Manager - People Data & Taxonomy Governance
Slalom, Chicago, IL, United States
Role:
Manager, People Data & Taxonomy Governance
Location: Open to location, needs to be close to a US office
Position Summary
We are seeking a Manager, People Data & Taxonomy Governance, to lead the design and advancement of our enterprise people data taxonomy and governance frameworks. Embedded within our People Experience organization, this strategic leader will translate workforce and organizational needs into scalable data structures, classification standards, and ensure the integrity of people data across the enterprise to empower informed business decisions.
This is a high-impact, hands-on leadership position that blends governance, data stewardship, and operational execution. The manager will leverage deep expertise in people data, business process design, and cross-functional partnership to implement standards that drive accurate reporting, enable workforce planning, and support equitable talent practices at scale. Success in this role requires strong analytical skills, a strategic mindset, and the ability to collaborate closely with HR, Talent, Finance, and Data teams to operationalize governance processes and deliver sustainable, organization-wide solutions.
What You'll Do
Own enterprise people taxonomy governance
Define and maintain authoritative people data definitions and business rules.
Establish and operate governance models
Design and implement governance processes for taxonomy changes, including intake, evaluation, approval, versioning, and communication.
Establish decision rights, escalation paths, and stewardship models across HR, Talent, Finance, and Data teams.
Assess business and data impacts
Proactively evaluate the downstream implications of taxonomy changes on compensation, workforce planning, reporting, analytics, integrations, and AI models.
Partner with stakeholders to mitigate risk and ensure continuity across systems and business processes.
Enable enterprise alignment and adoption
Ensure consistent application of people classifications across HR systems, data platforms, and operational processes.
Drive alignment between people taxonomy and enterprise data models in collaboration with data architecture and engineering teams.
Lead cross-functional collaboration
Act as a strategic advisor to senior leaders on workforce structure, skills strategy, and data-driven talent decisions.
Partner closely with HRIS, People Analytics, Finance, and Enterprise Data Governance teams.
Future-proof people data
Anticipate evolving business needs (e.g., skills-based talent models, AI enablement, regulatory requirements) and guide taxonomy evolution accordingly.
Ensure people data structures are scalable, equitable, and fit for future analytical and strategic use.
What You'll Bring
Experience & Expertise
10+ years of progressive experience in people data, HR strategy, workforce analytics, data governance, or related domains.
Demonstrated ownership of enterprise-level classification systems such as job architecture, skills frameworks, or workforce models.
Governance & Operating Model Acumen
Proven ability to design and lead governance frameworks, including decision rights, standards, and change management.
Experience balancing business agility with data integrity and control.
Enterprise Mindset
Strong understanding of how people data is consumed across the business, HR, Finance, Strategy, and Technology.
Ability to assess and communicate complex downstream impacts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Leadership & Influence
Executive-level presence with the ability to influence without direct authority.
Skilled in facilitating alignment across diverse stakeholder groups with competing priorities.
Analytical & Systems Thinking
Deep appreciation for data semantics, taxonomy design, and the difference between business meaning and technical implementation.
Comfort partnering with data architects and engineers without acting as a technical architect.
Change Leadership
Experience leading enterprise change initiatives related to workforce transformation, skills-based models, or data modernization.
Clear communicator who can translate complex concepts into actionable guidance.
About Us
Slalom is a fiercely human business and technology consulting company that leads with outcomes to bring more value, in all ways, always. From strategy through delivery, our agile teams across 52 offices in 12 countries partner with clients to co-create powerful customer experiences, modern ways of working, and meaningful impact.
What sets us apart? We believe work should be challenging and fulfilling, not perfect, but possible. That's why we prioritize purpose, flexibility, connection, and recognition, so our people can thrive and love what they do, most days.
Compensation and Benefits
Slalom prides itself on helping team members thrive in their work and life. As a result, Slalom is proud to invest in benefits that include meaningful time off and paid holidays, parental leave, 401(k) with a match, a range of choices for highly subsidized health, dental, & vision coverage, adoption and fertility assistance, and short/long-term disability. We also offer yearly $350 reimbursement account for any well-being-related expenses, as well as discounted home, auto, and pet insurance.
Slalom is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. For this role, we are hiring at the following levels and targeted base pay salary ranges: The targeted base salary pay range for this role is $110,000 to $150,000. In addition, individuals may be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. Actual compensation will depend upon an individual's skills, experience, qualifications, location, and other relevant factors. The salary pay range is subject to change and may be modified at any time.
We will accept applicants until April 23rd, or until the position is filled.
We are committed to pay transparency and compliance with applicable laws. If you have questions or concerns about the pay range or other compensation information in this posting, please contact us at: peopleone@slalom.com. Please note, this recipient is not able to support recruitment inquiries beyond this purpose.
EEO and Accommodations
Slalom is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to attracting, developing and retaining highly qualified talent who empower our innovative teams through unique perspectives and experiences. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veterans' status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Slalom will also consider qualified applications with criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. Slalom welcomes and encourages applications from individuals with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are available for candidates during all aspects of the selection process. Please advise the talent acquisition team or contact accomodationrequest@slalom.com if you require accommodations during the interview process.
