Data Insights Leader: AI-First Analytics & Strategy

Mantel; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

My Deal program

Mantel AI Gateway

Flexible hybrid work

Family Inclusive Workplace

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Mantel, an Australian-owned IT professional services consultancy, seeks a Head of Data Insights to shape technology direction and drive performance for the Insights capability across Australia and New Zealand. You will lead cross-functional teams, influence through collaboration, and scale AI-enabled data solutions for clients.

The role is based in Melbourne, with options across Sydney or Brisbane, embracing Mantel's principle-led, federated leadership and flexible hybrid work.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in defining and implementing data analytics or insights strategy.
• Experience leading AI adoption and data insights offerings.
• Strong executive presence and stakeholder influence.

Responsibilities

• Define strategy for Mantel’s Insights team and drive market-aligned direction.
• Collaborate across Mantel to translate strategy into actionable plans.
• Ensure Insights’ commercial performance meets targets.
• Build relationships with leaders across Data and other domains.
• Communicate strategy and progress to leadership and teams.

Skills

AI adoption

Data analytics strategy

Executive presence

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Job description

About us

Mantel is an Australian-owned IT Professional Services consultancy, focused on emerging technology to help advance our clients by leveraging AI, Digital, Cloud, Data & Security technology. We are a fully AI-enabled technology consultancy and the partner that bridges the gap between blue-sky ambition and practical steps to deliver value. Since our inception in November 2017, we have experienced remarkable growth across Australia & New Zealand and are honoured to be recognised as a Great Place to Work for 7 years in a row!

We hire smart and talented people and get out of their way. As a principle-based organisation, we have a flat structure with no hierarchy. By focusing on our five principles and not getting caught up in red tape, we trust you to get the job done!

About the role

Our Insights team brings together industry leading Analytics Engineers, BI experts and Data Consultants to lead the market in how organisations consume and interpret their data. This team is at the forefront of the AI for BI revolution, shaping how new tools and technologies are deployed and embedded across Australia & New Zealand.

As a Head of Data Insights, you are responsible for shaping the technology direction, performance excellence and commercial success of the Insights capability. This role will work in collaboration with other leaders and team members across Mantel to continuously improve our way of working to enhance outcomes for clients and grow our business. In keeping with our principle-led culture and team of teams approach, this role calls for a supportive, enabling leadership style, driving change through influence and collaboration, not hierarchy.

This role is critical to enabling the continued growth and evolution of Mantel as an AI-first business as we support clients with making their businesses better.

This role can be based out of Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane.

Key responsibilities

Evolve & Lead Data Insights:

• Help define the strategy and future direction of Mantel’s Insights team, based on your observations of market trends and opportunities, in particular regarding the growing role of AI & Agents in the generation of insights.
• Bring the strategy to reality ensuring cohesive progress within the Insights team and collaboration from other teams across Mantel
• Ensure that the commercial performance of our Insights team is in line with targets
• Build strong and collaborative relationships with leaders across Data and other domains, ensuring our capability areas are aligned to the overall strategy
• Regularly communicate strategy, progress and achievements to leadership and team members, at the capability, domain and Mantel level
• Leverage a deep understanding of team strengths & aspirations to inform resourcing decisions and assemble the right project teams
• Establish and nurture new and existing client relationships, particularly at the Executive level, as a reliable source of solution advice
• Lead pre-sales conversations and the creation of RFPs and SOWs for the capability, working closely with CEPs and Partners
• Identify strategic opportunities (e.g. training, technology, common architecture, ways of working, other) for improving the quality of Mantel’s delivery
• Serve as a point of escalation for troubleshooting and issue resolution to achieve excellent outcomes for our clients

Innovating & Unique Offerings:

• Identify emerging market trends, gaps in our offerings and proactively work to ensure that we are maximising our relevance to clients
• Identify specific accelerators IP or solutions to help make Mantel’s Data Development Lifecycle more repeatable, profitable and drive quality in our projects. Drive the development and/or adoption of these and align to tech partners where required
• Embed these advancements into the team’s learning & development, ensuring skills are continuously evolving in line with industry trends
• Role model thought-leadership by being active in both internal and external communities. Develop and lead initiatives in this space e.g. training sessions, blog posts, community engagement activities, building strong partnerships.

Culture & Principles:

• Cultivate a principle-led, collaborative environment where team members feel valued, empowered, and equipped to thrive
• Provide regular feedback, coaching, and mentorship to enhance skills and performance, proactively identifying areas for improvement and implementing measures to address challenges
• Leverage ‘Great Place To Work’ results to guide people initiatives, aiming for continuous improvement year on year
• Embrace a federated leadership approach to drive key capability initiatives
• Build future leaders by creating pathways for growth and leadership development within the team
• Support the talent strategy and recruitment process, ensuring we attract and retain high-quality team members whose skills align with our long-term strategic direction

What you’ll need as our Head of Insights:

• Proven experience in defining and implementing data analytics or insights strategy. Ability to align strategy with organisational goals and commercial targets
• The ability to lead from the front in AI & Agent adoption and to identify opportunities to evolve the Data Insights team offerings based on the use of AI
• Demonstrated track record of ensuring commercial performance of data teams. Experience in pre-sales conversations, RFP and SOW creation
• Strong ability to build genuine relationships with leaders in data and other departments, as well as clients and technology partners
• Exceptional executive presence and communication skills, capable of influencing high-level stakeholders, articulating strategic vision, and translating complex initiatives into compelling narratives that drive organisation-wide buy-in.
• Experience in leading and managing data teams & fostering a supportive and high performance environment.
• Ability to identify emerging market trends and gaps in offerings. Experience in developing and implementing innovative solutions, IP and shape successful GTM strategies
• Strong understanding of data platform technologies, data modelling techniques and insights tooling
• Experience in supporting talent strategy and building a diverse and empowered team
• Ability to drive change through influence and collaboration

What you can expect from us:

• We believe in unique experiences for all. Our My Deal program allows you to tailor your yearly plan, with the support of your Leader, to decide on what’s most important to you. That might be extra professional development, extra annual leave, time to work on your side hustle, or something else completely different! One size does not fit all.
• You’ll get all the tools you need to hit the ground running including a new phone, laptop & swag.
• A true investment in your AI-first career. We are a fully AI-enabled consultancy and provide you with the tools to lead. This includes access to the Mantel AI Gateway, our secure, centralised platform with multiple AI models, plus a dedicated monthly budget and a safe environment to experiment and innovate.
• Mantel is a certified Family Inclusive Workplace, which means we are committed to improving your wellbeing at work through leading practices on flexible work, parental leave, family care and family wellbeing.
• You’ll be genuinely supported by an organisation that cares about not only you but your family as well, Mantel offers Flexible Personal Leave options for those unplanned moments in life.
• We support a flexible hybrid approach to working which is guided by our principles; we trust each other to “make good choices” about the best workplace locations for the requirements of the project, role and client. This can change based on our client needs.
• We know you won’t have one job for life. At Mantel, we believe in supporting our team to take their career in a direction that aligns with their passions. We have internal opportunities across Cloud, Data, Digital, Delivery & Security.
• Our elite partnerships are a direct result of our deep platform mastery. For you, this means you'll be working alongside teams with the highest levels of technical expertise and tackling the most complex, high-profile projects on the market. Check out our partner awards and recognitions here.

We value a diverse workplace and strongly encourage people from all backgrounds and minority groups to apply.