Data and AI Governance Specialist

About Lakeora

Lakeora is a Riyadh-based data and AI advisory firm and a Databricks partner. The company focuses on building governed data platforms for Saudi enterprises, emphasizing deep expertise in a single platform with integrated governance. Lakeora operates as an early-stage, flat, and deliberately small organization where team members work directly with customers, own their architectural designs, and see them through to production.

The Role: Data and AI Governance Specialist

Lakeora is seeking a Data and AI Governance Specialist to support end-to-end governance initiatives. This role involves framework design, data quality management, AI risk assessment, and ensuring readiness for national indices such as NDI/NAII. The specialist will translate compliance requirements into tangible client deliverables rather than mere checkboxes. This is a full-time, client-facing position based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, requiring 2-5 years of relevant experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Support clients in designing and documenting data governance frameworks, including ownership models, stewardship roles, policies, and standards.
• Assist with data quality initiatives, such as profiling, defining quality rules, monitoring, and remediation tracking.
• Support data cataloging, metadata management, and lineage documentation across client environments.
• Translate client business requirements into governance scope, deliverables, and effort estimates.
• Support clients in designing AI governance frameworks, including model inventory, risk-tiering, approval workflows, and documentation standards.
• Assess client AI systems against responsible AI principles, covering explainability, auditability, bias, and risk controls.
• Map client data and AI practices against global frameworks to benchmark maturity.

National Index Readiness (NDI / NAII)

• Conduct client readiness assessments against National Data Index (NDI) and National AI Index (NAII) scoring criteria, identifying gaps between current practices and index requirements.
• Compile and organize evidence, documentation, and artifacts for clients to demonstrate compliance for index submissions.
• Develop remediation roadmaps to close index gaps, prioritizing and sequencing them against client timelines and resources.
• Track client progress against NDI/NAII benchmarks across engagement milestones and report status to stakeholders.
• Stay informed on updates to NDI/NAII methodology and criteria, translating changes into updated client guidance.

Client Delivery and Engagement

• Participate in discovery sessions with prospective and existing clients, documenting findings and shaping governance approaches.
• Coordinate with client enterprise architecture and IT teams to ensure governance work aligns with their broader data and AI strategy.
• Build working relationships with client business stakeholders and communicate findings in terms of business impact.
• Support the establishment and operation of client data and AI governance offices.

Work Environment

This role is client-facing by design, involving direct interaction with client stakeholders. The specialist will support data and AI governance delivery and help translate findings into tangible recommendations for both technical and business audiences. Lakeora fosters a lean team environment with high visibility and real impact.