Catalog Data Architect

Product Data SpecialistFull-Time | Houston, TX | On-SiteWHY THIS ROLE EXISTSWe have a large, complex product catalog and a small, capable e-commerce and IT team. Today, our Data Analyst handles scripted cleanup and pricing updates, our Ecommerce Director manages the website, and our Office Manager is the subject matter expert on product inside the ERP. What we are missing is someone who owns the product data itself: the person who defines what clean, complete, and consistent data looks like for our catalog, and who is accountable for getting it there and keeping it there. This role is the single point of ownership for our entire product data ecosystem. You will be the bridge between our ERP, our website, and our internal teams, ensuring that the 2.5 million items in our catalog are accurate, well-structured, and optimized for both customer experience and search visibility. WHAT YOU WILL OWNData Standards & Architecture Define and enforce the canonical product data model: required fields, naming conventions, variant attribute standards, and category taxonomy across all 300 brandsCreate and maintain the master variant attribute mapping (e.g., consolidating hundreds of inconsistent finish names into a standardized set of canonical values) Establish minimum data quality thresholds for product pages to remain published on the websiteCatalog Cleanup & Normalization (Initial Project) Lead the end-to-end data cleanup project across 300,000 parent items and 2.2 million variants, starting with our 50 actively sold brands and expanding to traffic-only brandsAudit the existing catalog to quantify data quality issues by type, brand, and severityWork with the team to define normalization rules, mapping tables, and review criteria that all cleanup work follows, and approve the results before they publishIdentify and resolve duplicate items, orphan variants, and incorrect parent-child relationshipsCross-reference ERP product records against the live website to identify and fix discrepanciesManufacturer Data Standards Define the required fields, formats, and image specifications that manufacturer data feeds (EDI, API, flat files) must meet before they are accepted into the catalogEvaluate and recommend product data syndication tools or PIM platforms to automate ongoing data ingestionOngoing Data GovernanceOwn the new product intake process: every item that enters the catalog meets your standards before it goes liveDefine the completeness, consistency, and freshness metrics the catalog is measured against, and own the reporting that tracks themRun quarterly catalog audits and report on data health to leadershipCreate and maintain documentation and playbooks so the Data Analyst can execute day-to-day maintenance within your frameworkCross-Functional Collaboration Work with the Ecommerce Director to ensure product data supports SEO strategy, site search, and filteringWork with the ERP Admin to ensure data structures, workflows, and integrations support clean data flow between the ERP and the websiteGuide the Data Analyst’s day-to-day catalog work, providing standards, priorities, and quality reviewCoordinate with the sales team to understand which product attributes drive customer purchasing decisions and trade partner requirementsSupport the ERP evaluation process by defining product data migration requirements and testing data mapping in any new systemWHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR