Team Lead/Director of Data Analytics

 
Team Lead/Director of Data Analytics
Location: Arkansas 

Job Type: Full-Time

Reporting to: CTO

Industry: Financial Technology (Fintech) – Managed Services

Role Overview

We are seeking a strategic and experienced Team Lead/Director of Data Analytics to lead the design and execution of enterprise-wide analytics initiatives for our client. Leading the analytics team, this role sits at the intersection of technology leadership, client advisory, and data strategy, and is pivotal to the continued innovation and growth of their services.

As the Team Lead/Director of Data Analytics, you will oversee all aspects of delivery and architecture of the modern data platform. You will collaborate with clients, executive stakeholders, and technology teams to champion the adoption of analytics solutions that generate meaningful insights, enhance operational effectiveness, ensure adherence to regulatory standards, and foster innovation that benefits both customers and internal teams.

About the organization

Our client is a well-established software house specializing in managed services for the financial technology (fintech) sector. Their solutions support a growing portfolio of banks, credit unions, and fintech innovators by enabling secure, scalable, and intelligent financial operations.

As a primarily Microsoft-based environment, they leverage Azure and other Microsoft technologies to deliver robust, compliant, and future-ready data and analytics solutions. The company was founded by a team of seasoned entrepreneurs who have managed to successfully take the organization from inception to a public listing on the stock exchange — bringing a wealth of experience, vision, and executional excellence to this venture.

They are a growth-driven, mission-aligned organization focused on building resilient, client-centered data platforms that power decision-making and innovation across the financial services ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership

Develop and lead the overall vision for enterprise analytics, aligning initiatives with organizational objectives, compliance standards, and customer expectations; 

Convert strategic business priorities into actionable plans across data engineering, reporting & business intelligence, AI/ML, and advanced analytics functions; 

Serve as a champion for analytics-driven decision making, building executive support and securing necessary investments; 

Participate in cross-functional leadership groups to influence enterprise-wide technology strategies and business roadmaps from a data and analytics perspective; 

Team & Organizational Leadership

Direct and nurture a high-performing analytics organization, including Data Engineering, BI, Data Science enablement, and Governance functions; 

Cultivate a high-accountability environment that emphasizes technical excellence, innovation, and continuous professional development; 

Oversee talent acquisition, retention strategies, and performance management across the analytics team;

Manage and optimize the analytics operating budget, including headcount, platforms, and cloud infrastructure, ensuring resource allocation aligns with strategic outcomes; 

Collaborate closely with Finance to maintain budget discipline, manage vendor relationships, and transparently report value delivered relative to investment;

Monitor and forecast usage-based cloud expenses (e.g., Azure Databricks, Data Factory, storage, licensing), proactively adjusting to balance performance and cost-effectiveness; 

Data Architecture & Platform Stewardship

Lead the architecture and continuous enhancement of a cloud-native data platform, leveraging tools such as Azure Data Factory, Databricks (Python, SQL), dbt, and Power BI; 

Promote and operationalize medallion architecture principles (bronze/silver/gold layers) for scalable and efficient data processing; 

Define and implement data modeling standards (e.g. dimensional modeling for analytics, transactional schema for OLTP), ensuring cross-platform integration; 

Drive infrastructure automation and repeatability via Infrastructure-as-Code practices using tools like Terraform; 

Integrate advanced data governance tools (e.g. Unity Catalog, Microsoft Purview) to manage data lineage, security, and role-based access; 

Execution & Delivery Excellence

Lead prioritization and execution of analytics initiatives, ensuring alignment with business goals and timely delivery; 

Embed Agile frameworks to improve team velocity, stakeholder feedback loops, and the delivery of tangible outcomes each sprint;

Uphold engineering excellence by institutionalizing standards around source control (Git/GitHub), CI/CD, peer reviews, and automated testing; 

Oversee development and release of analytics solutions for internal and external users, ensuring accuracy, usability, and timely delivery;

Data Security & Regulatory Compliance

Ensure all analytics solutions comply with applicable regulations in financial services, including privacy, reporting, and risk management standards; 

Implement strict controls to protect Sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (SPII) and ensure adherence to frameworks such as PCI DSS and SOC; 

Establish governance policies and stewardship practices across structured and unstructured data assets; 

Serve as the executive accountable for ensuring data privacy and security within the analytics domain, including incident response; 

Role Requirements 

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Information Systems, or related field/ equivalent experience; 

8+ years of experience in data engineering, data analytics, or data platform, with at least 3 years in a leadership role (Director-level)/5+yrs progressive experience (Team Lead level); 

Extensive hands-on experience with Azure Databricks (including Python, SQL, Delta Lake, real-time streaming, and Delta Live Tables) and Azure Data Factory for orchestrating complex data pipelines; 

Skilled in using dbt (SQL and Jinja templating) for data transformation workflows and Power BI for designing intuitive dashboards and visual analytics; 

Strong expertise in data modeling methodologies, including:

Dimensional modeling (e.g., Kimball methodology) for analytical/OLAP environments; 

Relational modeling for transactional systems (e.g., SQL Server, DB2)

Proficient in source control and DevOps practices, including Git/GitHub workflows, continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), and Infrastructure as Code using Terraform; 

Deep understanding of data governance, privacy, and compliance, particularly in regulated sectors. Experienced in handling SPII and ensuring conformance with PCI DSS, SOC, and GDPR standards;

Comfortable communicating with executive stakeholders; capable of articulating the business value of technical and analytical solutions;

Demonstrated success in leading platform modernization initiatives and scaling analytics capabilities across large, complex organizations; 

Advanced skills in Power BI, including report design, performance tuning, and dashboard development; 

Extensive experience with Microsoft SQL Server and SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) for data integration and transformation; 

Adept at translating business needs into functional specifications and designing data solutions that align with stakeholder expectations; 

Self-motivated, adaptable, collaborative, and highly proactive; thrives in dynamic, team-oriented environments; 

In-depth knowledge of data architecture patterns, including data marts, centralized warehouses, multidimensional data models, data lake storage, and large-scale data migration strategies; 

Familiarity with mainframe systems and DB2 considered a plus; 

Exposure to Linux/Unix environments is beneficial; 

Technically versatile, with strong problem-solving skills and a mature approach to decision-making; 

Well-versed in methodologies such as ITIL, Agile, SDLC, and DevOps, with a mindset focused on automation and continuous delivery; 

Willing to participate in on-call rotations as needed for operational support; 

Ability to apply DevOps principles and DataOps practices to streamline data warehouse development and deployment; 

Ability to prepare and optimize the analytics platform to support machine learning, AI-driven insights, and real-time data processing; 

Ability to lead efforts to ensure the organization is equipped for secure data collaboration, including external integrations and data sharing frameworks; 

Ability to maintain a forward-looking perspective, staying updated on emerging trends such as open table formats, real-time analytics, AI copilots, and regulatory technology, and translating these developments into practical strategies; 

Ability to position analytics as a core enabler of customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and compliance leadership; 

Why Join Us?

Work under proven founders with a track record of scaling successful startups to IPO; 

Help shape the data strategy of high-growth fintech firms;

Be part of a company that's making real-world impact in regulated, high-stakes environments; 

Enjoy a competitive compensation package, growth opportunities, and a modern tech stack;

Next Steps
We understand that top talent moves fast — and so do we. The hiring process is designed to be pragmatic and efficient, with minimal unnecessary steps. If you're interested in the role, we encourage you to apply directly or reach out to YourCode to schedule a quick introductory call. From there, we'll move swiftly to determine alignment and next steps.

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