Global IT Data & Analytics Director

WD-40 Company; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

WD-40 Company is seeking a senior data and analytics leader to drive enterprise data strategy and platform governance. You will unite finance, sales, marketing, and operations to define data ownership and trust, while guiding a global team responsible for AI-enabled decision-making.

The role focuses on building a scalable data and analytics architecture, controlling cloud spend, and partnering with business leaders to deliver high-value outcomes. Hybrid work in San Diego is available.

Qualifications

• Experience leading data and analytics, BI or data engineering teams, including architects and engineers.
• 7+ years in that within 12+ years of progressive IT and business leadership.
• Proven track record getting business leaders to agree on data governance: definitions, owners, stewards.
• Experience with modern cloud data platforms. Microsoft Fabric is strongly preferred.
• Global experience across countries and regulations (GDPR, data sovereignty). 5+ years preferred.
• AI fluency to guide a team building for AI agents and explain it to business leaders.
• Experience owning a budget and negotiating with vendors.
• Public company experience is a strong plus. D365 experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Be the data champion and align finance, sales, marketing and operations on data ownership and meaning.
• Lead and coach the Architect and Manager of the data team to move from tickets to projects.
• Build for AI now by shaping a governed Microsoft Fabric platform with security and guardrails.
• Set the 3–5 year data and analytics roadmap aligned to business priorities.
• Lead the business side: manage budget, negotiate with vendors, and build stakeholder relationships.
• Ensure governance and compliance across GDPR, CCPA and data sovereignty rules.

Skills

Data leadership

Analytics strategy

Cloud platforms

Budget management

Stakeholder management

AI governance

Vendor negotiation

GDPR/CCPA knowledge

Microsoft Fabric

Education

Bachelor's degree in business, CS, IS, data science or related

Master's or MBA nice-to-have

Tools

Microsoft Fabric

Job description

Overview

Our blue-and-yellow can is sold in more than 176 countries. Our data hasn't caught up with our reach.

Today our data lives across global regions and systems. We’re hiring the leader who will bring it together into one trusted architecture.

Our name stands for Water Displacement, 40th formula. Our chemist got it right on the 40th try. That kind of patience is exactly what this work needs to build a stronger data foundation.

Why this role exists

We recently centralized our IT functions and now is the right time to formulate our enterprise data and analytics strategy and establish the vision and operating model required to transform data into a strategic asset. The role defines the multi-year roadmap, driving the adoption of cloud data platforms, advanced analytics, and data-as-a-service to empower both human decision-making and the secure deployment of Agentic AI and autonomous enterprise workflows.

The role bridges business strategy and technology execution, governs the COE portfolio, negotiates strategic enterprise vendor partnerships, and serves as the primary liaison to business stakeholders. This role ensures that architectural vision seamlessly translates into scalable, reliable, and high-value business outcomes across all trading blocs and corporate functions

Now we want to treat data the same way: as one company-wide asset that people across the business, and the AI agents they build, can trust.

In this new role, you'll be the leader of our global data team and analytics strategy.

San Diego, CA (Hybrid) reporting to the CIO

Must be able to work in the US without current or future sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• • Be the data champion. Bring finance, sales, marketing and operations leaders together to agree on what our data means and who owns it. This is the heart of the job.
  • Lead. Coach the Architect and the Manager of this team who leads the engineers and partners behind them. Help the team move from mostly tickets to mostly projects.
  • Build for AI now, not later. Shape a governed Microsoft Fabric platform with definitions, security and guardrails built in, so people outside IT can safely build reports and AI agents.
  • Set the roadmap. Write a 3-5 year data and analytics strategy tied to what matters most to the business.
  • Lead the business side. Manage the budget, negotiate with platform vendors, keep cloud costs in check. Build relationships with key business stakeholders and collaborate to drive value through solutions.
  • Keep it safe. Lead governance and compliance across GDPR, CCPA and changing data sovereignty rules.

  Your first year, if it goes well

  You'll know our people, processes and technology. Business leaders will seek you out. Data governance will be running, with a few quick wins people can point to. There'll be a roadmap everyone has agreed to, and colleagues will be building on the platform.

  About the Team

  You’ll report to our Vice President of Global Information & Technology, who leads by enablement: lots of autonomy, advice when you want it, and regular check-ins. You’ll lead a small, capable team based in the US and UK.

Qualifications

• Experience leading data and analytics, BI or data engineering teams, including architects and engineers. Ideally 7+ years of that within 12+ years of progressive IT and business leadership.
• A background in data: you've worked hands-on with data and analytics before moving into leadership.
• A track record of getting business leaders to agree on data governance: definitions, owners, stewards.
• Experience with modern cloud data platforms. Microsoft Fabric is strongly preferred.
• Global experience across countries and regulations (GDPR, data sovereignty). Ideally 5+ years.
• AI fluency to guide a team building for AI agents and to explain it to business leaders.
• Experience owning a budget and negotiating with vendors.
• Public company experience is a strong plus. D365 experience is a plus.
• A bachelor's degree in business, computer science, information systems, data science or a related field. A master's or MBA is a plus.

About Us

Our "Why"

At WD-40 Company, we believe that purpose-driven, passionate people guided by our values create amazing outcomes. Our "why" is refreshingly simple - we exist to create positive lasting memories in everything we do.

Why You Should Apply

• A strong values-aligned organization where contributions are acknowledged and rewarded, and where 91% of our employees experience a sense of belonging.
• A learning-based culture where 77% of our team believe they can achieve their career objectives.
• Over 95% employee engagement as of our most recent global employee survey.
• 91% of our people actively recommend WD-40 Company as a great place to work.

Do You Align With Our Values?

Please, only consider employment with WD-40 Company if you feel as strongly about our values as we do: We live, breathe, and play by our values every day.

Thank you for considering WD-40 Company in your career search!

#PositiveLastingMemories

At WD-40 Company we foster a culture of inclusion where all individuals are recognized, valued, respected, and experience a sense of belonging. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to individual characteristics that make us unique such as our backgrounds, experiences, qualities, talents, traits, beliefs, and preferences.

#LI-MH1