Data Steward Manufacturing

Purpose and Mission

• Bekaert is driving a comprehensive digital transformation to enhance end-to-end operational efficiency, elevate digital experiences, and optimize cost and cash performance across manufacturing and supply chain operations.
• As part of this journey, high-quality, well-governed master data is a critical enabler. Bekaert continues to invest in robust Master Data Management (MDM) and Data Governance capabilities to support its digital ambitions.
• Within the Advanced Digital Solutions (ADS) organization, the Master Data Steward– Operations plays a vital role in establishing and sustaining enterprise-wide data governance practices. This role ensures the integrity, consistency, and usability of master data across manufacturing, planning, and quality processes, thereby enabling scalable, data-driven digital solutions.

Key Activities and Responsibilities

As a Master Data Steward for the Operations domain, you will be responsible for ensuring the quality, governance, and continuous improvement of master data objects supporting:

• Manufacturing Execution
• Production Planning
• Quality Management and Quality Control

You will work closely with business stakeholders, data owners, functional experts, and cross-functional product teams across regions to identify data challenges, drive standardization, and strengthen Bekaert’s data foundation.

1. Support Digital Transformation Initiatives

• Contribute to data-related tracks in digital manufacturing and supply chain programs.
• Align master data structures with business processes in SAP and connected systems.
• Drive harmonization of master data models across business units.
• Support development of scalable and reliable data pipelines.

2. Master Data Governance & Quality

• Define, implement, and govern master data standards, templates, and business rules.
• Establish and maintain robust data quality frameworks (profiling, cleansing, validation).
• Monitor data quality KPIs and ensure continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with plant data administrators to enforce best practices.

3. Data-Driven Insights & Analytics Enablement

• Understand business requirements and translate them into data needs.
• Identify data gaps and process inefficiencies impacting decision-making.
• Support development of reports and analytics leveraging master data.
• Enable faster and better decision-making through trusted data assets.

4. Data Migration & Lifecycle Management

• Support data migration activities for system implementations and rollouts.
• Perform mass data creation, validation, and updates (e.g., via LSMW or similar tools).
• Ensure data accuracy during system transitions and deployment phases.
• Lead periodic data cleansing and maintenance activities.

5. Data Strategy & Standardization

• Contribute to defining and executing the Operations data roadmap.
• Develop sustainable and scalable master data models.
• Simplify and standardize data maintenance processes across plants and regions.
• Align data initiatives with Bekaert’s overall digital and data strategy.

6. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Act as a bridge between business, IT, and data teams.
• Engage with global stakeholders to ensure consistent data practices.
• Support product teams in delivering data-driven solutions.

Skills and Competencies

Domain Expertise

• Strong understanding of manufacturing, planning, and quality processes.
• Knowledge of end-to-end supply chain and production operations.

SAP & Technical Skills

• Hands-on experience in SAP PP and QM modules.
• Deep understanding of master data objects such as:

• • Bill of Materials (BOM)
  • Routing / Recipes
  • Work Centers
  • Production Versions
  • Classification & Characteristics
  • Variant Configuration / Object Dependencies

Master Data Management

• Proven experience in Master Data Management & Governance with exposure to MDM tools.
• Strong exposure to:
• Data quality frameworks
• Data standardization and harmonization
• De-duplication and data enrichment
• Data dictionary and metadata management

Data Operations

• Experience in Mass data maintenance, data migration, and data cleansing.
• Familiarity with tools like LTMC, DMC, Winshuttle or equivalent.

Soft Skills

• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Effective stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Ability to work in cross-functional and globally distributed teams.
• Strong ownership mindset towards data quality and governance.

Nice to Have

• Experience with Variant Configuration and Object Dependencies.
• Exposure to Data Analytics platforms like Power BI and SQL language, SSMS
• Exposure to New SAP technology like SAP analytics, BTP and SAP Joule for Data analytics.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 10+ years of overall experience, with at least 5+ years in Master Data Management and Data Governance roles.
• Strong experience in SAP Manufacturing support and Supply chain environments.
• Proven track record of working in global, cross-functional setups.