Head of Data – Banking Sector

About the role

We are partnering with a leading bank in Oman to find a Head of Data who will shape the enterprise data strategy, governance, analytics and monetisation agenda. This senior leader will overhaul the bank's data capabilities and unlock commercial value through data transformation.

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 programmes.
• Drive data‑quality initiatives to ensure accuracy, consistency, completeness and integrity of critical data assets.
• Oversee data architecture, master data management, metadata management and system integration.
• Lead business intelligence, advanced analytics, machine‑learning and AI projects that deliver measurable business value.
• Enable data‑driven insights for customer experience, risk management, fraud detection and operational efficiency.
• Partner with Information Security to enforce data protection, privacy and resilience practices.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory reporting, data‑retention standards and supervisory expectations.
• Support regulatory reporting, audits, examinations and risk assessments.
• Collaborate with executive leadership, 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 a 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 and analytics
• Cloud data platforms
• Artificial intelligence / machine learning
• Regulatory reporting