Data Strategist

Who we are:

ConnectedX is a trusted partner in Digital Transformation and Product Engineering Services. We help businesses meet their digital-age challenges with a consultative, industry-specific approach, driving innovation and agility. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, ConnectedX is proud to serve Fortune 1000 enterprises and has earned a reputation for excellence among clients and employees globally.

Role: Data Strategist

Location: Plano, TX
Duration : 12 Months

What We Are Looking For:

We are looking for an experienced Data Strategist to lead the design and implementation of enterprise-scale data platforms and strategies for our automotive client. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in data architecture, data governance, cloud data platforms, and data modeling, with a proven track record of enabling data-driven decision-making in large, complex organizations.

Responsibilities:

• Define and implement the overall data architecture strategy, ensuring alignment with Toyota's business goals and digital initiatives.
• Design scalable, secure, and high-performance data architectures across hybrid and cloud environments (AWS and Google Cloud Platform).
• Ensure best practices in data security, privacy, and data encryption - in transit and at rest
• Develop and maintain enterprise data models, data dictionaries, and metadata repositories.
• Establish data governance frameworks, ensuring data quality, lineage, security, and compliance.
• Collaborate with data engineers, analysts, product teams, and business stakeholders to identify data requirements and ensure optimal data flows.
• Guide the development of data lakes, data warehouses, and real-time data platforms.
• Evaluate and select appropriate technologies, tools, and platforms to meet architectural goals.
• Drive data integration from various sources, including internal Toyota systems and third-party platforms.
• Ensure best practices in data security, privacy, and regulatory compliance (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
• Support advanced analytics, AI/ML, and BI teams by designing robust data ecosystems.
• Mentor and guide engineering teams on data architecture best practices and implementation strategies.

Technical Skills:

Cloud & Data Platforms:
AWS (Redshift, S3, Glue, Lambda, RDS, IAM), Google Cloud Platform (BigQuery, Pub/Sub, Dataflow), Azure (preferred)

Data Architecture:
Enterprise Data Modeling, OLTP/OLAP Systems, Master Data Management (MDM), Data Vault, Dimensional Modeling

Data Governance & Quality:
Collibra, Informatica, Apache Atlas, Data Lineage Tools, DQ Frameworks

Databases & Storage:
SQL (PostgreSQL, MySQL), NoSQL (MongoDB, DynamoDB), Graph (Neo4j)

ETL/ELT & Orchestration:
Databricks, Snowflake, Apache Airflow, Informatica, Talend, dbt

Programming & Scripting:
SQL, Python, Bash, Scala

DevOps & Infrastructure as Code:
Terraform, CloudFormation, Docker, Kubernetes

Visualization & BI (Support):
Power BI, Tableau, Looker (understanding required to support data design)

Security & Compliance:
IAM, Data Encryption, PII Handling, Data Masking, Role-Based Access Controls (RBAC)

We are seeking a visionary and results-driven Data Strategist to define and drive enterprise-wide data strategy initiatives. This role bridges business objectives with data capabilities, ensuring data is leveraged as a strategic asset to enable decision-making, innovation, and competitive advantage.

The Data Strategist will collaborate with executive leadership, business units, data engineering, analytics, and governance teams to design scalable data architectures, governance frameworks, and AI-driven transformation initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Data Strategy & Vision

• Define and implement enterprise data strategy aligned with business goals.
• Identify opportunities to leverage data for revenue growth, operational efficiency, and innovation.
• Develop data roadmaps covering analytics, AI/ML, governance, and modernization.
• Establish KPIs and success metrics for data initiatives.

Data Architecture & Platform Alignment

• Provide strategic direction for modern data platforms (Lakehouse, Data Mesh, Cloud Data Platforms).
• Collaborate with data engineering teams to ensure scalable and cost-effective architectures.
• Guide cloud data adoption (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform).
• Evaluate and recommend tools for data ingestion, transformation, BI, and AI.

Analytics & Business Enablement

• Enable self-service analytics and data democratization.
• Partner with business stakeholders to define data use cases.
• Translate business problems into data-driven solutions.
• Champion advanced analytics and AI initiatives.

Governance & Compliance

• Establish enterprise data governance frameworks.
• Define data quality standards and stewardship models.
• Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.).
• Implement metadata management and cataloging strategies.

Value Realization & Optimization

• Drive ROI measurement for data investments.
• Identify cost optimization strategies for data platforms.
• Develop business cases for modernization initiatives.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a liaison between executive leadership and technical teams.
• Present strategic insights to C-level stakeholders.
• Influence cross-functional alignment on data initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in data management, analytics, or data engineering.
• 3+ years in strategic or leadership roles.
• Strong understanding of modern data architectures (Lakehouse, Data Warehouse, Data Mesh).
• Experience with cloud data platforms (AWS/Azure/Google Cloud Platform).
• Knowledge of BI, AI/ML, and advanced analytics frameworks.
• Strong understanding of data governance and regulatory compliance.
• Proven experience aligning data initiatives with business strategy.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or advanced degree in Data/Technology/Business.
• Experience leading enterprise data transformation programs.
• Certifications in cloud platforms or data architecture.
• Experience with AI-driven analytics initiatives.