Head of Data and Artificial Intelligence

About the role

Old Mutual is looking for a Head of Data and Artificial Intelligence, a strategic senior management role that creates enterprise value from the organisation's data and analytics assets. The role leads data strategy, governance and analytics for the central ecosystem team, bridging business and technology and partnering with executive leadership to align data initiatives with ecosystem objectives while managing risk and compliance (RDARR, POPIA).

Key responsibilities

• Design, stand up and run the ecosystem data space on Databricks or an approved lakehouse platform, including workspaces, catalogues, access controls and cost management.
• Build the customer identity resolution and single customer view, and define data pipelines, batch, streaming and API integrations.
• Develop a data and analytics strategy that balances innovation with governance and compliance, and track its business impact against financial and operational KPIs.
• Own the connected intelligence capability: predictive models, next-best-action recommendations and recommender engines, with MLOps standards and independent model validation.
• Lead the data governance operating model, data quality, access and security policies, and own RDARR compliance for the ecosystem data.
• Lead the AI strategy and readiness, including generative AI and AI agents, and scan emerging technologies such as quantum computing, running proof of concepts only where there is a clear value case.
• Engage CFO, CRO, CIO, CMO, Group Treasury, Group Technology and business unit leaders, and lead or take part in enterprise governance councils.

Required profile

• Minimum 10+ years in data engineering, data science, analytics or information management, with at least 5+ years at senior management level.
• Experience designing data governance frameworks, preferably in financial services, insurance or a regulated industry.
• Experience leading data strategy and transformation across multiple business units or geographies, and managing the budget and external resourcing of a data function.
• Proven experience delivering production machine learning, recommender or next-best-action capabilities in a regulated environment, and experience with generative AI or LLM solutions.
• Post-graduate degree (PhD preferred) in mathematics, statistics, computer science, data science or a related quantitative field (essential).

Required skills

• Advanced proficiency in data governance tools, analytics platforms and modern data stack technologies, including Databricks and Spark.
• Understanding of quantum computing and post-quantum cryptography is an advantage.
• Certification in data governance, data management (DAMA, IAIDPM) or business analytics preferred.
• Strong financial acumen, ability to present to executives, and experience in ambiguity and stakeholder management.