Location : Preferably based in Amsterdam, but open to remote opportunities for the right candidate.
Date of Issuance: July 30, 2025
Application Deadline : Aug. 19, 2025

POSITION OVERVIEW

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic leader to join OCCRP as the head of OCCRP’s multidisciplinary data team.

OCCRP’s Data Team is central to the unique investigative journalism we produce. Their work falls into two main areas:

• Supporting Investigative Journalism: Through tooling, data manipulation, software development, and DevOps, the team enables complex investigations that depend on large-scale, structured data.
• Driving Data-Driven Investigations: Our data journalists lead or collaborate on investigative projects, uncovering stories hidden in the data. They often embed directly into editorial teams, bringing deep technical expertise to support and guide reporting.

As Data Director, you will lead this expert, multidisciplinary group of data journalists, data scientists, and technologists. Your role blends hands-on technical expertise with strategic and managerial oversight. You will guide the team’s work across investigations, tooling, and technical infrastructure, ensuring strong alignment with OCCRP’s broader goals, funding obligations, and organizational priorities.
Equally important, you will nurture a culture of trust, learning, and performance. That means setting clear, motivating goals; providing thoughtful support; and ensuring your team has what it needs to succeed. You’ll help the team grow, collaborate effectively, and do its best work in a complex, global newsroom environment.
In addition, you will provide strategic leadership and vision for the future of OCCRP’s data journalism. As the importance of data journalism continues to grow in exposing wrongdoing worldwide, your leadership will help define the next evolution of OCCRP’s investigative work. You will play a key role in bridging the technical divide between technologists and reporters—co-creating the next generation of investigations with senior editorial leadership and spearheading OCCRP’s innovations in data-driven storytelling.
Additionally, you will represent OCCRP in external forums, championing the importance of data in journalism and investigative reporting.
We’re looking for a passionate and driven leader with deep experience in data journalism, investigative reporting, or data science. You should understand how structured data enables investigations, and be comfortable with the technical landscape—whether that’s data engineering, scripting, or newsroom DevOps. Most importantly, you should bring strong team management skills, a collaborative mindset, and a commitment to ethical, impactful journalism.

• Team & Project Management:
• Lead a team of data developers and data journalists to execute projects within OCCRP’s scope of work.
• Set short-term and long-term goals for the team, conducting regular check-ins and evaluations.
• Ensure a safe and supportive work environment that prioritizes the well-being of team members.
• Communicate expectations clearly and ensure team members understand their roles and professional growth opportunities.
• Oversee team resources, approve timesheets and expenses, and ensure operational efficiency.
• Set vision and strategy on long-term data-journalism vision for the team and organisation.Manage auxiliary data resources, including databases and analytical systems, to support investigative efforts.