Data Governance and Modelling Lead

Eureka is the world’s largest public network consisting of 47 countries and the European Commission as members, empowering companies with funding for international cooperation in research, development, and innovation. Since 1985, the governments and public funding agencies within our network have supported the research and development of over 7,000 groundbreaking commercialized innovations, driving economic growth and enhancing industry competitiveness. Through the various Eureka programmes, we fund small, medium, and large companies, universities, and research organizations conducting international R&D projects for civilian purposes.

The Brussels-based Eureka Secretariat plays a pivotal role in supporting the network's strategic objectives, managing programme operations, developing and maintaining IT programme management platforms and databases, storing and analysing data, and promoting Eureka to a wide range of stakeholders and beneficiaries.

To support our mission of giving businesses a competitive edge through innovation, the Eureka Secretariat, based in Brussels (Etterbeek), is looking for a full time:

Data Governance and Modelling Lead

About the Role 

Data is among our most significant assets. We are investing in modern data platforms and building the governance and design capability to ensure delivery of future proof, trustworthy, well-understood, well-owned data across the network and to all our stakeholders. The Data governance and modelling lead will take a central role in that objective. You will shape how data is governed and designed at Eureka: who owns it, where the authoritative version lives, how it is classified and described, how quality is defined and monitored, and how our data platform and data models should evolve. You will work across the organisation and with external partners, set direction on governance and design, and oversee the delivery work that turns that direction into practice, whether that delivery is done in-house or by external specialists. 

It is a multi-facetted role. It is strategic and focused on governance and modelling, but it is not purely theoretical. You will be close enough to the delivery to guide it credibly, challenge technical choices, and keep the work connected to practical implementation. 

This role will evolve over time. As the organisation’s data maturity grows and its governance framework becomes more established, the balance of responsibilities is expected to shift. The priorities described here reflect where the work starts; the emphasis will change over time, and the post-holder will help shape that change. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Main Responsibilities 

• Further the design and development of the operating model (how data governance is organised and run), including governance bodies, roles, clear accountability and responsibility mapping, and the data owner and steward framework. 
• Contribute to the design of our data platform and data models and their roadmap, including the data lakehouse and the catalogue and metadata ecosystem, and how these fit with our wider systems. 
• Guide and oversee implementation work, whether delivered by internal resources or external consultants, including writing clear specifications and reviewing delivery against them. 
• Define data quality rules, KPIs and monitoring standards. 
• Design and maintain taxonomy, classification schemes, controlled vocabularies and the business glossary. 
• Translate regulatory and compliance requirements into practical governance policy, standards and design choices. 
• Act as a central reference point and source of expertise on data governance and design for business, IT, legal and compliance colleagues. 
• Bring together and support cross-functional working groups, and coordinate contributions from across the organisation and from external stakeholders. 
• Document design decisions and their rationale on an ongoing basis, so that knowledge is retained and the work can be continued by others. 

Education, Technical Skills and Experience 

• A level of higher education that corresponds to completed post-secondary education of at least three years attested by a diploma and relevant professional experience of at least two years;’.
• Preferably, a level of higher education that corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma (Master’s degree) and relevant professional experience of at least three years.
• Strong practical knowledge of data governance frameworks (such as DAMA-DMBOK or DCAM), and experience putting them into practice rather than only in theory. 
• Solid experience of data ownership and stewardship models, data quality, and metadata and catalogue concepts. 
• A strong understanding of how modern data platforms are structured (lakehouse or warehouse, storage layers, data modelling), sufficient to design, challenge and defend the trade-offs involved. 
• Familiarity with metadata and data catalogue tooling. We work in a Microsoft-centred environment, but experience with any comparable governance, lakehouse, warehouse or catalogue technologies is equally valued; we are interested in transferable capability, not one named product. 
• Strong SQL literacy: able to read, interpret and critically assess data structures and query logic with confidence. You are not required to write production queries daily. 
• Intermediate Python: able to use it for data work such as profiling, cleaning, automation or prototyping, without necessarily being a full-time developer. 
• The ability to work with and challenge technical teams on data models, query logic and implementation choices. 
• Experience translating business and regulatory requirements into workable governance and technical design. 

Stakeholder and Interpersonal Skills 

• Comfortable coordinating cross-functional work across business, IT, legal and compliance, and with external partners. 
• Able to communicate clearly and with authority to both technical and non-technical audiences, including at senior level. 
• Able to chair or support working groups and to translate organisational needs into governance and design choices. Given the membership-based, international nature of the organisation, bringing together and coordinating groups is a real part of the role. 
• The confidence to set a clear direction and defend it when challenged, while staying open to others’ input. 
• The organisational discipline to keep implementation work moving, while staying focused on governance and design rather than turning into a full-time project manager. 
• Fluency in English, written and spoken.
• Fully conversant with Office 365, particularly Microsoft Excel.
• Sensitivity to cultural differences and ability to work effectively in a multinational environment.

Desirable 

These would strengthen an application but are not essential. 

• Experience advising on or overseeing outsourced or contracted implementation work. 
• Experience of master or reference data management. 
• Experience of complex data transformation or data management programmes. 
• Experience of regulatory or compliance-sensitive data environments, including operational GDPR. 
• Experience of membership-based, international or multi-stakeholder environments. 

What we offer you

• Contract : Full-time position with an open-ended contract.
• Compensation : Competitive salary based on qualifications and experience
• Benefits : Attractive extra-legal benefits, including flexible working arrangements (home-office allowance), a generous annual leave entitlement, pension, hospital insurance, daily meal vouchers and a public transport season ticket.
• Work environment : An international and dynamic team of 35+ employees from 16 countries, working in a modern, centrally located office in Brussels, near the EU quarter (Merode).
• Values : Eureka thrives on trust, transparency, passion, creativity, autonomy, collaboration, work-life balance, and diversity.

Start date: as soon as possible.

Application process

To apply, kindly submit your CV and motivation letter by clicking the online APPLY button. By submitting your application, you agree to the verification of your diplomas and references.

Applicants must possess the legal right to work in Belgium, either through citizenship of a European Union or European Economic Area country, or by holding a valid Belgian work permit.

Closing Date: Monday 31 August 2026 at 23:59 CEST ( Brussels time). Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.

Interviews: Interviews will be conducted shortly after the closing. Only candidates shortlisted for interviews will be contacted.