The Managing Director, Data & AI owns the full data-to-AI value chain, aligning data strategy, governance, engineering, and AI/ML execution through a unified operating model. This role is accountable for setting strategic direction, advancing data readiness, enforcing governance, resolving strategic tradeoffs, and delivering dependable AI-enabled business outcomes for the segment. In addition, this role contributes to the broader Nelnet data management council.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: - Data Strategy - Owns the segment-wide data strategy: target-state vision, operating model, domain ownership, investment sequencing, and multi-year roadmap; define how the value of data investment is measured and report against it
- Value Chain Unification - Unify data engineering, governance, and AI/automation into a single operating model, with shared intake, prioritization, and delivery cadence; resolve funding and capacity tradeoffs across the chain in favor of end-to-end business outcomes
- Data Platform - Oversee the data platform ecosystem: architecture decisions, consumption governance, cost, and roadmap prioritization
- Data Governance - Position governance as a business enabler: policy, lineage, quality, and access practices that accelerate trusted consumption rather than gate it
- AI & Automation - Set strategy for applying AI and automation to business processes; oversee AI democratization, adoption, and the Citizen Developer program
- Leadership - Lead through directors: coach and develop senior leaders, build succession depth, manage performance proactively, foster cohesion, and hold leaders to a high bar in a fast-moving domain
- Business Partnership - Translate business objectives into data and AI priorities in partnership with C-suite and senior leadership; build stakeholder relationships and executive credibility to drive adoption
EDUCATION:
- Bachelor's degree required in related fields
EXPERIENCE: Required- 10+ years leading data organizations at enterprise scale, including leading leaders
- Demonstrated ownership of an enterprise data strategy from definition through multi-year execution
- Proven executive-level influence with C-suite and business stakeholders
- Sufficient practical depth in data engineering and data governance to direct and challenge those teams
Preferred- AI/ML and intelligent automation applied to business processes with measurable outcomes
- Track record operating in regulated / financial-services data environments
- Experience establishing a modern data operating model (data products, domain ownership, or equivalent)
COMPETENCIES/SKILLS: - Strategic thinking & planning
- Executive level influence
- Stakeholder management
- Prioritization & decision making
- Critical thinking
- Team management & growth
Our benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, HSA and FSA, generous earned time off, 401K/student loan repayment, life insurance & AD&D insurance, employee assistance program, employee stock purchase program, tuition reimbursement, performance-based incentive pay, short- and long-term disability, and a robust wellness program. Click here to learn more about our benefits: Benefits & Perks - Nelnet Inc
