Job role: Director of Data

Role Overview:

- We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Director of Data to lead our data function in Hyderabad.

- This role is pivotal in shaping our data strategy, building a high-performing team, and fostering a strong data community within the organization.

- The Director of Data will oversee data engineering, data analytics, and data science professionals, driving cohesion in ways of working and instilling a shared sense of purpose.

- The role is not a traditional line management position but will incorporate two key aspects of the role; leading and line managing the Flutter Functions Data Platform team and acting as the Data capability lead for Flutter Hyderabad office through focusing on leadership, influence, and strategic direction-creating career pathways, professional growth opportunities, and an inclusive and innovative culture.

- The Director of Data will also play a key role in expanding our Global Capability Center (GCC) in Hyderabad and establishing new teams for other businesses within the group as required.

- As part of the Hyderabad Leadership Team, the role holder will contribute to broader site leadership, culture, and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Strategy:

- Define and drive the data strategy for Flutter Functions, ensuring alignment with product, architecture and the organization's business objectives.

- Establish and grow the Global Capability Center (GCC) in Hyderabad, ensuring it becomes a centre of excellence for data.

- Lead a community of data professionals (engineering, analytics, and data science), creating a culture of collaboration, learning, and innovation.

- Serve as a key member of the Hyderabad Leadership Team, contributing to broader site leadership initiatives.

- Champion best practices in all aspects of data engineering from data governance, data management through to ethical AI/ML adoption.

- Partner with global and regional leaders to scale data capabilities across different businesses in the group as needed.

Team Building & Development:

- Foster an environment that attracts, develops, and retains top data talent.

- Build career pathways and professional development opportunities for data professionals.

- Drive cross-functional collaboration between data teams, engineering, and business units.

- Advocate for a diverse, inclusive, and high-performance culture.

Operational Excellence & Ways of Working:

- Enhance cohesion and standardization in data practices, tools, and methodologies across teams.

- Lead initiatives that improve efficiency, collaboration, and knowledge sharing across data teams.

- Ensure alignment with cloud-first, scalable technologies, leveraging Databricks, AWS, and other modern data platforms.

- Establish mechanisms to measure and demonstrate the business value of data-driven initiatives.

Skills & Experience:

Essential:

- Proven experience in a senior data leadership role, with a track record of influencing and shaping data strategy.

- Strong leadership skills with a people-first approach, able to inspire, mentor, and build a thriving data community.

- Experience working in global, matrixed organizations, driving collaboration across multiple teams.

- Deep understanding of data engineering, analytics, and data science disciplines (without requiring hands-on technical execution).

- Experience with cloud-based data technologies, particularly AWS, Databricks.

- Experience with streaming platforms such as Kafka, Apache Pulsar.

- Experience with a combination of Python, Scala, Spark and Java.

- Ability to scale teams and establish new functions, especially in a GCC or offshore model.

- Strong stakeholder management, capable of influencing senior executives and business leaders.

Desirable:

- Experience in building or scaling data teams in a Global Capability Center (GCC).

- Familiarity with data governance, security, and compliance best practices.

- Previous experience working in a hybrid or global delivery model