The chief data officer (CDO) is a senior executive responsible for the utilization and governance of data across the organization. While the chief data officer title is often shortened to CDO, the role shouldn't be confused with chief digital officer, which is also frequently referred to as CDO.

Head of Data and Chief Data Officer are very different roles. Head of Data - accountable for contribution that the data team(s) reporting to them make to the organisation. Chief Data Officer - accountable for the contribution that data makes to an organisation.

Responsibilities might include project management, executive oversight of security and networking services, and building relationships with specific service providers (e.g., a telecom or a software vendor). In contrast, a CDO is more attuned to general business strategy than to such granular technical tasks.

Scott Gibbons. The Chief Data Officer (CDO) is responsible for data governance and lifecycle data management, supporting the Department in meeting the requirements of the Federal Data Strategy and Open Government Data Act.