Data Director

Kemin; Des Moines (IA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

401k match

Paid vacation

On-site fitness center

Tuition reimbursement

On-site restaurant

Fitness reimbursement

Community service

Job summary

Kemin, a global biotechnology company, is seeking a Director of Data to define the enterprise data strategy, set governance, and partner with IT for execution. This hybrid role aligns data priorities with Operations, R&D, and Finance, ensuring data investments translate into measurable business value.

You will drive analytics, BI, and AI initiatives, while leading governance forums and defining platform standards across the data landscape.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in data-related field and 10+ years of related experience.
• Strong executive communication skills; translate data strategy to business outcomes.
• Background in manufacturing, life sciences, chemicals, or data-intensive R&D environments.
• Experience partnering with IT architecture and engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Establish the enterprise data strategy and target-state architecture for analytics, AI, and decision-making.
• Translate business priorities into data architecture guidance and sequencing.
• Define analytics-ready and AI-ready data across teams.
• Define data standards and design principles for structured and unstructured data.
• Chair architecture governance forums and review designs for tradeoffs.
• Define governance frameworks, roles, and accountability for data domains.
• Set data quality thresholds and remediation priorities with IT partners.
• Define platform expectations (Databricks, Fabric) for analytics and AI use cases.
• Lead cross-functional alignment and communicate strategy to senior leadership.

Skills

Executive communication

Data governance

Data quality improvement

IT collaboration

Data platforms

Stakeholder influence

Education

Bachelor's degree in Data Science, Computer Science, or Analytics

Job description

Overview

The Director of Data defines Kemin’s enterprise data strategy and provides architectural direction, standards, and prioritization to enable analytics, business intelligence, and AI initiatives. Operating within a hybrid model, this role sets enterprise data architecture expectations and governance while closely partnering with IT teams responsible for execution and platform operations. The Director of Data aligns data priorities with business, Operations, R&D, Finance, etc. needs, restores trust in enterprise data, and ensures data investments translate into measurable business value.

Join the Kemin Team and Transform Lives!

We are a privately held, family-owned-and-operated global biotechnology company driven by curiosity and committed to transforming the quality of life for people, pets, and the planet.

We create solutions that strengthen health and wellbeing, provide nutrition and immune support for pets and production animals, safeguard the planet’s natural resources, and protect the global food supply chain for generations to come.

We supply over 500 specialty ingredients for various industries, including human and animal health and nutrition, pet food, aquaculture, nutraceutical, food technologies, crop technologies, textiles, biofuels, and animal vaccines.

We employ 3,500 global employees and operations in 90 countries, including manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Italy, San Marino, Singapore, South Africa, and the United States.

As a valued member of our team, you'll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your financial, physical, and professional well-being:

• Competitive Financial Package: Enjoy a rewarding salary, uncapped bonus opportunities, a 401k match program, and generous paid vacation and holidays.
• Health and Wellness Support: Stay fit and healthy with our fitness reimbursement for the whole family, access to an on‑site fitness center, a restaurant offering seasonal fresh food options, and free fresh fruit in break areas.
• Career Development and Advancement: Unlock your potential with opportunities for growth and development throughout your entire career.
• Continued Learning Opportunities: Grow your skills with our in‑house learning platforms, offering thousands of training resources both live and online, and take advantage of tuition reimbursement for external post‑secondary pursuits.
• Service Opportunities: Make a positive impact with paid time off for service, partnerships with The World Food Programme and Habitat for Humanity, and local community initiatives.

Responsibilities

Enterprise Data Strategy & Direction

• Establish the enterprise data strategy and target‑state architecture that supports analytics, AI, and decision‑making use cases.
• Translate business, Operations, Finance, R&D, etc. priorities into clear data architecture and sequencing guidance.
• Define what "analytics-ready" and “AI-ready” data means at Kemin and ensure alignment across teams.

Data Standards & Oversight

• Define and maintain data standards, patterns, and design principles for structured and unstructured data.
• Provide functional leadership and architectural direction to data architecture resources operating within IT.
• Chair or co‑chair architecture governance forums to review designs, resolve tradeoffs, and approve exceptions.

Data Governance, Quality & Trust Enablement

• Define governance frameworks, roles, and accountability models aligned to high‑value data domains.
• Set data quality thresholds and improvement priorities based on analytics and AI business needs.
• Partner with IT and business data owners to remediate critical data quality issues and improve usability.

Data Analytics and Data Engineering

• Define platform expectations and workload strategies (e.g., Databricks, Fabric) to support analytics and AI use cases.
• Partner with IT to ensure platform decisions are aligned to data strategy rather than infrastructure convenience alone.
• Ensure priority AI pilots and analytics initiatives are supported by appropriate data foundations and pipelines.

Cross Functional Leadership & Development

• Partner with Finance to define ROI measurement frameworks and baseline metrics for data and AI investments.
• Align stakeholders on priorities, trade offs, and sequencing when data quality or architecture constraints exist.
• Communicate data strategy, progress, and risks clearly to senior leadership in business terms.

Qualifications

• Education and Experience:
  • Bachelors Degree in Data Science, Computer Science, or Analytics with 10+ years of related experience.
• Strong executive communication skills; able to translate data strategy into business outcomes for non-technical leadership.
• Background in manufacturing, life sciences, chemicals, CPG, or other R&D-intensive, data-complex environments.
• Demonstrated success improving data quality, trust, and usability across fragmented systems and legacy platforms.
• Experience partnering with IT architecture and engineering teams while setting enterprise data standards, priorities, and design expectations.
• Strong understanding of modern data platforms (e.g., lakehouse architectures) and their role in enabling analytics and AI.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive alignment without direct authority.
• Experience establishing or scaling data governance frameworks, stewardship models, or domain ownership structures.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, creed/religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status (where applicable), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy/childbirth/breastfeeding or related conditions, age (40+), disability (including the use of a service animal), genetic information, marital status, familial or caregiver status, military or veteran status, status as a victim of domestic violence, reproductive health decision‑making, and any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We also prohibit retaliation for raising concerns or participating in an EEO process. Applicants who need a reasonable accommodation to apply or interview can email [e-mail].

A post-offer background check and drug screen is required. Additional pre-employmentrequirementsmay be necessarybased onposition.

Kemin is a drug-free and tobacco-free campus.