Lead - Data Modeling and Core Foundations

Organization Unit Purpose

Emirates NBD is one of the largest banks in the Middle East, with over USD 6 Bn in revenues and 14,000+ employees globally. As part of its strategic mandate, the bank has recently setup its Advanced Analytics Centre of Excellence for driving ENBD’s ambitious advanced analytics agenda across ENBD. 

Core objectives of the center include:

• Deliver 500-800 Mn AED business impact through a series of use cases/ AA projects executed in collaboration with the BU’s 
• Instill a data driven culture across ENBD by building organization wide capabilities in advanced analytics 

The CoE will act as an enabler to the BUs to deploy advanced analytics models to drive smarter decisions across different domains. It will act as a guiding light to BUs to ideate on what’s possible with advanced analytics, help them prioritize these ideas, and pilot and productionize them through cross-functional AA squads. It will house highly skilled data scientists, data engineers and other digital talent that will be an integral part of cross-functional squads that execute AA projects.

The AA agenda is a high visibility and high priority initiative for ENBD. AA CoE will be governed at ExCo level, including impact tracking, a ringfenced budget & performance management.

The Data Strategy & Governance function within AA CoE is very strategic to Emirates NBD Group for defining and implementing an enhanced data strategy with a future state vision to build an ecosystem of business-owned and self-describing Data Products to complement / enable all forms of Analytics, BI, Operational, Regulatory and all other data dependent use-cases for the Group (covering all entities) and thus ensure the transformation towards becoming a fully optimized data driven organization.

The new data strategy follows a federated approach for data product operations where the data landscape is broken down into Data Domains & Sub-domains and each Data Domain/Sub-domain to have a comprehensive data product roadmap which is continuously enriched/enhanced based on following three dimensions.

1. Building Foundational / Non-negotiable data products ensuring the desired functional coverage under a particular Data Domain (Producing the data products once but use it for many purposes)
2. Enabling business-value by building Business-Oriented / Consumer-aligned data products
3. Ensuring the data consumer adoption to new data products landscape and thus eliminating dependency on ungoverned data sources for data consumers by implementing required data products

Enterprise Data Modeling is an essential component of Group’s data strategy, provides optimal and long-term stable design / structure for data products and relationship between data products which helps users across competencies to store and interact with data more effectively for a wide variety of use-cases. The Enterprise Data Modeling function designs, implements, and documents data design patterns and data modeling solutions, which include the use of relational, dimensional, and NoSQL databases. These solutions support enterprise-wide data products implementation considering the nature of data and consumption patterns and enables all forms of data dependent use-cases. In addition, the Data Strategy Core Foundations stream plays a pivotal role in establishing the required building blocks / foundations (ex, data access controls framework, data observability and support model framework etc.,)  in co-ordination with IT and other relevant teams, The core objective is to ensure all the core foundations of data strategy that are commonly applicable across all data domains / sub-domains are uniformly applied subsequent to their successful implementation. This becomes possible by building awareness to the wider Data Community, Core working group and collectively improving the core foundations for seamless operationalization of data strategy. 

Job Purpose

The Lead for Data Modeling & Data Strategy Core Foundations role within AA CoE – Data Strategy & Governance function will provide extensive technical and conceptual leadership support to Chief Data Governance Officer and is very crucial for the advancement of Data Strategy operationalization, ensuring the set-up of Data Modeling team with highly skilled resources, managing the Data Modeler resources across various levels of seniority, integrating the Data Modeling competency across all data product operations, establishing data modeling standards and best practices, ensuring organization wide key stakeholder alignment, expanding the scope and purview of data modeling mandate to cover niche data domains, new business lines / entities, critical business platforms/applications, real-time/near real-time data solutions, API canonical data models, unstructured data sources, Gen AI applications, and leading the efforts for implementation of Data Strategy Core Foundations and seamless integration of the same across all data product operations / other major data initiatives. 

This role partners/works with respective Data Domain Teams (Data Domain Specialists and Data Product Owners) for providing the optimal data modeling solutions design ensuring the functionality assurance across all data product operations thus enabling the data strategy agenda progressing forward for Emirates NBD group. This role co-ordinates with data platform, enterprise & data architecture, information security, and other relevant teams within Group IT for ensuring the data modeling solutions are designed optimally leveraging the technology capabilities, following the approved reference data architecture, enhancing the same with required improvisations, demonstrating the adherence towards data privacy, protection, and other major regulatory requirements through effective data modeling solutions. Also, this role contributes to Data Strategy & Governance Steering Committees, Working Groups, Manages the expectations across all levels of key stakeholders for data modeling, drives efforts pertaining for all required core foundations of data strategy in partnership with respective internal / external teams, stays abreast of organization needs, new transformation initiatives.

Specifically, the job holder will be responsible for following duties –

Core Responsibilities for Lead - Data Modeling & Data Strategy Core Foundations: 

Leading efforts and managing the following responsibilities through Data Modeler resources and resources designated for core foundations efforts,

Be accountable & responsible for the Creation / Maintenance / Optimization of conceptual, logical, and physical data models across the implementation of data products using best practices to ensure high data quality and reduced redundancy.

