Managing Director - Data & AI

• Own the segment-wide data strategy, including target-state vision, operating model, domain ownership, investment sequencing, and multi-year roadmap


• Define how the value of data investment is measured and report against it


• Unify data engineering, governance, and AI/automation into a single operating model


• Establish shared intake, prioritization, and delivery cadence


• Resolve funding and capacity tradeoffs in favor of end-to-end business outcomes


• Oversee the data platform ecosystem, including architecture decisions, consumption governance, cost, and roadmap prioritization


• Position governance as a business enabler through policy, lineage, quality, and access practices


• Set strategy for applying AI and automation to business processes


• Oversee AI democratization, adoption, and the Citizen Developer program


• Lead through directors by coaching and developing senior leaders, building succession depth, managing performance, fostering cohesion, and holding leaders to a high bar


• Translate business objectives into data and AI priorities in partnership with C-suite and senior leadership


• Build stakeholder relationships and executive credibility to drive adoption


• Contribute to the broader Nelnet data management council

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required in related fields


• 10+ years leading data organizations at enterprise scale, including leading leaders


• Demonstrated ownership of an enterprise data strategy from definition through multi-year execution


• Proven executive-level influence with C-suite and business stakeholders


• Sufficient practical depth in data engineering and data governance to direct and challenge those teams


• AI/ML and intelligent automation applied to business processes with measurable outcomes (preferred)


• Track record operating in regulated / financial-services data environments (preferred)


• Experience establishing a modern data operating model (data products, domain ownership, or equivalent) (preferred)


• Strategic thinking & planning


• Executive level influence


• Stakeholder management


• Prioritization & decision making


• Critical thinking


• Team management & growth


• Must already be authorized to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in leading enterprise data strategy, integrating data engineering, governance, and AI/automation to drive business outcomes. Proven ability to influence C-suite stakeholders and manage high-performing teams in regulated data environments.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Enterprise Data Strategy Ownership


• Data Engineering and Governance


• AI/ML Application to Business Processes


• Executive-Level Influence


• Stakeholder Management

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Data Strategy


• Data Engineering


• Data Governance


• AI/Automation


• Data Operating Model


• Investment Sequencing


• Architecture Decisions


• Performance Management


• Multi-Year Roadmap


• Regulated Data Environments

Soft Skills

• Strategic Thinking


• Team Management


• Critical Thinking


• Prioritization


• Decision Making

Certifications & Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree

Industry Keywords

• Financial Services


• Data Management


• C-Suite Engagement


• Citizen Developer Program


• Stakeholder Relationships