Job Title: Head of Data Analytics and AI

Reports to: EVP of Technology

Location: Franklin TN

Job Summary

We are seeking a visionary Head of Data Analytics and AI to drive strategy, governance and product innovation, delivering enterprise-wide impact through data and AI. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing, executing and owning the Data and AI strategy to accelerate business growth and transformation. This role requires deep technical expertise, a roll-up-the-sleeves attitude to building scalable solutions and leading a high-performing team of data scientists, engineers and analysts.

Job Requirements and Qualifications

• Strategic leadership
• 15+ years of experience in leading large-scale data analytics and AI initiatives
• Proven track record of delivering transformative projects that drive business growth
• Experience in developing and executing comprehensive Data and AI strategies
• Define and champion enterprise-wide data governance strategy aligned with business goals, regulatory requirements, and ethical AI principles.
• Establish data ownership and stewardship frameworks, ensuring accountability across business units and functions.
• Develop and execute a modern data architecture vision (e.g., data mesh, lakehouse) that supports scalable analytics and AI/ML workloads.
• Partner with business and technology leaders to prioritize data platform investments and enable self-service analytics.
• Champion data-driven decision making and GenAI/AI/ML integration across the organization
• Evaluate and adopt emerging technologies to create competitive advantages
• Technical and Execution expertise
• Mastery of data engineering, architecture, data modeling, machine learning algorithms, and Data and AI governance
• Deep understanding of data privacy/security, data classification, metadata management, and master data management (MDM).
• Experience with data governance platforms (e.g., Collibra, Alation, Informatica etc) and integration with data catalogs and lineage tools.
• Proven expertise in cloud-native data platforms (e.g., AWS/GCP/Azure), data pipelines (e.g., Apache Airflow, dbt), and real-time streaming (e.g., Kafka).
• Strong grasp of data modeling, ELT/ETL frameworks, and orchestration tools to support structured and unstructured data at scale.
• Lead cross-functional teams to build and maintain robust, secure, and high-performance data pipelines and APIs.
• Ensure data platform reliability, scalability, and cost-efficiency, leveraging DevOps and DataOps best practices.
• Advanced analytics expertise, including statistical analysis and predictive modeling
• Strong background in AI/ML technologies and their business applications
• Proficiency in machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and generative AI
• Strong experience in delivering transformative data and AI platforms, and business solutions with speed
• Lead the implementation of data quality standards, policies, and controls, ensuring consistent and trusted data across the organization.
• Drive data literacy programs and change management initiatives to embed governance practices into daily operations.
• Experience with AI frameworks (e.g. TensorFlow, PyTorch) and proficiency in languages (e.g. R, Python, SQL), and visualization tools like Tableau, Sigma etc.
• Practical experience with Generative AI models e.g. GPT, LLaMA, Grok, Gemini, Perplexity etc. Proficient in frameworks, model fine-tuning and prompt engineering
• Experience with cloud-based platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) and extensive experience using modern data management systems and BI platforms e.g. Spark, Snowflake, Databricks etc.
• Collaboration and Change Management
• Proven ability to collaborate across multiple stakeholders and functions
• Experience in managing change and driving cultural transformation within an organization
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Leadership and Talent Development:
• Experience in building, growing, and leading high-performing teams of data scientists, engineers, and analysts
• Strong coaching and mentoring skills to drive individual and team growth
• Ability to develop and implement a talent management strategy
• Vendor Management and Procurement:
• Experience in procuring and vetting new tools and technologies
• Strong negotiation and procurement skills
• Knowledge of vendor partnerships, contract management, and compliance

Desirable Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or related field
• Certification in data science or AI (e.g., Certified Data Scientist, Certified Machine Learning Engineer)