Lead the implementation of data modeling solutions for all business and IT data requirements through new data strategy and designs across all data platforms (relational, dimensional, and NoSQL) and relevant data tools (reporting, visualization, analytics, and machine learning)

Ensuring Data Modeling Standards, Approaches & Best Practices are designed, published, and operationalized: 

• Establishing / Guiding the team members to establish Data Modeling Naming standards, key principles, approaches and patterns for Data Model Design, Data Flow & Data Consumption and ensuring the same are published in co-ordination with relevant IT / business / functional area teams.
• Oversees and governs all key aspects of data modeling and design standards, tools, best practices, and related development for enterprise data models.

Ensuring Optimal, Long-term stable Data Modeling Designs are produced and maintained throughout the data product life-cycle: 

• Carrying in-depth understanding of Data Mesh Methodology and its key principles, effectively applying the data modeling techniques as per socio-technical architectural and data product approach 
• Working closely with Data Domain Streams (Data Domain Specialists & Data Product Owners) for the understanding of Data Product requirements, obtaining the business context and consumption patterns around the data
• Ensuring the oversight / Providing the guidance to Data Modelers to produce effective data model designs for all data products, to produce appropriate technical specifications based on data profiling conducted and assist during the handover of specifications for Data / BI Engineering build.
• Guiding the team members for the creation of Structure / Schema for Target Data as per business requirements (nature of data + consumption patterns) by leveraging business context & data product functional specifications 
• Ensuring the oversight / Providing the guidance to Data Modelers for performing appropriate Data Profiling as may be required to arrive at future proof data model design for Data Products
• Ensuring the Data Model solutions designs are reviewed with relevant teams ensuring the functionality, leveraging of technology capabilities, following the approved architecture patterns etc.,
• Ensuring the oversight / Providing the guidance to Data Modelers for managing the enhancements / expansion of existing data models and the optimization of data query performance via best practices

Acting as decision making authority for all Data Modeling design solutions / approaches across the organization

Establishing the vision and roadmap for Data Modeling Mandate expansion:

• Lead the efforts for expanding the scope and purview of data modeling mandate to cover niche data domains, new business lines / entities, critical business platforms/applications, real-time/near real-time data solutions, API canonical data models, unstructured data sources, Gen AI applications.
• Partner with all relevant teams across IT / business / functional areas for extending the data modeling solutions across the organization wide data initiatives.

Leading the efforts for Data Strategy Core Foundations implementation and their uniform application across all data product operations: 

• Lead the efforts / contribute for the implementation of all Data Strategy related technology core foundations / building blocks (ex, data access controls framework, data observability and support model framework etc.,) in co-ordination with IT and other relevant business / functional area teams.
• Ensure all the core foundations of data strategy that are commonly applicable across all data domains / sub-domains are uniformly applied after their successful implementation. 
• Building required awareness to the wider Data Community, Core working group and collectively improving the core foundations for seamless operationalization of data strategy.

Communication:

• Ensuring the enhancements / changes to data product data model designs are actively communicated to Data Consumer Community 
• Providing active contributions to Data Strategy community by conducting learning-series events for the development / enhancement of the data literacy for the group

Key Teams to Collaborate with:

• Understands all aspects of Data Strategy, Data Governance & Data Management and serve as a thought leader for the advancement of data strategy operationalization.
• Contributing to Steering committee meetings for providing the program level updates and wide range of benefits resulted as part of data strategy efforts to Senior Leadership
• Contributing to/Conducting Data Strategy Working Group meetings for ensuring required awareness is built to relevant staff across Business & IT teams and key decisions/concurrence obtained. 
• Partnering with IT & Other relevant teams for ensuring the development / implementation of core foundations, data architecture, data modeling standards and best practices as part of Data Strategy operationalization 
• Effectively partnering with Data Domain Ownership teams, Data Domain Specialists, Data Product Owners for progressing the data product roadmap & implementation.
• Effectively partnering with Data Engineering, BI Engineering & Data Visualization teams for ensuring oversight across technical specifications shared for Data Product development.
• Ensuring Oversight / Provides guidance to the Data Modeling team managed by self for accomplishing the long-term stable design for Data Products
• Works with Metadata Management / Data Marketplace tooling SMEs for enabling the data discoverability & understandability capabilities for data consumers. 
• Acts as one of the key points of contact / True representative / advocates of Data Strategy and it’s core principles for the organization wide stakeholders
• Works with Data Privacy Office (DPO) and establishes guidance on how to produce data modeling design for data products that are compliant to all applicable data privacy regulations.
• Actively lead efforts for contributing to External Data Partnerships, expanding the scope and purview of data modeling mandate to cover niche data domains, new business lines / entities, critical business platforms/applications, real-time/near real-time data solutions, API canonical data models, unstructured data sources, Gen AI applications
• Partners with relevant IT/other teams for leading the efforts for implementation of Data Strategy Core Foundations and seamless integration of the same across all data product operations / other major data initiatives

Self-Management Responsibilities:

• Define performance goals at the start of the year in discussion with Data Strategy & Governance office and reporting line managers and ensure that the goals are achieved during the year.
• Identified the training and development needs for self and agrees on them with reporting manager to ensure that the required upskilling is addressed.
• Strives to achieve highest levels of proficiency on all the competencies and skills required to perform the role
• Stay abreast of industry trends in Data Strategy, Data Governance, Data Management, Data Privacy, and other relevant competencies and contribute to the success of overall Data Strategy
• Keeps abreast of professional developments, new techniques and current issues through continued education and professional growth.

