Manager, Data Governance & Planning at EPCOR – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Highlights of the job

 

EPCOR Water Services (EWS) has an exciting opportunity for a permanent full-time Manager, Data Governance & Planning to join the Customer Operations team working from the EPCOR Tower in downtown Edmonton, AB!

 

As the Manager, Data Governance & Planning you will define the long-term plan (5-10 years) for situational awareness within EWS, drawing on your strong business and technical understanding of water and wastewater system operation and data needs. You will be developing and implementing the Situational Awareness roadmap including technology and data visualization plans that are required to establish the new Integrated Operations Centre. This will involve the development of use cases through collaboration with teams across EWS, the Corporate IT group and your team of business analysts. Additionally, you will be developing and implementing the EWS data governance policies, procedures and standards. This will include establishing and leading the Data Governance Committee for EWS, made up of data owners who will work together to educate employees of requirements, monitor compliance, and take corrective action as required.

 

On Team EPCOR, we believe that acknowledging the unique needs, perspectives and potential of all our team members makes this a great place to work. As diverse individuals, most of us work differently – we have varying needs when it comes to how we work best, the level of flexibility we require and how we communicate and collaborate with those around us. The Where We Work Program allows us to define a future of work that is more flexible, inclusive and rewarding – empowering you to work in a way that fits both your needs and the needs of your team. If the successful candidate is interested, they will have the option to participate in the hybrid Where We Work program after completing 3 to 6 months in role and meeting the eligibility requirements.

 

What you’d be responsible for

 

The Manager, Data Governance & Planning is accountable to the Senior Manager, Situational Awareness and operates within the context and prescribed limits established by the Senior Manager, Situational Awareness. The main accountabilities of the role include, but are not limited to:

 

• Accountable for maintaining and developing the Situational Awareness roadmap that supports EWS’s Long Term Plan; acting as the subject matter expert for defining and enforcing data governance for EWS and ensuring on-going effective positioning and appropriate relationships between other positions in EWS and in the rest of EPCOR Utilities Inc. (EUI).
• Identifying the necessary budget requirements for the provision of leading edge Situational Awareness applications and data management tools across EWS.
• Ensuring the delivery of optimal results against appropriate performance metrics in order to meet customers needs for reliable water and wastewater services, while supporting the efforts of engineering, operations and planning groups to ensure a safe and efficient operation of the system as defined in EWS annual targets.
• Dealing with mid to long term highly complex multi-department needs and ensuring optimal deliverables through effective cross-functional collaboration within Senior Manager’s context and prescribed limits.
• Leading the development, implementation and reviewing of Situational Awareness processes to ensure compliance to policies, standards, regulatory requirements and ensuring mitigation of risks. This includes coordinating audits and ensuring corrective actions are complete for activities deemed non-compliant.

Situational Awareness Governance

• Leading the implementation of the Situational Awareness roadmap including support for the establishment of the new Integrated Operations Centre for data and systems across EWS, including GIS, hydraulic modeling, the data warehouse, vendor platforms, etc. 
• With the support of their Business Analyst team, soliciting input on data analysis needs from across EWS’s engineering, maintenance, operations and planning groups and identifying new technology solutions, processes and best practices that build on existing systems within EPCOR to ensure optimal long-term plans and investments to address those needs.
• Collaborating with Corporate IT to ensure the EWS Situational Awareness Roadmap ties in with the broader EPCOR IT Business System Plan.

Project Support

• Working with stakeholders across EWS to develop and deliver use cases for Regulatory, BU, ITIC and FRC approval and providing input to the annual Business System Planning and budgeting processes.
• Working with:
  • Corporate IT to plan/develop IT projects for EWS, including the annual Business Systems project and ensuring changes are consistent with the Situational Awareness Roadmap.
  • the Geospatial Analytics and Data Science teams to develop processes for effective project intake, scope definition, project planning, project execution, project prioritization, and compliance with data management plans

Process Improvement

• Liaising with Operational Excellence to design processes that support effective data, asset and work management through the utilization of integrated system tools.
• Collaborating with Operational Excellence and key stakeholders across EWS to create processes and identify system and data requirements for the Integrated Operations Centre which is a new team being created and implemented in 2025.

