As Data Lead, you will build and own ZOLEO's data foundation, including the data lake, pipelines, analytics layer, and governance practices that make organizational data trustworthy. You'll work closely with teams across ZOLEO to make sure data is never the bottleneck - turning it into a documented, analytics-ready asset that powers product metrics, financial reporting, operational decisions, and the AI initiatives shaping what we build next. This is a role with real leverage: the platform you build and the standards you set will shape how confidently every team at ZOLEO can act on data - from the engineers shipping safety features to the leaders deciding where we invest next. What You'll Do • Own the Data Platform End-to-End. Set the architecture and technical direction for data ingestion, storage, transformation, and analytics, designing the platform as a product that serves teams across ZOLEO. Establish the engineering standards that keep it scalable, and flag systemic risks before they become problems. • Establish Data Governance and Quality Standards. Define and maintain standards for data classification, retention, lineage, quality, and freshness. Partner with federated data stewards across the organization to ensure these standards are consistently applied, measured through service-level objectives, and continuously improved through structured incident management and review. • Build the Standard for Responsible AI. Make documented, analytics-ready data the default input for product metrics, financial reporting, and ZOLEO's AI initiatives, and establish function-wide standards for how the data team itself uses AI and automation - grounded in clear evidence of what it can and cannot reliably do. • Lead as a Player-Coach. Provide technical direction, maintain delivery accountability, coach data and analytics engineers, and contribute to performance input while remaining approximately 80% hands-on. • Steward Platform Performance, Cost, and Security. Optimize storage, compute, and query costs while maintaining secure, compliant access to organization data. Enforce data classification, least-privilege access, auditability, and regulatory requirements across the platform in partnership with the security function. What You Bring • The Right Foundation. Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, plus 8+ years of experience in data engineering, data platform, or analytics engineering roles, including at least 3 years in a technical leadership capacity. • End-to-End Platform Ownership. Expert-level experience leading data platforms, data engineering, or analytics engineering work, with demonstrated ownership of architecture, ingestion, storage, transformation, analytics, and governance. • Governance That Earns Trust. Experience implementing data governance frameworks and measurable quality practices that improve trust, consistency, and accessibility. • Hands-On Leadership, Org-Wide Influence. Experience leading technical teams hands-on - setting architectural direction, coaching engineers, and driving delivery - and shaping outcomes across the organization without relying on formal authority, building alignment around collective results rather than personal credit. • A Security-by-Design Mindset. Experience implementing secure access controls, auditability, and data protection practices for sensitive information. • AI Fluency, Grounded in Judgment. Experience applying AI and automation to improve data engineering and analytics workflows, with sound judgment regarding appropriate and responsible use. What We Offer • Salary Range. $190,000 - $210,000 CAD base salary. • Flexible Work. A hybrid model; balancing collaboration and lifestyle flexibility. • Comprehensive Benefits. Health, dental, and flexible spending accounts tailored to your needs. • Time to Recharge. Vacation and sick days to help you rest, recharge, and stay well. • Growth Investment. A continuous learning environment backed by a professional development budget. • Inclusive by Nature. A values-driven workplace where diverse perspectives are celebrated. Apply Now Our recruitment process may use artificial intelligence tools, alongside human review, to assist with the screening or assessment of candidates. We are currently hiring for this role and welcome candidates from all backgrounds and experiences. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible workplace. If you meet around 70% of the qualifications, we still encourage you to apply - we'd love to hear from you.