Managerial:

• Manage a team of Data Modelers and other designated resources for Data Strategy core foundations across various levels of seniority to advance data products roadmap.
• Mentor and coach, the team whilst providing technical & functional/data training and up-skilling as necessary.
• Support the Data Strategy & Governance office, share best practices, seamlessly navigate between all relevant data stakeholders. Be a trusted and informed advisor/partner to organization wide data consumers and other relevant staff.
• Prepare and present status updates, issues/challenges/risks, and solutions to Data Strategy & Governance Steering Committee, relevant stakeholders and partners in business and technology teams in a succinct manner to drive decision-making and actions.
• Lead meetings and working group sessions to solve issues/challenges/risks by factoring input from data consumer community, other partners, and diverse points of view.
• Promote ‘data as a product/an asset’ and drive culture change to make the organization increasingly data informed.

Job Content

Support key Data Product Implementation / Data Management initiatives

Lead/Support the efforts for implementation of Data Products specific data model designs at enterprise level or for assigned data-domains/sub-domains

Data Modeling Expertise

• Leading the efforts in coordination with Data Domain Streams for building effective data model designs
• Ensuring the data model designs are effective, future-proof, long-term stable & optimal matching business requirements / consumption patterns.
• Acting as decision making authority for all Data Modeling design solutions/approaches

Data Modeling Standards, Principles, and best practices

• Establishing/Guiding the team members to establish Data Modeling Naming standards.
• Approaches/Patters for Data Model Design, Data Flow & Data Consumption are published in co-ordination with relevant IT/business/functional area teams.
• Defines and governs data modeling and design standards, tools, best practices, and related development for enterprise data models

Data Modeling Chapter Scope Expansion

• Lead the efforts for expanding the scope and purview of data modeling mandate to cover niche data domains, new business lines / entities, critical business platforms/applications, real-time/near real-time data solutions, API canonical data models, unstructured data sources, Gen AI applications

Education

• Bachelors/ Master’s Degree in Information Management, Computer Science & Engineering, or equivalent degree from an accredited academic institution
• Understanding and expert level proficiency in Data & Information Management domain and required tools & technologies

Experiences 

• Minimum 15+ years of experience in Data & Information Management and Data Governance domains 
• Minimum 10+ years of experience in leading data modeling CoEs or teams
• Demonstrated expertise & experience in working through a federated / centralized data strategy & governance models
• Strong Banking domain knowledge. Strong experience in implementing robust data management solutions for financial organizations
• Multi Market Experience Preferred

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong expertise in applying data modeling principles / methods including conceptual, logical & physical Data Models
• Strong & Expert level knowledge and experience across all data modeling methodologies (Dimensional Data Modeling, Star Schema, Snowflake Schema, Data Vault etc.,)
• Strong expertise across prominent data modeling tools and technologies such as (SAP Power Designer, ERwin, ER/Studio etc.,)
• Strong Knowledge and expertise in Industry Reference data models such as IBM BFMDW, Teradata FSLDM etc.,
• In-depth understanding of Data Mesh Methodology and its key principles, effectively applying the data modeling techniques as per socio-technical architectural and data product approach 
• Strong experience in working with multiple stakeholders across the organization for the data strategy operationalization (Business, Enterprise Functions, IT & Operations)
• Outstanding analytical and organizational skills with attention to detail. Tenacity to identify the root cause of problems is essential.
• Demonstrated expertise in all key facets of Data Management (Data Warehousing, BI, Data Governance, Data Quality, Master Data Management, Data Privacy Management, Application side Data Management, External Data Assets Management, Data Observability etc.,)
• Robust knowledge of data, systems and analytical tools like SAS/SQL, R, Python, Pyspark etc., Proven ability to quickly learn new systems and data environments.
• Preferred knowledge in HADOOP, Oracle, PostgreSQL & SAP HANA database technology platforms along with NoSQL platforms
• Preferred knowledge in interacting with Data Governance tools (Informatica AXON-EDC-DEQ)
• Preferred – Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) certification from DAMA
• Collaborative team player with strong stakeholder management skills, who can think creatively and strategically while building cross-functional and cross-divisional relationships

Behavioral Competencies

• Structured thinker, able presenter, self-driven, result and detail oriented with a positive outlook and a clear focus on driving new initiatives and establishing impact and credibility
• Strong drive to implement solutions in the most efficient manner, working with business partners throughout the organization to assist in solution development and implementation 
• Excellent interpersonal skills – able to communicate effectively at all levels in the organization
• Ability to work effectively with multi-functional team and build good working relationship with stakeholder groups

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