Head of Data - Data Transformation

Job Title: Head of Data

Location: Ireland, Dublin (Hybrid)

Reporting to: Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Team Scope: Data Engineering, Data Analytics, Business Intelligence

Role Overview

We are looking for an exceptional Head of Data to lead and elevate our data function, ensuring it becomes a pivotal enabler of business performance across the organization. As a strategic yet hands-on leader, you will drive the transformation of our data landscape, oversee the performance and development of a skilled data team, and build a high-value analytics capability that delivers measurable outcomes for a high-growth recruitment company.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Design and implement a pragmatic, results-focused data strategy aligned with business goals and financial targets.
• Operate within a robust yet agile analytics framework that supports iterative delivery and strategic scalability.
• Balance long-term vision with short-term delivery by aligning technical priorities with commercial imperatives.
  
  

Stakeholder Partnership

• Act as a credible and commercially-minded advisor to senior stakeholders across the business.
• Translate business needs into actionable data initiatives that directly improve operational performance, client satisfaction, and revenue generation.
• Evangelize data value with action—move beyond advocacy to measurable implementation.
  
  

Data Management & Team Leadership

• Lead and mentor a multidisciplinary data team (data engineers, analysts, and BI specialists) to high-performance delivery.
• Instil a culture of ownership, accountability, and delivery across the data team.
• Guide the development and optimization of data pipelines, models, dashboards, and architecture—primarily leveraging the Azure data technology stack.
  
  

Operational Excellence

• Ensure data initiatives are clearly linked to tangible business outcomes (efficiency, growth, profitability).
• Prioritize initiatives that enhance decision-making and drive real commercial value.
• Embed data-driven thinking into key business processes, aligning analytics with core operational workflows.
  
  

Data Governance & Quality

• Implement pragmatic processes for data quality, lineage, and stewardship that enable reliability and traceability without over-engineering.
• Ensure data is trusted, accessible, and aligned with business needs.
  
  

Working Across Core Systems and Transformation Initiatives

This role will be at the heart of a broader business and technology transformation, making it essential for the Head of Data to bring together data from a variety of sources and translate it into cohesive, actionable insights. You will work across:

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Financial , Payment, Billing and ERP systems
  
  

Your ability to understand and connect data across these platforms—within the context of end-to-end business processes—will be critical. You will contribute not only to technology delivery but also to enterprise-wide change, helping shape how data enables operational excellence and competitive advantage.

Key Skills & Attributes

• Commercial Mindset: Strong understanding of business models, recruitment operations, and financial performance levers.
• Business Process Understanding: Clear grasp of how data integrates with operational workflows and impacts business outcomes.
• Stakeholder Communication: Ability to engage confidently with non-technical stakeholders and influence decisions with data-backed insights.
• Hands-on Technical Acumen: Deep understanding of data analytics, architecture, transformation pipelines, and advanced analytics methods.
• Azure Expertise: Proven experience with Azure data technologies including Data Factory, Azure SQL, Synapse, Databricks, and related tools.
• Results-Driven: Relentless focus on outcomes, value creation, and measurable impact on the bottom line.
• Team Leadership: Proven ability to lead and scale data teams, drive accountability, and foster talent.
• Strategic Thinker, Pragmatic Operator: Ability to set a long-term vision while making practical trade-offs for near-term wins.
• Agile Execution: Operate within an agile framework that balances innovation with stability and control.
• Data Culture Champion: Foster a culture of evidence-based decision-making, but grounded in practical delivery and change enablement.
  
  

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Business, Engineering, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in data leadership roles, with a proven track record in data transformation and commercial value delivery.
• Experience in high-velocity commercial environments is highly advantageous.
  
  

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