External Relationship Management

• Establishing principles and policies for Open Data for EWS.
• Collaborating with the City of Edmonton Open Data/GIS committee.
• Representing EWS in the Geo Edmonton Alliance.
• Identifying opportunities for EPCOR to share with and/or access data from external parties, in alignment with the EWS business plans and objectives.
• Managing all contracts and agreements between EWS and external parties related to data access/sharing.

Data Stewardship 

• Establishing:
  • Policies and processes to ensure data integrity and accuracy.
  • And monitoring the data lake/catalogue, including proper procedures for creating, preparing, using, storing, archiving, and deleting data.
  • And chairing the EWSI Data Governance Committee.
• Engaging with internal engineering, maintenance, operations and planning groups to steward centralization, enhancement and governance of water and wastewater data models and integration with business systems and processes to fully leverage opportunities for automation and advanced data-driven applications.
• Accountable for studies, analysis of results and recommendations in support of Situational Awareness and Integrated Operations Centre activities and recommendations for system improvements.
• Models and analytical tools will meet APEGA standards for use in downstream engineering decisions and be authenticated as such where applicable.
• Providing specialized technical advice to other team members across EWS.

Team Leadership

• Recruitment, performance management and maintaining line of sight on the work performed by a team of Business Analysts.
• Providing clear direction and support for project work including development of project charters, scope definition and general project management.

 

What’s required to be successful

 

Qualifications, experience and behaviours you will possess are:

 

• Completed undergraduate or postgraduate degree from a recognized educational institute in any of the following:
  • Data Science
  • Computer Science
  • Computer Engineering/System Technology
  • Management Information Systems
• Experience that includes:
  • 8+ years of progressively responsible experience in data governance and IT project planning.
    • preferably within the context of water and wastewater utilities.
  • 2+ years managing teams, preferably IT specialists.
  • Creating and delivering presentations to senior leadership.
• Training in Change Management, Project Management, Lean Six Sigma process improvement or statistical analysis and predicative analytics.
• Proven sound understanding:
  • of business case development with return on investment valuation
  • the state of the art in water and wastewater systems.
  • of the use of integrated connected GIS models in water and wastewater management systems.
  • of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Architecture, and Operational Technology.
• Solid understanding of data governance, data modeling, application integration, and system planning.
• Strong ability to lead when required and provide guidance to other team members, as well as adapt to different styles of communication.
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to resolve complex technical issues.

 

Experience in the following areas would be considered an asset:

 

• Specific tools such as:
  • Data Analytics:  Azure, Databricks, PowerBI.
  • Enterprise Asset Management: Bentley APM (IVARA).
  • GIS applications:  Arc GIS, ESRI.
  •  Aveva Industrial Software solutions, SCADA.
  • Proficient in the use of Microsoft office suite.

• 2+ years’ experience in digital transformation.

 

Other important facts about this job

 

This is a professional level position that typically works Monday to Friday (40 hours per week). For our current EPCOR Employees please ensure that you are using your “@epcor.com” email address on your resume.

 

The Manager, Data Governance & Planning is eligible for a $2,000 employee referral reward. In your Cover Letter/Resume, please include the name of the EPCOR employee that has referred you to this exciting opportunity.

 

Learn more about Working at EPCOR!

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Please note the following information:

 

• A requirement of working for EPCOR is that you are at least 18 years of age, successfully attained a high school diploma (GED, or equivalent level of secondary education) and legally entitled to work in Canada. (A copy of a valid work permit may be required.)
• If you are considered for the position, clearance on all applicable background checks (which may include criminal, identity, educational, and/or credit) and professional reference checks is required. Some EPCOR positions require an enhanced level of background assessment, which is dictated by law. These positions require advanced criminal record checks that must also be conducted from time to time after commencement of employment.
• A technical/practical assessment may be administered during the selection process and this exercise will be used as a part of the selection criterion.
• To meet the physical demands required of some positions, candidates must be in good physical condition and willing to work in all weather conditions. Clearance on pre-placement medical and drug and alcohol testing may be required.