Manager, People Data & Taxonomy Governance
Location: Open to location, needs to be close to a US office
Position Summary
We are seeking a Manager, People Data & Taxonomy Governance, to lead the design and advancement of our enterprise people data taxonomy and governance frameworks. Embedded within our People Experience organization, this strategic leader will translate workforce and organizational needs into scalable data structures, classification standards, and ensure the integrity of people data across the enterprise to empower informed business decisions.
This is a high-impact, hands-on leadership position that blends governance, data stewardship, and operational execution. The manager will leverage deep expertise in people data, business process design, and cross-functional partnership to implement standards that drive accurate reporting, enable workforce planning, and support equitable talent practices at scale. Success in this role requires strong analytical skills, a strategic mindset, and the ability to collaborate closely with HR, Talent, Finance, and Data teams to operationalize governance processes and deliver sustainable, organization-wide solutions.
What You'll Do
Own enterprise people taxonomy governance
Define and maintain authoritative people data definitions and business rules.
Establish and operate governance models
Design and implement governance processes for taxonomy changes, including intake, evaluation, approval, versioning, and communication.
Establish decision rights, escalation paths, and stewardship models across HR, Talent, Finance, and Data teams.
Assess business and data impacts
Proactively evaluate the downstream implications of taxonomy changes on compensation, workforce planning, reporting, analytics, integrations, and AI models.
Partner with stakeholders to mitigate risk and ensure continuity across systems and business processes.
Enable enterprise alignment and adoption
Ensure consistent application of people classifications across HR systems, data platforms, and operational processes.
Drive alignment between people taxonomy and enterprise data models in collaboration with data architecture and engineering teams.
Lead cross-functional collaboration
Act as a strategic advisor to senior leaders on workforce structure, skills strategy, and data-driven talent decisions.
Partner closely with HRIS, People Analytics, Finance, and Enterprise Data Governance teams.
Future-proof people data
Anticipate evolving business needs (e.g., skills-based talent models, AI enablement, regulatory requirements) and guide taxonomy evolution accordingly.
Ensure people data structures are scalable, equitable, and fit for future analytical and strategic use.
What You'll Bring
Experience & Expertise
10+ years of progressive experience in people data, HR strategy, workforce analytics, data governance, or related domains.
Demonstrated ownership of enterprise-level classification systems such as job architecture, skills frameworks, or workforce models.
Governance & Operating Model Acumen
Proven ability to design and lead governance frameworks, including decision rights, standards, and change management.
Experience balancing business agility with data integrity and control.
Enterprise Mindset
Strong understanding of how people data is consumed across the business, HR, Finance, Strategy, and Technology.
Ability to assess and communicate complex downstream impacts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Leadership & Influence
Executive-level presence with the ability to influence without direct authority.
Skilled in facilitating alignment across diverse stakeholder groups with competing priorities.
Analytical & Systems Thinking
Deep appreciation for data semantics, taxonomy design, and the difference between business meaning and technical implementation.
Comfort partnering with data architects and engineers without acting as a technical architect.
Change Leadership
Experience leading enterprise change initiatives related to workforce transformation, skills-based models, or data modernization.
Clear communicator who can translate complex concepts into actionable guidance.
About Us
Slalom is a fiercely human business and technology consulting company that leads with outcomes to bring more value, in all ways, always. From strategy through delivery, our agile teams across 52 offices in 12 countries partner with clients to co-create powerful customer experiences, modern ways of working, and meaningful impact.
What sets us apart? We believe work should be challenging and fulfilling, not perfect, but possible. That's why we prioritize purpose, flexibility, connection, and recognition, so our people can thrive and love what they do, most days.
Compensation and Benefits
Slalom prides itself on helping team members thrive in their work and life. As a result, Slalom is proud to invest in benefits that include meaningful time off and paid holidays, parental leave, 401(k) with a match, a range of choices for highly subsidized health, dental, & vision coverage, adoption and fertility assistance, and short/long-term disability. We also offer yearly $350 reimbursement account for any well-being-related expenses, as well as discounted home, auto, and pet insurance.
Slalom is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. For this role, we are hiring at the following levels and targeted base pay salary ranges: The targeted base salary pay range for this role is $110,000 to $150,000. In addition, individuals may be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. Actual compensation will depend upon an individual's skills, experience, qualifications, location, and other relevant factors. The salary pay range is subject to change and may be modified at any time.
We will accept applicants until April 23rd, or until the position is filled.
We are committed to pay transparency and compliance with applicable laws. If you have questions or concerns about the pay range or other compensation information in this posting, please contact us at: peopleone@slalom.com. Please note, this recipient is not able to support recruitment inquiries beyond this purpose.
EEO and Accommodations
Slalom is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to attracting, developing and retaining highly qualified talent who empower our innovative teams through unique perspectives and experiences. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veterans' status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Slalom will also consider qualified applications with criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. Slalom welcomes and encourages applications from individuals with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are available for candidates during all aspects of the selection process. Please advise the talent acquisition team or contact accomodationrequest@slalom.com if you require accommodations during the interview process.