Director of Data Management

Job Description:

Job Title: Director of Data Management
Reports to: Chief Information Officer
FLSA Classification: Exempt

Location: Bentonville, Arkansas (On-site)

Date Reviewed: 10/17/2026

About The Position

The Director of Data Management leads efforts to advance the collection, accessibility, quality, consistency, and governance of data across multiple systems supporting Art and Wellness Enterprises (AWE) and the diverse, complex portfolio of supported organizations spanning healthcare, arts, education, and philanthropy. This position works across functional teams, architects and maintains solutions, and drives the implementation of strategies to support business operations and analytics.

The role combines hands-on technical work with strategic leadership and works in tandem with finance and artificial intelligence (AI) partners. The Director shapes how data is captured, structured, and leveraged across the entire ecosystem to drive innovation, operational excellence, business intelligence, and analytics. Partnering with business and finance stakeholders, the Director ensures that data systems are maintained and secure and that the data strategy supports key business processes, technology development, system integrations, and analytics initiatives.

Success in this role requires strategic judgment, technical expertise, and the ability to advance and lead a data management function across a complex ecosystem. Success also requires the ability to translate business priorities into data strategies, build alignment across functional teams and senior leadership, and balance long-term direction with hands-on execution.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Define and implement an enterprise-wide data management strategy aligned to business goals and best practices.
• Build out an emerging data management function, ensuring its mission, structure, and operating model reflect best practices and world-class standards.
• Establish foundational capabilities across data governance, quality, and master data management.
• Drive the adoption of master data standards, business rules, and taxonomies to ensure completeness, accuracy, consistency, and timeliness.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives to improve data quality, accessibility, and usability.
• Champion data as a strategic asset across departments and executive leadership.
• Partner with Compliance, Privacy, Legal, and business stakeholders to establish data governance, security, access, retention, and data-sharing standards across the ecosystem.

Platform and Architecture Oversight

• Maintain and continuously improve the enterprise data architecture, ensuring it aligns with business strategy, supports data-driven decision making, and remains in strong alignment with finance and organizational needs.
• Identify best-in-class tools that may optimize current processes.
• Establish and govern enterprise data architecture, integration, security, and data management standards to ensure consistency, interoperability, scalability, and protection of data assets across the ecosystem.
• Lead the integration of solutions with enterprise applications (e.g., enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) systems).
• Establish and maintain documentation standards for data architecture, integrations, definitions, and governance decisions.

Operational Execution

• Build and oversee metadata management, data lineage, and stewardship programs.
• Translate strategic data initiatives into actionable roadmaps with clear milestones, key performance indicators (KPIs), and ownership.
• Monitor and optimize performance and ensure service-level agreement (SLA) adherence.
• Provide training on enterprise data and tools to promote data literacy.
• Support adoption of data management standards, tools, and practices through training, communication, and stakeholder engagement.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders to ensure ecosystem initiatives meet business needs.
• Partner with finance and business units to align data initiatives with operational needs.
• Partner with AI and relevant stakeholders to ensure data quality, accessibility, integration, and governance support AI-enabled workflows and analytics initiatives.
• Communicate data strategy and impact to senior executive stakeholders.

Team Leadership

• Establish clear expectations, priorities, and accountability measures to support effective team performance and achievement of departmental goals.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, collaboration, and growth.
• Promote continuous improvement, professional development, and collaboration within the assigned team to drive results and support organizational priorities.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and training of new team members to ensure alignment with organizational standards and practices.
• Monitor and manage team performance, addressing attendance, conduct, or productivity issues promptly and professionally.
• Encourage team member engagement through recognition and open communication practices.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support evolving organizational needs.

Qualifications and Requirements

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in information systems, computer science, or a related field; master's degree preferred.
• 8-10+ years of progressively responsible experience in data management, data governance, and/or data architecture, with at least 5 years of functional leadership within a centralized analytics function.
• 5-7+ years of progressive leadership experience leading and developing teams, including direct responsibility for staff supervision, performance management, coaching, and professional development.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing enterprise data strategies, architectures, governance frameworks, and operating models.
• Experience leading cross-functional data initiatives across multiple systems and complex organizational environments.
• Experience working in regulated, compliance-driven, or audit-sensitive environments preferred.
• Hands-on experience with data platforms (e.g., Snowflake).
• Experience with ERP, CRM, and data integration across cloud and on-premises environments.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong understanding of data governance, data modeling, and metadata management.
• Strong leadership, project management, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Proven ability to translate business priorities into data strategies, actionable roadmaps, and measurable outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to assess complex data and architecture issues, evaluate options and tradeoffs, and apply sound judgment to strategic and operational decisions.
• Ability to balance long-term strategic direction with hands-on technical execution and oversight of multiple initiatives.
• Working knowledge of data requirements for AI-enabled workflows and analytics, including data quality, accessibility, integration, and governance.
• Proven ability to lead initiatives through influence and not direct authority, build consensus, and align stakeholders across functional teams and senior leaders.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences at various organizational levels.
• High level of integrity and discretion in handling confidential and organizational information.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary environment.
• Demonstrated ability to remain focused and steady in fast-paced environments with competing demands, including periods of transition, uncertainty, or operational strain.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment, remaining adaptable and resilient.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Physical demands: In the work environment described, this position requires utilizing a computer and a telephone for prolonged periods of time, good hand-eye coordination, bending and stretching, and the physical stamina to lift and transport a minimum of 10 pounds. Visual acuity to review written materials is required for this job.

Work Environment: Work is performed on-site (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) in a professional, climate-controlled office environment with standard office equipment, including computers, printers, and telephones. This role requires working in an open setting near colleagues. The noise level is typically low to moderate. The role also requires interaction with both the public and internal team members in a professional and courteous manner. Some travel will be required, and a flexible schedule may be necessary to accommodate business needs, including occasional evening and weekend work hours.