Director, Data Analytics & Insights

This is a remote position, however, please note we only hire from the following states: NY, NJ, CT, DC, RI, MA, PA, MD.

Position Summary:

The Director, Data Analytics & Insights, will help the Specialty Food Association (SFA) drive the data & analytics transformation to enable the business to make data-driven decisions.

The role will play a crucial role in establishing a new Data Analytics & Insights function and harnessing the advanced analytics, operational insights to drive SFA’s success and strategic growth. The role will report to VP of Technology.

The individual will be tasked with leading the development and evolution or data pipelines and platforms to support analytics. The role will help define and champion the best practices of data management and data governance to ensure data quality, security and compliance in collaboration with IT to optimize data storage, processing and accessibility.

The successful candidate brings extensive experience in building data warehouses, directing sophisticated analytics and translating complex strategic challenges into impactful, actionable insights that empower leadership to make informed decisions.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities:

• Partner with senior leadership to translate high-level strategic questions into data-driven solutions and compelling narratives
• Build analytics and insights culture by communicating its value to the business stakeholder community.
• Manage external data vendors/consultants and build a high-performance internal/external analytics team
• Implement and ensure robust data governance, integrity and compliance.
• Help develop and implement a comprehensive enterprise data & analytics strategy.
• Provide oversight for the design, development and operational support of data& analytics environment, including the lifecycle of data requirements, modeling, architecture, analytics and tools.
• Oversee the design and delivery of data& analytics initiatives that support business, operational and financial decision-making
• Identify opportunities to leverage advanced analytics, including AI and machine learning with a strong focus on innovation. Lead integration of LLMs and AI solutions across various business functions. Ensure responsible AI practices for developing and implementing guidelines and ethical AI development, deployment and regulations.
• Champion a culture of data literacy, enabling the business leaders to make informed data-driven decisions
• Establish D&A transformation roadmap and KPIs for measurement of the impact and success of its programs and initiatives

Position Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Information Systems or a related field
• Progressive experience in Data Analytics or Business Intelligence 10+ years
• Leadership role 5+ years
• Expertise in data integration, data governance, data management
• Proficiency in statistical modeling, machine learning, data mining data analytics and visualization techniques and tools (e.g., SQL, Tableau, Python, R)
• Salesforce knowledge is a plus
• Strong expertise in data modeling, data warehouse and visualization techniques
• Exceptional ability to distill complex data and strategic questions into clear, actionable insights for executive leaders
• Outstanding communication skills, ability to influence and align diverse teams around data-driven strategies
• Ability to lead organizational transformation, evangelizing data-driven culture
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Leadership experience and team development ability
• Superior interpersonal, relationship building skills and positive attitude

Physical Demands & Work Environment:

The Association is headquartered in an office building in NYC, though the workforce is primarily home-based. This position is primarily remote but will require your presence in the office at various times.

Regardless of location, job demands may require long periods of sitting; telephone work and/or computer work, as well as interactions with other staff members, external vendors and SFA external constituents. There will be periodic travel required both to industry events and for team and department meetings. Occasional lifting of heavy boxes up to 40 pounds may be required, particularly around events.

This is a remote position, however, please note we only hire from the following states: NY, NJ, CT, DC, RI, MA, PA, MD.

Position Summary:

The Director, Data Analytics & Insights, will help the Specialty Food Association (SFA) drive the data & analytics transformation to enable the business to make data-driven decisions.

The role will play a crucial role in establishing a new Data Analytics & Insights function and harnessing the advanced analytics, operational insights to drive SFA’s success and strategic growth. The role will report to VP of Technology.

The individual will be tasked with leading the development and evolution or data pipelines and platforms to support analytics. The role will help define and champion the best practices of data management and data governance to ensure data quality, security and compliance in collaboration with IT to optimize data storage, processing and accessibility.

The successful candidate brings extensive experience in building data warehouses, directing sophisticated analytics and translating complex strategic challenges into impactful, actionable insights that empower leadership to make informed decisions.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities:

• Partner with senior leadership to translate high-level strategic questions into data-driven solutions and compelling narratives
• Build analytics and insights culture by communicating its value to the business stakeholder community.
• Manage external data vendors/consultants and build a high-performance internal/external analytics team
• Implement and ensure robust data governance, integrity and compliance.
• Help develop and implement a comprehensive enterprise data & analytics strategy.
• Provide oversight for the design, development and operational support of data& analytics environment, including the lifecycle of data requirements, modeling, architecture, analytics and tools.
• Oversee the design and delivery of data& analytics initiatives that support business, operational and financial decision-making
• Identify opportunities to leverage advanced analytics, including AI and machine learning with a strong focus on innovation. Lead integration of LLMs and AI solutions across various business functions. Ensure responsible AI practices for developing and implementing guidelines and ethical AI development, deployment and regulations.
• Champion a culture of data literacy, enabling the business leaders to make informed data-driven decisions
• Establish D&A transformation roadmap and KPIs for measurement of the impact and success of its programs and initiatives

Position Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Information Systems or a related field
• Progressive experience in Data Analytics or Business Intelligence 10+ years
• Leadership role 5+ years
• Expertise in data integration, data governance, data management
• Proficiency in statistical modeling, machine learning, data mining data analytics and visualization techniques and tools (e.g., SQL, Tableau, Python, R)
• Salesforce knowledge is a plus
• Strong expertise in data modeling, data warehouse and visualization techniques
• Exceptional ability to distill complex data and strategic questions into clear, actionable insights for executive leaders
• Outstanding communication skills, ability to influence and align diverse teams around data-driven strategies
• Ability to lead organizational transformation, evangelizing data-driven culture
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Leadership experience and team development ability
• Superior interpersonal, relationship building skills and positive attitude

Physical Demands & Work Environment:

The Association is headquartered in an office building in NYC, though the workforce is primarily home-based. This position is primarily remote but will require your presence in the office at various times.

Regardless of location, job demands may require long periods of sitting; telephone work and/or computer work, as well as interactions with other staff members, external vendors and SFA external constituents. There will be periodic travel required both to industry events and for team and department meetings. Occasional lifting of heavy boxes up to 40 pounds may be required, particularly around events.