Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Information Governance Lead to join our IT organization and drive the strategic direction of information governance across the enterprise. In this pivotal role, you will partner closely with Information Security, Legal, Compliance, Data Science, and business stakeholders to develop, maintain, and execute a comprehensive information governance roadmap.

This role is anchored by three strategic pillars: (1) strengthening security and compliance risk management to protect sensitive pharmaceutical data and meet regulatory obligations; (2) improving information findability so that knowledge workers can efficiently discover, access, and leverage enterprise content; and (3) enabling responsible AI adoption by ensuring that the data foundations, metadata standards, and governance controls are in place to support AI and machine learning initiatives at scale.

At Otsuka, we defy limitation, so that others can too.

We have an unwavering belief in doing more. In transcending expectations. In going above and beyond—under any circumstances—for patients, families, providers, and for each other. It’s this deep-rooted dedication that drives us to uncover answers to complex, underserved medical needs, so that patients can push past the limitations of their disease and achieve more than they thought was possible each and every day.

We believe that the bigger the challenge, the bigger the opportunity. We are doing everything in our power to live up to our mission of creating new products for better health worldwide in two important therapeutic categories: neuroscience and nephrology.

Strategy & Roadmap

• Define and operationalize the enterprise Information Governance operating model, including central vs. federated roles, decision rights, escalation paths, and determining whether a governance council is required.

• Develop and own the multi-year information governance strategic roadmap aligned to the three core drivers: security and compliance risk management, information findability, and AI enablement.

• Translate business needs and regulatory requirements into actionable governance initiatives with clearly defined milestones, KPIs, and success metrics.

• Present governance strategy, progress, and risk posture to IT leadership, the CISO, and cross-functional steering committees on a regular cadence.

• Monitor the evolving regulatory landscape (e.g., FDA 21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11, GDPR, HIPAA) and adjust the governance roadmap accordingly.

Security & Compliance Risk Management

• Partner with Information Security to define and enforce data classification, labeling, and handling policies for regulated and sensitive pharmaceutical data.

• Establish and oversee information lifecycle management practices, including retention schedules, legal hold procedures, and defensible disposition protocols.

• Conduct periodic information risk assessments and collaborate with Compliance and Legal to remediate identified gaps.

• Ensure governance controls align with GxP requirements and support audit readiness across clinical, manufacturing, and commercial data domains.

• Lead the response to information governance aspects of internal audits, regulatory inspections, and third-party assessments.

Information Findability

• Define and implement enterprise-wide taxonomy, metadata standards, and content architecture to improve search, discovery, and reuse of information assets.

• Evaluate and recommend technologies (e.g., enterprise search, content management, knowledge graphs) that enhance information findability.

• Work with business units to establish content stewardship roles and responsibilities, ensuring ongoing data quality and metadata enrichment.

• Develop training programs and change management initiatives to drive adoption of governance standards and tools.

AI Enablement

• Establish governance guardrails that enable the responsible use of AI and large language models (LLMs) across the organization, including data quality, provenance, and ethical use policies.

• Collaborate with Data Science, IT Architecture, and business teams to ensure that datasets used for AI training, fine-tuning, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) meet governance and quality standards.

• Define metadata and lineage requirements to support explainability, traceability, and reproducibility of AI-driven insights.

• Contribute to the enterprise AI governance framework, including acceptable use policies, model risk management, and human-in-the-loop review processes.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the primary point of contact for information governance across IT, Information Security, Legal, Compliance, R&D, Commercial, and Manufacturing.

• Build and lead a network of information stewards and champions embedded within business functions.

• Manage vendor relationships related to governance tooling and platforms, including contract reviews and capability assessments.

• Foster a culture of accountability for information management through executive engagement, communications, and awareness campaigns.

• Assess resource and capability needs over time and make recommendations on if and when additional Information Governance roles are warranted.

Qualifications

Knowledge/ Experience and Skills:

• 8+ years of progressive experience in information governance, data governance, records management, or a related discipline, with at least 3 years in a leadership or principal-level capacity.

• Demonstrated experience working in a regulated industry, preferably pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, or life sciences.

• Deep understanding of information lifecycle management, data classification, metadata management, and content architecture.

