards.
Leadership, Business Development & Operations
- Business Development: Contribute to RFPs, proposals, and client presentations related to data governance, BCBS 239, and regulatory data programs.
- Engagement Leadership: Support planning and execution of data governance and metadata initiatives for clients.
See all 618+ Data Governance Specialist Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Data Governance Specialist roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Data Governance Specialist
Target industries with mature data programs
Financial services, healthcare, and large tech companies have established data governance functions and dedicated budgets. These employers file H-1B petitions regularly and are less likely to treat sponsorship as a dealbreaker during hiring.
Make your degree field alignment explicit
USCIS scrutinizes specialty occupation claims. Lead with your degree in information systems, computer science, or data management. If your degree is in a adjacent field, document how coursework directly maps to governance frameworks like DAMA-DMBOK.
Certifications strengthen your H-1B petition
Credentials like CDMP or DCAM signal professional standing in a field where USCIS may question specialty occupation status. They don't replace degree requirements but add supporting evidence that the role demands specialized knowledge.
Emphasize regulatory compliance work in your resume
Roles tied to GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, or SOX compliance are easier to position as specialty occupations. Frame your experience around specific regulatory frameworks to help employers articulate the technical nature of the role during sponsorship.
Raise sponsorship early in the process
Many employers sponsor but don't advertise it. Asking during the first recruiter call, before investing in multiple interview rounds, saves time and surfaces which companies have done it before and understand the H-1B timeline.
Understand the H-1B cap timeline before applying
H-1B registration opens in March for an October start date. If you're on OPT, confirm your end date aligns with the cap schedule. Cap-exempt employers like nonprofits and universities can file year-round with faster effective dates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Data Governance Specialist qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Yes, Data Governance Specialist generally qualifies as a specialty occupation when the role requires a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific field such as information systems, computer science, or data management. USCIS evaluates each petition individually, and roles with vague degree requirements or generalist responsibilities face higher RFE rates. Framing the position around specific technical frameworks like DAMA-DMBOK, metadata management, or regulatory compliance strengthens the petition significantly.
What degree do I need to get sponsored for a Data Governance Specialist role?
Most employers and USCIS petitions for this role cite degrees in information systems, computer science, data management, or business information technology. A general business or liberal arts degree is unlikely to satisfy the specialty occupation standard on its own. Relevant graduate coursework, professional certifications like CDMP, or documented equivalency through work experience can supplement a borderline undergraduate degree, but the stronger the degree-to-role alignment, the smoother the petition.
Do many employers sponsor Data Governance Specialists on H-1B visas?
Yes, particularly in financial services, healthcare systems, insurance, and large technology companies. These industries face significant regulatory data requirements under frameworks like GDPR, HIPAA, and SOX, making data governance a core function rather than an ancillary one. Employers with established legal and HR infrastructure for H-1B visa filings are far more likely to sponsor. You can browse Data Governance Specialist roles from verified sponsoring employers on Migrate Mate.
Can I transfer my H-1B to a new Data Governance Specialist role at a different employer?
Yes. H-1B portability allows you to start working for a new employer as soon as they file a transfer petition, without waiting for approval, provided you've been in valid H-1B status and haven't had a gap in employment. The new employer must file a new Labor Condition Application and I-129 petition. The role must still qualify as a specialty occupation, so the new job description needs to meet the same standards as the original petition.
Is an O-1A visa a realistic alternative for Data Governance Specialists who don't get selected in the H-1B lottery?
It's possible but uncommon for this role. The O-1A requires evidence of extraordinary ability, such as published work, speaking at major conferences, awards, or contributions of major significance to the field. Most Data Governance Specialists at the mid-level don't meet that bar. However, senior professionals who have led industry working groups, contributed to standards bodies, or received peer recognition may have a viable O-1A case worth discussing with an immigration attorney.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Data Governance Specialist jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.