Chief Data & AI Strategy Leader

Nelnet; Lincoln (NE); Hybrid; USD 230,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

HSA/FSA

401K + student loan repayment

Life Insurance

AD&D Insurance

Employee assistance program

Stock purchase plan

Tuition reimbursement

Incentive pay

Disability insurance

Wellness program

Job summary

Nelnet Business Services (NBS) seeks a Managing Director, Data & AI to own the data-to-AI value chain, align data strategy, governance, engineering and AI/ML execution across the segment. You will set strategic direction, drive data readiness, enforce governance, and deliver trusted AI-enabled outcomes.

The role requires 10+ years leading data organizations, enterprise data strategy ownership, and executive influence. Annual compensation range is $230,000-$250,000, with a hybrid work option.

Qualifications

• 10+ years leading data organizations at enterprise scale, including leading leaders.
• Proven ownership of an enterprise data strategy from definition through multi-year execution.
• Proven executive-level influence with C-suite and business stakeholders.
• Sufficient practical depth in data engineering and data governance to direct and challenge those teams.

Responsibilities

• Data Strategy - Owns the segment-wide data strategy: target-state vision, operating model, domain ownership, investment sequencing, and multi-year roadmap; define how the value of data investment is measured and report against it
• Value Chain Unification - Unify data engineering, governance, and AI/automation into a single operating model, with shared intake, prioritization, and delivery cadence; resolve funding and capacity tradeoffs across the chain in favor of end-to-end business outcomes
• Data Platform - Oversee the data platform ecosystem: architecture decisions, consumption governance, cost, and roadmap prioritization
• Data Governance - Position governance as a business enabler: policy, lineage, quality, and access practices that accelerate trusted consumption rather than gate it
• AI & Automation - Set strategy for applying AI and automation to business processes; oversee AI democratization, adoption, and the Citizen Developer program
• Leadership - Lead through directors: coach and develop senior leaders, build succession depth, manage performance proactively, foster cohesion, and hold leaders to a high bar in a fast-moving domain
• Business Partnership - Translate business objectives into data and AI priorities in partnership with C-suite and senior leadership; build stakeholder relationships and executive credibility to drive adoption

Skills

Strategic thinking

Executive influence

Stakeholder management

Prioritization

Critical thinking

Team management

Education

Bachelors degree

Job description

Nelnet Business Services (NBS) seeks a Managing Director, Data & AI to own the data-to-AI value chain, align data strategy, governance, engineering and AI/ML execution across the segment. You will set strategic direction, drive data readiness, enforce governance, and deliver trusted AI-enabled outcomes.

The role requires 10+ years leading data organizations, enterprise data strategy ownership, and executive influence. Annual compensation range is $230,000-$250,000, with a hybrid work option.