What You'll Do
The Director Data Platform will drive the strategic vision, execution, and continuous evolution of our enterprise data platform. The leader will play a pivotal role in enabling data-driven decision-making across the organization by ensuring the scalable, secure, and efficient management of data assets.
The ideal candidate will bring a deep understanding of modern data architectures, cloud technologies, and data engineering practices, coupled with strong leadership and business acumen. This role reports to the Vice President of Ent Architecture and Platforms and collaborates closely with product, marketing, analytics, and IT teams to ensure the data platform aligns with business goals and delivers exceptional value.
Key Responsibilities:
Vision/Strategy
- Develop and execute a comprehensive vision and roadmap for the enterprise data platform to support current and future business needs.
- Foster innovation by leveraging emerging data technologies, tools, and methodologies.
- Define success metrics and track progress to ensure the data platform consistently delivers high impact.
- Lead a team of data engineers, platform architects, and IT professionals to design, build, and maintain a world-class data infrastructure.
- Partner with analytics, product, and business teams to understand data needs and ensure timely delivery of solutions.
- Serve as the trusted advisor to leadership on data platform capabilities, opportunities, and risks.
- Ensure the data platform is scalable, resilient, and secure, supporting real-time and batch data workloads.
- Optimize data pipelines, storage solutions, and computational resources to drive operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
- Oversee the implementation of data governance, ensuring high data quality, security, and compliance with regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
- Partner with legal, risk, and compliance teams to mitigate data-related risks.
- Utilize Microsoft Azure technologies and Machine Learning capabilities to revolutionize data engineering and analytics, enhancing speed, accuracy, scalability, and operational efficiency.
- Stay informed on industry trends and technological advancements to ensure the organization remains competitive.
- Champion automation to improve pipeline development, platform monitoring, and data delivery.
- Build and nurture a high-performing team by recruiting, mentoring, and retaining top talent.
- Create a collaborative culture that fosters learning, innovation, and accountability.
What You'll Bring
Qualifications and Experience
- 10+ years of progressive experience in data engineering, platform management, or IT leadership, including 5+ years in a leadership role.
- Proven expertise in designing and managing enterprise-scale data platforms, including data lakes, data warehouses, and cloud-based solutions.
- Expertise in Microsoft Azure technologies (Data Factory, Synapse, Databricks, Power BI, etc.), Python, and SQL.
- Experience implementing governance frameworks and ensuring compliance with data regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
- Demonstrated success in collaborating with executive teams to drive data-centric strategies.
- Track record of managing $10M+ budgets and enterprise-level projects.
- Certifications in Azure, AI/ML, or related technologies.
- Recognition for innovation and leadership (e.g., awards, speaking engagements).
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to present technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
- Strong analytical skills and a data-driven approach to problem-solving.
- A visionary leader who thrives in fast-paced environments and drives continuous improvement.
- High emotional intelligence and a proven ability to build strong cross-functional relationships.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field (Master's preferred).
Apply Now
Ready to make an impact? Please submit your application and join us in transforming how people manage their taxes and finances through data innovation.
About H&R Block...
H&R Block’s purpose is simple: To provide help and inspire confidence in our clients and communities everywhere. We’ve been true to that purpose since brothers Henry and Richard Bloch founded our company in 1955. Since then, we’ve grown to have approximately 12,000 offices throughout the United States and worldwide.
We are a people company first and a tax company second. People who join H&R Block say it feels like being part of something bigger - a place with an amazing and storied history but a strong and urgent focus on the future. Maybe it’s how determined, forward-thinking, and innovative we are or how accessible our leadership is. We believe it’s all those things and much more.
H&R Block is committed to diversity and inclusion and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, or any other legally protected class. All qualified applicants are welcomed and encouraged to apply.
H&R Block
Katie Birchfield
