Senior Director, Data, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

at  ITHAKA

ITHAKA’s mission is to expand access to knowledge and education around the world. Our services — Artstor, JSTOR, Portico, and Ithaka S+R — enable people everywhere to learn, to grow, and to overcome historical barriers to education. In carrying out our mission, as employees we feel a deep responsibility to each other and our well-being, and are committed to building and sustaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Bachelors in Computer Science or similar technical degree or equivalent work experience.
• At least 3 - 5 years of experience in a director level role within Data, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• 12 years experience working in the Information Technology industry.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with a track record of building and developing high-performing data, analytics, and AI teams, and influencing and collaborating with cross-functional leaders.
• Exceptional business acumen and demonstrated ability to translate data insights into actionable business recommendations and strategic initiatives, using visualization, and storytelling to enroll others to follow through on these recommendations.
• Track record of defining the high-level strategy and detailed execution road-map for data, analytics, and AI.
• Extensive experience managing multiple teams, including data, analytics and AI teams, and projects in an agile, technology-driven environment.
• Proven track record of developing and executing data engineering, analytics, and AI strategies that have significantly impacted business outcomes.
• Proven experience architecting complex data engineering, analytics, and AI solutions.
• Experience with AWS cloud platform.
• Excellent technical background with knowledge of the latest in data processing technologies, analytics tools, and AI/machine learning models.
• Building real-time data ingestion streams using tools like Spark Streaming, Data lake, Databricks, etc.
• Agile background.
• Excellent communication skills, with experience communicating findings to both technical and non-technical audiences

The Senior Director, Data, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a key executive leadership role responsible for setting the strategy and direction of our data engineering, analytics, and AI initiatives. You will oversee the development and implementation of data-driven solutions that help us reach our business goals, ensuring that our data practices are innovative, efficient, and aligned with industry best practices.

As Senior Director of Data, Analytics and AI, you will create a vision and drive the execution of the organization’s use of our data on JSTOR, ITHAKA’s research platform product, and Portico, ITHAKA’s digital preservation service. In this role you will:

• Lead the creation and execution of a comprehensive data vision and strategy, encompassing data infrastructure, machine learning/AI, predictive and prescriptive analytics, and governance to support ITHAKA’s mission and goals.
• Provide visionary leadership to deliver actionable business insights to ITHAKA leadership and other cross-functional leaders, influencing the organization’s strategic direction through data-driven decision-making.
• Manage a high performing team of data engineers, data scientists, AI engineers, and data analysts. Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Oversee the selection, implementation, and optimization of data technologies as well as DataOps and AIOps best-practices. Ensure robust data governance, quality, and security practices.
• Work with the team and key users and product development teams to define key business questions; help business users in using analytic platforms.
• Guide the technical vision and strategy for developing an accurate, scalable, usable, and reliable data platform and infrastructure taking into account data governance and security.
• Drive the development and deployment of cutting-edge data analytics and AI solutions that enhance decision-making, operational efficiency, and customer experience.
• Work with other executives and department leaders to integrate data-driven insights into various aspects of the business. Act as a key advisor on matters related to data and analytics. Build effective partnerships with ITHAKA’s stakeholders by providing data-driven recognition of targeted content and tools that deliver the highest value to their institution, students, and researchers.
• Make budget and strategic investment decisions in cutting-edge data technologies and talent acquisition.
• Stay abreast of emerging trends, technologies, and best practices in data engineering, analytics, and AI. Recommend investments in technologies and initiatives that keep the organization at the competitive edge.
• Establish Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) with the Data team that are aligned with organizational goals. Equip and inspire the team to meet and exceed OKR targets and maintain a forward-looking mindset focused on operational excellence.
• Create and maintain a culture of operational excellence and customer service in the data organization, ensuring healthy partnerships with various departments and products. Monitor satisfaction with data activities and resources, identify appropriate improvements and take action to implement them and monitor results.
• Foster an inclusive work environment where team members have a sense of pride, dedication, and belonging, and a culture that embraces and reinforces ITHAKA’s core values.
• Promote open communication, transparency, an inclusive work environment, continuous innovation, and recognition for excellent teamwork and great performance.
• Occasional travel, comprising less than 10% of the time, may be necessary, with a primary focus on visits to our Michigan and New York offices.

This is an unparalleled opportunity to bring visionary advances in the strategic use of data to organizations and to researchers, teachers, and students. The ideal candidate is an experienced, collegial leader who understands data science and is passionate about having a positive impact on the learning of others and our organizational mission.