Director of Data

Role Overview

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Director of Data to lead our data function in Hyderabad. This role is pivotal in shaping our data strategy, building a high-performing team, and fostering a strong data community within the organization. The Director of Data will oversee data engineering, data analytics, and data science professionals, driving cohesion in ways of working and instilling a shared sense of purpose.

The role is not a traditional line management position but will incorporate two key aspects of the role; leading and line managing the Flutter Functions Data Platform team and acting as the Data capability lead for Flutter Hyderabad office through focusing on leadership, influence, and strategic direction—creating career pathways, professional growth opportunities, and an inclusive and innovative culture. The Director of Data will also play a key role in expanding our Global Capability Center (GCC) in Hyderabad and establishing new teams for other businesses within the group as required.

As part of the Hyderabad Leadership Team, the role holder will contribute to broader site leadership, culture, and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

• Define and drive the data strategy for Flutter Functions, ensuring alignment with product, architecture and the organization’s business objectives.
• Establish and grow the Global Capability Center (GCC) in Hyderabad, ensuring it becomes a centre of excellence for data.
• Lead a community of data professionals (engineering, analytics, and data science), creating a culture of collaboration, learning, and innovation.
• Serve as a key member of the Hyderabad Leadership Team, contributing to broader site leadership initiatives.
• Champion best practices in all aspects of data engineering from data governance, data management through to ethical AI/ML adoption.
• Partner with global and regional leaders to scale data capabilities across different businesses in the group as needed.

Team Building & Development

• Foster an environment that attracts, develops, and retains top data talent.
• Build career pathways and professional development opportunities for data professionals.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration between data teams, engineering, and business units.
• Advocate for a diverse, inclusive, and high-performance culture.

Operational Excellence & Ways of Working

• Enhance cohesion and standardization in data practices, tools, and methodologies across teams.
• Lead initiatives that improve efficiency, collaboration, and knowledge sharing across data teams.
• Ensure alignment with cloud-first, scalable technologies, leveraging Databricks, AWS, and other modern data platforms.
• Establish mechanisms to measure and demonstrate the business value of data-driven initiatives.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Proven experience in a senior data leadership role, with a track record of influencing and shaping data strategy.
• Strong leadership skills with a people-first approach, able to inspire, mentor, and build a thriving data community.
• Experience working in global, matrixed organizations, driving collaboration across multiple teams.
• Deep understanding of data engineering, analytics, and data science disciplines (without requiring hands-on technical execution).
• Experience with cloud-based data technologies, particularly AWS, Databricks.
• Experience with streaming platforms such as Kafka, Apache Pulsar.
• Experience with a combination of Python, Scala, Spark and Java.
• Ability to scale teams and establish new functions, especially in a GCC or offshore model.
• Strong stakeholder management, capable of influencing senior executives and business leaders.

Desirable

• Experience in building or scaling data teams in a Global Capability Center (GCC).
• Familiarity with data governance, security, and compliance best practices.
• Previous experience working in a hybrid or global delivery model.