• Proven ability to develop and execute governance roadmaps that balance risk mitigation with business enablement.

• Strong working knowledge of pharmaceutical regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA 21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11, GxP, GDPR, HIPAA).

• Experience partnering with Information Security teams on data protection, access controls, and DLP strategies.

• Hands-on experience with enterprise content management platforms (e.g., SharePoint, OpenText, Veeva Vault) and enterprise search technologies.

• Familiarity with AI/ML concepts, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and the data governance implications of large language model adoption.

• Experience implementing or managing information governance tooling such as Microsoft Purview, Atlan, Collibra, or equivalent platforms.

• Track record of establishing governance operating models, including stewardship networks and data councils.

• Experience with cloud information governance across platforms such as AWS and/or Azure.

• Excellent communication and influencing skills with the ability to translate complex governance concepts for technical and non-technical audiences.

• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and managing stakeholder relationships at all organizational levels.

• Strong analytical and systematic problem-solving abilities.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex topics to diverse audiences.

• Experience in regulated or GxP environments preferred.

• Customer-Focused: Anticipates user needs and delivers practical, value-driven solutions.

• Accountable: Owns technical deliverables and outcomes.

• Innovative: Challenges the status quo and champions new ideas.

• Collaborative: Builds strong partnerships across disciplines and cultures.

• Ethical: Demonstrates integrity and aligns with Otsuka’s corporate values.

• Resilient: Adapts quickly to new challenges and shifting priorities.

• Provides guidance, coaching and training to colleagues within a discipline.

• People Leadership: ability to lead a team of IT engineers and manage the delivery of a project.

Educational Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Science, Computer Science, Library Science, Data Management, Business Administration, or a related field (required).

• Master’s degree in Information Management, Data Science, Health Informatics, or an MBA with a technology focus (preferred).

Certifications (Preferred)

• Certified Information Governance Professional (IGP) – ARMA International

• Certified Records Manager (CRM) – ICRM

• CDMP (Certified Data Management Professional) – DAMA International

• CIPP/US or CIPP/E (Certified Information Privacy Professional) – IAPP

• CISSP or CISM (advantageous for candidates bridging governance and security)

• ITIL Foundation or comparable IT service management certification

The Director of Information Governance is a senior IT leadership role responsible for building and running the capability that will underpin Otsuka's information governance program. The Director will spearhead the implementation of the Information Governance strategy and build the team needed to sustain the capability.

The work centers on three areas:

• putting in place the IT controls that support data security and compliance obligations

• enabling the organization to find, trust, and extract strategic value from its data assets

• establishing the governance foundations for responsible AI adoption.

The role requires close collaboration with Information Security, Legal, Compliance, and Data Science to ensure IT solutions are shaped by their requirements.

This is a build role — this role will start by laying the groundwork and will progressively grow a team and mature the capabilities needed to make information governance a lasting, enterprise-wide strength.

Competencies
Accountability for Results - Stay focused on key strategic objectives, be accountable for high standards of performance, and take an active role in leading change.
Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving - Make decisions considering the long-term impact to customers, patients, employees, and the business.
Patient & Customer Centricity - Maintain an ongoing focus on the needs of our customers and/or key stakeholders.
Impactful Communication - Communicate with logic, clarity, and respect. Influence at all levels to achieve the best results for Otsuka.
Respectful Collaboration - Seek and value others’ perspectives and strive for diverse partnerships to enhance work toward common goals.
Empowered Development - Play an active role in professional development as a business imperative.

Minimum $186,489.00 - Maximum $278,875.00, plus incentive opportunity: The range shown represents a typical pay range or starting pay for individuals who are hired in the role to perform in the United States. Other elements may be used to determine actual pay such as the candidate’s job experience, specific skills, and comparison to internal incumbents currently in role. Typically, actual pay will be positioned within the established range, rather than at its minimum or maximum. This information is provided to applicants in accordance with states and local laws.

Company benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, company provided basic life, accidental death & dismemberment, short-term and long-term disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, student loan assistance, a generous 401(k) match, flexible time off, paid holidays, and paid leave programs as well as other company provided benefits.

Come discover more about Otsuka and our benefit offerings; https://www.otsuka-us.com/careers-join-otsuka

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