What is a data management manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted expert

Saquib Ahmed Ph.D.

A data management manager oversees an organization's data management strategy and systems. They ensure accurate, accessible, and secure data. Data management managers work with IT teams and business units to identify data needs, establish data governance, and implement quality controls. They also manage relationships with external vendors and service providers, and stay up-to-date on technologies and industry trends. A data management manager ensures the effective handling of data assets to support business objectives.

What general advice would you give to a data management manager?

Saquib Ahmed Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Engineering Technology, SUNY Buffalo State

Keep a keen pulse on not only the science & engineering aspects of a technology, but its economic viability as well as ELSI (ethical legal social implications).

ScoreData Management ManagerUS Average

Salary

8.1

Avg. Salary $119,331

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.6

Growth rate 16%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.21%

Asian 12.64%

Black or African American 6.71%

Hispanic or Latino 10.08%

Unknown 5.21%

White 65.16%

Gender

female 46.18%

male 53.82%

Age - 47

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47

Stress level

8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a data management manager?

Pros

Competitive compensation and benefits packages
Chance to work with cross-functional teams and gain exposure to different departments
Opportunity to drive business decisions based on data insights
Potential for career growth and advancement within the organization
Ability to work remotely or in a flexible work environment

Cons

Requires advanced technical skills and knowledge of data management tools, systems, and regulations
May require long hours or be on call 24/7 in case of emergencies or system failures
Can be challenging to balance the needs of business stakeholders with the needs of the data team
Can be difficult to measure the ROI of data management initiatives
Potential for burnout due to high workload and pressure to deliver results

Key steps to become a data management manager

Explore data management manager education requirements

Most common data management manager degrees

Bachelor's

66.0 %

Master's

20.5 %

Associate

9.0 %

Start to develop specific data management manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Data Management	15.40%
Analytics	12.12%
Data Quality	9.77%
Data Governance	7.40%
Project Management	4.77%

Complete relevant data management manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New data management managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a data management manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real data management manager resumes.

Research data management manager duties and responsibilities

Design and implement ETL framework for managing SSIS jobs to monitor and manage ETL processing.
Lead the initiative to adopt an ERP strategy.
Manage training, payroll, benefits and leave for all employees.
Participate and manage the implementation of new electronic health record (EHR) software.

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