AVP, Head of Enterprise Data Platform Engineering

Description and Requirements

AVP, Head of Enterprise Data Platform Engineering

Location: Cary, NC or NYC (minimum 3-day a week in office hybrid schedule)

The Team You Will Join: This is part of the senior leadership role within MetLife's Data and Analytics organization. This role will directly report to the Head of Enterprise Data Engineering and will be working closely with the regional Chief data and Analytics officers and Senior Business leaders to assist them with their data engineering vision and challenges.

The Opportunity:
To lead the strategic design, development, simplification, modernization and governance of the MetLife's enterprise data platforms and data acquisition/transformation capabilities, ensuring it serves as a robust, scalable, and secure foundation for data-driven decision-making, advanced analytics, AI & agentic initiatives. The role is pivotal in enabling the company's digital transformation by delivering a modern data architecture that supports real-time insights, multi-disciplinary autonomous AI agents, regulatory compliance, and innovation across all business units.

Key functions:
Define and execute the enterprise data platform strategy in alignment with the MetLife's growth objectives.
Lead the design and implementation of a modern, cloud-based data architecture e.g. Data Mesh or Federated Datalake.
Strategize, lead and execute the data estate simplification agenda and seamlessly decommission the redundant, obsolete and non-scalable and legacy data platforms and duplicate tooling.
Oversee the integration of structured and unstructured data sources across the enterprise.
Ensure high availability, scalability, resiliency, and performance of the data platform.
Establish and enforce data governance, metadata management, and data lineage practices alongside Data Governance unit.
Collaborate with data science, analytics, and Chief Data Office / OPS teams to enable self-service data access and advanced analytics.
Drive the adoption of DevOps and DataOps practices for continuous delivery and automation.
Manage vendor relationships and evaluate emerging technologies for platform enhancement.
Conduct/Lead POCs and Pilot for various platform evaluations.
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of data engineers, architects, and platform specialists.
Develop and manage the data platform budget, ensuring cost-effective operations.
Report on platform performance, adoption/ usage metrics, and value delivery to executive leadership.
Foster a culture of innovation, agility, and continuous improvement within the data function.
Represent MetLife in industry forums and contribute to thought leadership in data platform strategy.

Qualifications:

Strategic Thinking & Vision Ability to align data platform strategy with business goals, platform-based architecture, data estate modernization and digital transformation initiatives for AI enablement.
Technical Expertise Deep knowledge of cloud-native data platforms (Azure Cloud Platform), data lake houses (Databricks or similar), data mesh, and data acquisition tools(CDC, Streaming, batch). Hands-on-keyboard experience with Python, PySpark and other data processing/transformation software is highly recommended.
Leadership & Influence Proven experience in leading cross-functional teams and influencing senior stakeholders.
Data Governance & Security Good understanding of data privacy regulations, data quality frameworks, and security best practices.
Program & Change Management Expertise in managing large-scale data platform programs and driving organizational change.
Collaboration & Communication Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to work across business, IT, and regulatory functions.
TCO & Operational Efficiency Mindset Proven track record in optimizing TCO for data estate with FINOPS implementation and tooling simplification strategies and execution.

Educational background B.S. in Computer Science or equivalent 4 years of Bachelor's degree

Work Experience 12-15+ years of data engineering and 3-5+ years in cloud native data modernization experience is recommended.

Location Expectation: This is a hybrid role requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in office.

The expected salary range for this position is $185K to $215K. This role may also be eligible for annual short-term incentive compensation and stock-based long-term incentives. All incentives and benefits are subject to the applicable plan terms.

Benefits We Offer

Our U.S. benefits address holistic well-being with programs for physical and mental health, financial wellness, and support for families. We offer a comprehensive health plan that includes medical/prescription drug and vision, dental insurance, and no-cost short- and long-term disability. We also provide company-paid life insurance and legal services, a retirement pension funded entirely by MetLife and 401(k) with employer matching, group discounts on voluntary insurance products including auto and home, pet, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident insurance, as well as Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and digital mental health programs, parental leave, volunteer time off, tuition assistance and much more!

About MetLife

Recognized on Fortune magazine's list of the "World's Most Admired Companies", Fortune World's 25 Best Workplaces , as well as the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For , MetLife, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the world's leading financial services companies; providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to individual and institutional customers. With operations in more than 40 markets, we hold leading positions in the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

Our purpose is simple - to help our colleagues, customers, communities, and the world at large create a more confident future. United by purpose and guided by our core values - Win Together, Do the Right Thing, Deliver Impact Over Activity, and Think Ahead - we're inspired to transform the next century in financial services. At MetLife, it's #AllTogetherPossible . Join us!

MetLife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are made without regards to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status (although applicants and employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States), uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law ("protected characteristics").

If you need an accommodation due to a disability, please email us at This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application process.

MetLife maintains a drug-free workplace.

$185K to $215K