Head of Data and Integrations

Description

Sequoia Financial Group is a growing Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), headquartered in Northeast Ohio, offering financial planning and wealth management services. At Sequoia, we exist with a singular purpose: to enrich lives. Our values define how we behave and guide us through the pursuit of our purpose to enrich lives. At Sequoia, our core values are:

• Teamwork. We work selflessly to enrich the lives of our clients and our community.
• Passion. We relentlessly pursue our full potential.
• Integrity. We act in the best interest of others.

The Data Officer will oversee data and integration strategy and vision and report to the CTO.  They will establish and scale a team of internal and external staff of Data Engineers and Data Governance Analysts to execute our Data Strategy.  In addition, the Data Officer will initially hold the role of Data Governance Lead.  The Data Officer must be both business-oriented and technically proficient, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, small company environment.  They should excel at working with a matrixed team across various business and functional areas.
 

In this role, they will implement our Data Strategy by enhancing Sequoia’s data lake and creating a single source of truth through master data management.  This will include establishing Data Governance and ensuring compliance with such guidelines set by Data Stewards.  In addition, they will partner with executives and business leadership to identify, plan, and deliver commercialized uses of company data to drive firm growth.  
 

Requirements

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement the organization's data and integration strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals.
• Lead internal and external teams of Data Engineers and Data Governance Analysts to execute the Data Strategy.
• Serve as the Data Governance Lead, ensuring data quality, integrity, and security.
• Establish and maintain data policies, standards, and best practices.
• Oversee the creation of a data lake house and a single source of truth with master data management.
• Ensure compliance with Data Governance guidelines and relevant data protection regulations.
• Collaborate with executives and business leaders to identify, plan, and deliver commercialized uses of company data to drive growth.
• Manage the data budget and resources efficiently.
• Operate effectively in a small company environment with a matrixed team across business and functional areas.

Direct Oversight Responsibilities:

• Data Governance Council: Set direction, strategy, and goals for data governance and data platforms. Resolve decision impasses at the stewardship group level.
• Data Governance Office: Provide services including data quality, master data management, metadata management, data policies & security, and analytics.
• Data Stewardship Groups: Manage day-to-day governance needs, including business rules, data definitions, data audits, data training, data quality, and issue resolution.
• Data Consumers: Support business and technical teams in using data for reporting and analytics.

Required Qualifications and Skills:

• Proven experience in a senior data management role, preferably as a Data Officer or similar.
• Strong knowledge of data governance, data quality, and data management principles.
• Experience with data analytics, business intelligence, and data visualization tools.
• Excellent leadership and team management skills with 5-7 years of experience.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
• Knowledge of relevant data protection regulations and industry standards.
• Ability to drive innovation and stay up-to-date with emerging trends and technologies in data management and analytics.
• Ability to move fast and build in a small company environment, operating with a matrixed team across business and functional areas.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with cloud-based data platforms and technologies.
• Familiarity with machine learning and artificial intelligence applications in data analytics.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, or SQL.
• Experience with data visualization tools like Tableau or Power BI.
• Knowledge of data privacy laws and regulations, such as SEC, GDPR and CCPA.

Competencies:

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and implement long-term data strategies aligned with business goals.
• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical skills to identify and resolve data-related issues.
• Leadership: Ability to lead and motivate teams to achieve data management objectives.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively convey data strategies and insights to stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and build strong relationships with business leaders.

Experience and Education Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science, or a related field. A Master's degree is preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in data management, data governance, or a related field.
• Proven track record of leading data initiatives and managing data teams.
• Experience in a senior leadership role within a data-driven organization.