Data & New Technology Lead

The Data & New Technology Lead, is responsible for ensuring strong data governance frameworks and driving the build of our data engineering, data science and reporting and analytics capabilities. This position is critical to the achievement of our data strategy and involves strategic leadership in data governance, ensuring data quality and integrity, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive effective data management practices.
You will also work closely with the Head of Information Technology to manage the tech stack, ensuring the 'to be' architecture is implemented, governed and maintained. You will research, communicate, design and implement New Technology solutions, including machine learning and artificial intelligence, ensuring that these address the unique challenges faced by our life insurance company. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including IT, Product, Marketing and the wider operations teams, to drive the digital transformation of our operations and enhance our user experience and productivity.
Job Description
Key Accountabilities

• Data Management, BI, and Reporting
• Develop and deliver NobleOak's data requirements and data governance framework, in line with the data strategy and ongoing business needs, including regulatory requirements.
• Work alongside the business units and SMEs to ensure the data milestones are delivered and foundations are in place.
• Build our data team and overall data governance and capability leveraging internal and external resources; and business SMEs to ensure capabilities around reporting and analytics, engineering, data science are achieved.
• Support key functions with expertise and accurate reporting to support informed decision making.
• Leverage data assets to help solve complex business problems.
• Working with internal stakeholders to ensure timely delivery of business reporting.

• Strategic Data Management:
• Design, develop, and implement AI/ML models to uncover insights, optimise processes, and enhance decision-making.

• Data Quality Assurance:
• Drive and review the data quality assessment, collection, storage, analytics and enhancement initiatives. Ensure security, accuracy, and compliance with regulations.
• Collaborate with teams to implement data quality standards and ensure data accuracy and consistency.

• New tech solutions and architecture:
• Define, document and govern the as-is, to-be and transition states for the technology architecture of NobleOak.
• Stay abreast of innovative technology solutions and practices and bring this outside-in knowledge to NobleOak leadership.
• Assess and challenge proposed technology decisions and implementations to ensure the technology stack is optimised according to the strategy.

• Cyber and Technology Risks:
• Stay abreast of industry developments and regulations, drive discussion of key topics within NobleOak and work closely with Technology and Risk leadership and partners to proactively manager cyber risk and broader technology risks.

• Team Leadership:
• Manage and mentor a team of data professionals, providing guidance and support for the team's professional development and skill enhancement, ensuring high-quality analytics and model development.

• Collaboration with Stakeholders:
• Collaborate with business leaders, IT teams, and other stakeholders to understand data needs and requirements.
• Ensure effective communication and alignment between data management and business objectives.
• Stay abreast of industry trends and advancements in data analytics, AI/ML, and related technologies, incorporate best practices into NobleOak's data strategy and communicate at all levels of the business, including through employee huddles and at Leadership meetings.

• Stakeholder communication: Communicate confidently to Leadership, Teams and external partners.
• Technical Leadership: Work closely with data and technology teams and provide leadership to ensure the successful implementation of the proposed solutions, providing guidance and support throughout the technology life cycle.
• Trend Analysis: Stay up-to-date with industry trends, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes in the data, insurance and new tech domains, and proactively propose innovative ideas to stay ahead of the competition.
• Technical Champion: Champion best practices in data. software architecture, design patterns, and coding standards to ensure the delivery of high-quality, scalable, and maintainable solutions.
• Delivery focus - Understanding and striving to meet or exceed all metrics and KPIs while providing excellent consistent customer service.
• Culture Champion - Like all NobleOak roles, this role must be a strong ambassador and champion of the NobleOak high-performance culture and brand values. Always displaying positivity, energy and integrity, taking responsibility for actions and building on a positive and engaging diverse team dynamic. Our values and culture are outlined on the back page is this document.

• Excellent leadership and team-building skills, with experience managing and mentoring data professionals.
• Ability to work across multiple projects and deliver within time and budget constraints.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex data insights to non-technical audiences.
• Flexibility and willingness to participate as a key leader in the IT team and support to the Head of IT; ensuring that team projects and KPIs are achieved and communication to stakeholders and team members is strong.
• A passion for data and technology including a growth mindset and the self-leadership to stay abreast of industry trends and advancements in data analytics, AI/ML, Azure Cloud technology, and related technologies, and incorporate best practices into NobleOak's data strategy.

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in data science, analytics, or a similar role, with at least 3 years in a leadership position.
• Proven expertise in AI/ML, data modelling, and statistical analysis.
• Proficient in data analytics tools and programming languages such as Python, R, SQL, NOSQL, and relevant data visualisation and modelling tools.
• Exposure across the technology lifecycle and experience driving and communicating delivery in this space.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute data strategies/road map that drive business results.
• Strategic thinker with a hands-on approach and a results-oriented mindset.
• Proven Azure AI experience
• Actuarial and insurance experience is a bonus