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Head of Data job description

A Head of Data owns the whole data function: engineering, platform, governance and often analytics. They set the data strategy, build the platform and team, and make data a reliable, secure asset for the business. The role is senior and cross functional. A good Head of Data delivers trusted data at scale, sets governance and security that hold, aligns data work to business value, and builds engineers and analysts into a strong, dependable function.

DetailFor this role
DepartmentData and Analytics
LevelSenior management
Reports toChief Technology Officer
Direct reportsData Architect, Data Engineering Manager, Analytics Manager
Experience12+ years in data with 4 years in leadership

Head of Data job description template

Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.

Job title: Head of Data

Department: Data and Analytics

Reports to: Chief Technology Officer

Location: [City], [office, branch or site]

About the role

A Head of Data owns the whole data function: engineering, platform, governance and often analytics. They set the data strategy, build the platform and team, and make data a reliable, secure asset for the business. The role is senior and cross functional. A good Head of Data delivers trusted data at scale, sets governance and security that hold, aligns data work to business value, and builds engineers and analysts into a strong, dependable function.

Key responsibilities

  • Set and own the data strategy and roadmap for the company.
  • Build and run the data platform, engineering and governance.
  • Align all data work to business value and priorities.
  • Own data governance, quality, security and overall data privacy.
  • Build and lead the data engineering and analytics teams.
  • Manage the data budget, tools and the vendor relationships.
  • Partner with technology and business leaders on data needs.
  • Set standards and review the major data platform decisions.
  • Ensure the company meets all data protection obligations properly.

Requirements

  • Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or related field
  • Long experience across data engineering and analytics
  • Proven leadership experience
  • 12+ years in data with 4 years in leadership

KRAs and KPIs for a Head of Data

Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.

Key result areaHow to measure it
Data reliabilityCore data pipelines and platform meet reliability targets
GovernanceData governance, quality and security standards enforced
Business valueData initiatives tied to and delivering business outcomes
CostData platform and tooling cost within the approved budget
PrivacyData protection obligations met with no breach
TeamData team retained and growing in capability

Skills and tools

Data strategyData engineering leadershipGovernance and securityPlatform architectureBudgetingVendor managementBusiness partneringTeam leadership

Tools used day to day: Cloud data platforms, Data warehouse and lake, Governance and catalog tools, SQL and Python, BI tools.

Reporting line and career path

Chief TechnologyOfficerHead of DataData ArchitectData EngineeringManagerAnalytics Manager
Moves up from: Data Architect, Data Engineering Manager, Head of Analytics
Next roles: Chief Data Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Vice President Data

Interview questions for a Head of Data

  1. How do you set a data strategy that the business will back?
  2. How do you make data reliable and trusted at scale?
  3. How do you build governance and security without blocking teams?
  4. How do you tie data spend to business value?
  5. How do you meet data protection obligations in practice?
  6. How do you build and retain a strong data team?

Managing a Head of Data in ZeniaHR

AttendanceOffice based on a general shift with hybrid work common. Web punch on the allowed office network or company laptop, with work from home within the monthly WFH limit. Approves team corrections after the reporting manager step, before month close.LeavePlan leave around major platform and reporting milestones. Name a backup among managers during long absence. Leave balances, comp-off and encashment eligibility flow from the leave ledger set up with ZeniaHR support.Performance and KRAsRun an annual review cycle with quarterly checks on reliability, governance and value. Set the KRAs above as goals and cascade them to managers. Record probation reviews for new leaders through the review cycle.

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Frequently asked questions

What does a Head of Data do?

A Head of Data owns the whole data function: engineering, platform, governance and often analytics. They set the data strategy, build the platform and team, and make data a reliable, secure asset. They align data work to business value and meet data protection obligations. Their job is trusted data at scale for the company.

What is the difference between a Head of Data and a Data Architect?

A Head of Data leads the function: strategy, teams, budget, governance and delivery. A Data Architect designs the technical platform and models. The head owns the outcomes and the people; the architect owns the design. The architect usually reports into the head of data.

What qualifications does a Head of Data need?

A degree in computer science or a related field, with long experience across data engineering and analytics and a record of leadership. Employers value data strategy, governance and security judgement, budgeting and vendor management, and the ability to build and retain a strong data team.

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