Data Steward

MRI Software’s Data Division is instrumental in enabling data-driven decision making across our organization and clients through rigorous data governance practices, quality frameworks, and stewardship standards. MRI Software is seeking a Data Steward to develop the data program with a focus on data management and governance. In this role, you will serve as the organization’s foremost expert on MRI’s data assets, responsible for educating internal teams and external stakeholders on data capabilities, aligning expectations, and ensuring our data meets organizational standards while maintaining the highest levels of integrity and professionalism.

This is a role with meaningful impact: you’ll collaborate with business stakeholders across the organization, forge partnerships with product, engineering, legal, and data science teams, and help align MRI’s data strategy with industry best practices and regulatory requirements. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, demonstrates strong analytical skills, and possesses an unwavering commitment to data excellence and continuous improvement.

The role is in a start-up project within an established organization. The ideal candidate will be comfortable operating in such a new environment and be willing to be resourceful, curious and play an active role in shaping the direction of the project.

We understand the need to provide a flexible working environment partnered with team collaboration and socialisation. Therefore, we operate a hybrid working model with 3 days of working from home per week. This role is based in the Johannesburg or Cape Town office.

Key Responsibilities

• Data Sourcing & Onboarding

  • Partner with internal stakeholders and application product teams to identify, assess, and source high-value data
  • Collaborate with internal teams to develop value-added use cases and build specifications to make them actionable
  • Facilitate the safe and responsible ingestion of data, ensuring compliance with legal, regulatory, and ethical standards, including data sovereignty, contractual obligations, and customer terms

• Governance, Compliance & Standards

  • Ensure all sourced data meets governance criteria for accuracy, completeness, lineage, and permissible use
  • Maintain evidence of compliance for audit and legal purposes; work with legal and data privacy teams to apply governance requirements
  • Develop and maintain standardized policies, procedures, and governance frameworks to ensure consistency and repeatability in data management practices across the organization

• Data Catalogue & Knowledge Management

  • Curate and manage the organization’s data catalogue and data dictionary, ensuring definitions and metadata are accessible and shareable with stakeholders
  • Classify and tag data using standard taxonomies and business definitions; promote data discoverability and reuse across internal teams
  • Serve as the primary subject matter expert on MRI’s data assets, educating stakeholders and aligning expectations on data capabilities and limitations
  • Respond to data requests and sample validation inquiries within 1 business day, ensuring correct sourcing, compliance, and data quality
  • Locate, extract, and analyze data in line with consumer requests; troubleshoot data quality issues and coordinate resolution with producers and engineering teams.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Enablement

  • Champion responsible data use and cultivate strong relationships across technology, legal, product, and data science teams.
  • Advise and consult with stakeholders on data-related decisions, providing guidance on what should and should not be implemented from a data integrity and governance perspective.
  • Support internal teams with data quality insights, use case development, and data-related inquiries.
  • Identify and implement AI-powered tools and automation opportunities to streamline data stewardship processes and enhance scalability.
  • Contribute to best practices and playbooks for data onboarding and stewardship.

Key Capabilities & Experience

• Experience in data stewardship, data governance, or data operations roles, ideally in a technology organization.

• Proven ability to clearly define data scope and requirements, analyze, and steward data from complex application environments through ingestion in destination.

• Understanding of data privacy laws (e.g., GDPR, CCPA), data contracts, and data usage governance.

• Strong knowledge of metadata management, data cataloging tools, and data quality practices.

• Working knowledge of data platforms (e.g., Snowflake, Databricks, Azure, or equivalent).

• Excellent relationship and stakeholder management skills – especially with product managers, legal teams, and engineering.

• Ability to work autonomously, manage priorities, and deliver outcomes in a fast-paced environment.

• Familiarity with AI and automation tools that enhance data management efficiency and scalability.

• Experience advising product and engineering teams on data-related decisions and best practices.

We’re obsessed with making this the best job you’ve ever had!

We want our teams to love working here, so we’ve created some incredible perks for you to enjoy:

• We want our staff to love working here, and so we’ve created a few unique perks such as office breakfasts, quarterly lunches and virtual social events. Additionally, we value your input in your employee experience and have employee-led groups such as our DEI committee, employee resource groups such as Women and Allies, and our Pride Event Group

• Have confidence in your health with our offered Medical Aid Scheme.

• Invest in our competitive Personal Pension plan and help set you up for your future.

• Big on family? So are we! Here at MRI Software we recognise that your family is important, and being able to spend quality time with your family as it grows is a wonderful experience. Therefore, the MRI Software Parental Leave benefit is designed to give you the opportunity to spend time with your new arrival(s).

• Enjoy a fantastic work-life balance with 25 days of annual leave plus public Holidays, in addition to a bank of 16 hours of "Flex Time Off" to be used whenever and however you choose!

• Further your professional development with our Tuition Reimbursement Schemes

• Enjoy the flexibility of working from anywhere in the world for two weeks out of the year!

About Us

From the day we opened our doors, MRI Software has built flexible, game-changing real estate software that powers thriving communities and helps make the world a better place to live, work and play. Fulfilling that mission is only possible because of one thing: exceptional people. People like you!

Our people-first approach to PropTech is defining a new industry standard for client experiences that, quite frankly, can’t be duplicated. Experiences that deliver real value every day. And we know those experiences begin with our people.

We believe MRI is more than just a workplace; it’s a connected community of people who truly feel they belong. Whether we’re investing in employee resource groups or providing tailored resources for each person to reach their full potential, we’re passionate about creating a work environment that makes you excited to show up every single day.

At MRI, one of our core values is to strive to amaze. From the intelligent solutions we create to the culture we cultivate, that’s our goal every day. Because that’s what industry leaders do. Whether you’re joining as a new Pride member or rejoining us after a short time away, your talent is vital to us, our partners and our clients.

Amazing growth requires amazing employees. Are you up to the challenge? We know confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting remarkable candidates, so please don’t hesitate to apply. We’d love to hear from you!

MRI is proud to be an inclusive employer. We welcome and celebrate diversity across all backgrounds, including ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, military, veteran status and more. We believe that Belonging is a direct result of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Those values are woven into the fabric of who we are and are foundational to our continued success. Come and see for yourself!