Head of Data – Banking Sector

About the role

We are partnering with a leading bank in Oman to appoint a Head of Data who will shape the enterprise data strategy, governance and analytics function. The role reports to senior leadership and has high visibility across the organization.

Key responsibilities

• Define and execute an enterprise data strategy aligned with business goals and regulatory requirements.
• Establish and lead data governance frameworks, policies, standards and stewardship programs.
• Drive data quality initiatives to ensure accuracy, consistency, completeness and integrity of critical data assets.
• Oversee data architecture, platforms, master data management, metadata management and system integration.
• Lead business intelligence, advanced analytics, machine learning and AI projects that deliver measurable value.
• Enable data‑driven insights for customer experience, risk management, fraud detection and operational efficiency.
• Partner with Information Security to enforce data protection, privacy, classification and resilience.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory reporting, data retention standards and supervisory expectations.
• Support audits, examinations and risk assessments related to data.
• Collaborate with executives, business units, technology teams and external stakeholders to foster a data‑driven culture.

Required profile

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in IT, Computer Science, Business Administration, Finance or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in data management, analytics or technology leadership.
• 5‑8+ years in senior leadership roles within banking, financial services or other highly regulated industries.
• Proven ability to lead large‑scale transformation initiatives and influence senior stakeholders.
• Strong strategic thinking, change leadership and stakeholder management capabilities.

Required skills

• Data governance
• Data strategy
• Data architecture
• Data quality management
• Business intelligence
• Cloud data platforms
• Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning
• Advanced analytics
• Master data management
• Metadata management
• System integration
• Regulatory reporting