Head of Data

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Description

ABOUT METRC

Metrc is the most trusted and experienced provider of cannabis regulatory systems in the United States and is growing extremely rapidly to expand globally. We provide a solution that combines advanced software, radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, a dedicated customer-support team, and a secure database to track and trace cannabis from growth, harvest, and processing to testing, transport, and sale. As Director of Data Platform, you will have the opportunity to thrive in a fast-moving, fluid environment, and be passionate about implementing change, great processes and procedures in a commercial setting at a fast-growing technology company.

GENERAL OVERVIEW

The Director of Data Platform will lead a team of two data engineers and four BI specialists to deliver a robust data platform that serves external customers and internal cross-functional teams (Sales, Customer Success, Senior Leadership, etc.). This role will oversee the end-to-end data ecosystem, including our data lake (Snowflake, Databricks, Domo, Tableau) and potentially real-time transactional databases (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MongoDB). As a hands-on leader, you will drive technical innovation, ensure regulatory compliance, and align data initiatives with business?objectives?in a fast-paced, regulated environment.?

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Core duties and responsibilities include the following. Company Culture and Values

• Embodies?Metrc’s?Core Values?

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute a comprehensive data strategy to support external customers (state regulators, cannabis businesses) and internal teams (Sales, Customer Success, Senior Leadership).?
• Partner with the CTO and cross-functional leaders to align data initiatives with business goals, ensuring scalability, performance, and compliance.?
• Drive the transition of the Data team to serve both internal and external data needs, delivering dashboards, reports, and analytics solutions.?

Data Platform Management

• Oversee the architecture, development, and maintenance of the data lake (Snowflake, Databricks) and BI tools (Domo, Tableau, and alternatives).?
• Potentially manage real-time transactional databases (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MongoDB), ensuring high availability, performance, and security.?
• Implement data governance, quality, and compliance frameworks to meet regulatory requirements in the cannabis industry.

Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of data specialists, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability.?
• Identify?skill gaps and drive hiring or upskilling initiatives to support expanded responsibilities (e.g., database administration, advanced analytics).?

Technical Excellence

• Design and?optimize?data pipelines, ETL processes, and analytics workflows to support real-time and batch processing needs.?
• Ensure seamless integration of transactional and analytical data systems to provide a unified view for stakeholders.?
• Stay current with industry trends and emerging technologies to enhance the data platform’s capabilities.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Work closely with external customers to deliver compliant, high-quality data products (dashboards, reports, APIs).?
• Partner with internal teams to develop actionable insights, enabling data-driven decisions across Sales, Customer Success, and Senior Leadership.?
• Collaborate with external regulatory and licensing partners to support compliance, data quality, and business objectives.
• Communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences, ensuring alignment and buy-in.?

Additional Responsibilities

• May perform other additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS- KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES

Experience

• 8+ years of experience in data engineering, data platform management, or related fields, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.?
• Proven?track record?of building and scaling data platforms in a SaaS or regulated industry (e.g., cannabis, healthcare, finance).?
• Hands-on experience with data lakes (Snowflake, Databricks) and BI tools (Tableau, Domo, or similar).?
• Experience with real-time transactional databases (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MongoDB) is a plus.?
• Familiarity with regulatory compliance and data governance in highly regulated environments.?

Technical Skills

• Deep?expertise?in data architecture, ETL/ELT pipelines, and data modeling.?
• Proficiency?in SQL and modern data stack technologies (Snowflake, Databricks, etc.).?
• Knowledge of database administration (e.g., performance tuning, high availability) for SQL Server, PostgreSQL, or MongoDB is preferred.?
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and data integration tools.?

Leadership Skills

• Strong leadership and mentorship abilities, with experience managing small, high-performing data teams.?
• Ability to balance strategic vision with hands-on technical execution.?
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to translate business needs into technical solutions.?

Education

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Data Science, Engineering, or a related field?

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

• In-office position
• Frequently required to sit
• Frequently required to talk or hear
• Continually utilize visual acuity to operate equipment, read technical information, and/or use a keyboard and mouse.