The Executive Director, Data Management & Architecture will lead a unified Data Management and Architecture function within Global Development IT, bringing together data enablement and architecture capabilities into a single end-to-end organization. This role will define the strategy for data platforms, AI architecture, and data governance while ensuring Global Development's technology landscape supports secure, scalable, and compliant data capabilities. The Executive Director will partner across Enterprise Data & AI, Enterprise Architecture, Information Security, and Global Development leadership to advance enterprise data priorities and enable business outcomes.

This role reports to the Executive Director, Global Development IT and will collaborate closely with enterprise and business leaders to shape data strategy, architecture standards, and long-term technology investments.

Where and When

This is an on-site position 4 days/week, primarily based at our Sleepy Hollow, NY or Warren, NJ office. If eligible, we can offer relocation benefits; we cannot offer a fully remote option.

Key Responsibilities

In this role, you will own data management and architecture for Global Development IT, working closely with Enterprise Data & AI, Enterprise Architecture, Information Security, and Global Development business and technology leadership. Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:

Data Management & Enablement Leadership

• Own and lead the unified Data Management & Enablement function, integrating the current Data Enablement organization and its data engineering, analytics, and data repository capabilities into a single team.

• Absorb and lead the Services & Architecture function, consolidating data delivery and architecture and creating one point of accountability for data across the vertical.

• Drive Data platforms and standards, including advancing toward a validated, centralized data repository.

• Build and scale a data engineering and analytics team, including growing capability in the Global Capability Center (India-based team) in partnership with GCC leadership.

Data & Solutions Architecture (Domain Authority)

• Serve as Global Development's data and AI architecture authority, owning the end-to-end architecture strategy for data platforms, pipelines, and solutions within the vertical.

• Provide domain-specific solution architecture, ensuring designs are scalable, compliant, and aligned to business strategy in adherence to Enterprise Architecture standards.

• Define integration, API, and data exchange patterns between vertical systems and enterprise platforms, reducing point-to-point integrations and promoting reusable architecture components.

• Represent Global Development at the Architecture Review Board (ARB), presenting proposed investments for approval and ensuring alignment with enterprise-wide standards.

Data Governance & Regulatory Compliance

• Partner with Enterprise Data Governance and Data Quality Management teams to enforce data quality, lineage, and regulatory compliance standards (e.g., GxP) within Global Development.

• Own data classification, access, and quality standards for clinical trial, safety, and regulatory data, ensuring audit-readiness across the data estate.

• Establish clear data stewardship accountability across Global Development's data domains, in partnership with business and functional leaders.

• Ensure master data management (MDM) and data catalog practices are adopted consistently across the vertical.

Partnership with Enterprise Data & AI and Enterprise Architecture

• Partner with Enterprise Data & AI as the primary governance and standards partner, aligning on data platform usage, AI architecture patterns, AI governance, and MDM/data catalog adoption.

• Coordinate with the enterprise Architect community on cross-vertical architecture and ARB participation, ensuring vertical architecture conforms to enterprise-wide standards.

• Partner with Vertical Solution Architect on end-to-end solution design, ensuring domain architecture decisions reflect broader vertical delivery needs.

• Maintain a clear, non-duplicative division of accountability between core enterprise AI and data capability delivery, owned by Enterprise Data & AI, and domain-specific architecture and delivery, owned by this role.

• Partner with Information Security on data security architecture, AI risk controls, and compliance with data protection standards.

Organizational Leadership & Talent

• Build and lead a combined team spanning data enablement, data engineering, analytics, and architecture, defining a clear organizational structure and career paths for the function.

• Recruit and develop senior technical talent, including growing architecture and engineering capability in the Global Capability Center (India-based team).

• Serve as a mentor and technical authority for direct reports and the broader data community across Global Development.

• Model and reinforce a culture of data governance discipline and architectural rigor across the organization.

Stakeholder Engagement & Executive Communication

• Communicate data and AI architecture tradeoffs, platform investment needs, and long-term technology implications to business unit leadership.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior Global Development IT and business leadership on data strategy, platform investments, and risk.

• Prepare and deliver executive-level materials for governance forums, steering committees, and senior leadership on the health and roadmap of the data and architecture portfolio.

• Build relationships with the Office of the CIO to ensure enterprise compliance considerations and enterprise-wide data investment decisions reflect Global Development's needs, surfacing technical debt and platform gaps as needed.

Qualifications and Requirements

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).

• 17+ years of experience in product ownership or management roles, with a focus on enterprise platforms, PPM tools, TBM frameworks, and financial-based systems.

• Experience in the biotech, pharma, or life sciences industry strongly preferred.

• Track record leading organizational integration or restructuring of technical functions.

Technical Expertise

• Deep expertise in enterprise data architecture, data modelling, reference architecture design, and system integration strategies.

• Hands-on experience with cloud data platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure) and modern data platforms (e.g., Snowflake, Databricks).

• Strong grounding in data governance frameworks, master data management (MDM), and data catalog practices.

• Familiarity with GenAI and agentic AI/LLM architectural patterns, and how they apply to enterprise data platforms.

• Experience integrating or consolidating data engineering, analytics, and architecture functions across teams.

Skills & Competencies

• Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional data and architecture initiatives, delivering results across matrixed enterprise and business stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.

• Exceptional ability to translate complex data and architecture tradeoffs into clear, executive-ready narratives for governance forums and senior leadership.

• Experience establishing data governance frameworks and ensuring regulatory compliance (e.g., GxP) across clinical, safety, and regulatory data domains.

• Experience in data governance, financial reporting, and compliance.

• Strong stakeholder management across technical, business, and executive audiences; comfortable serving as a principal spokesperson for the function on highly significant matters.

• Comfortable operating through cross-functional influence rather than direct authority, given shared accountability with Enterprise Data & AI, Information Security, and Enterprise Architecture

Certifications (Preferred)

• TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework)

• DAMA CDMP (Certified Data Management Professional)

• PMP or equivalent project/program management certification

• Cloud platform certification (AWS/Azure/GCP data or architecture track)

Salary Range (annually)