Head of Enterprise Data Architecture & Cloud Modernization

Harvard University; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Retirement plans

Wellbeing resources

Tuition assistance

Commuter benefits

Job summary

Harvard Medical School seeks a Senior Director, Data Architecture to lead the strategy, design, governance, and delivery of HMS’s enterprise data ecosystem. You will direct a team of data and solution architects and oversee a multi‑year modernization from on‑prem to cloud‑native architectures, enabling data‑driven decision making across HMS.

The role sets standards, manages budgets and vendor investments, governs data and MDM, and partners with senior leaders to translate business needs into

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Information Systems, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in data architecture, data engineering, or enterprise data management.
• Demonstrated experience leading at least one full‑scale enterprise cloud migration.
• Expert‑level experience transitioning legacy on‑prem systems to cloud‑native architectures with serverless ETL.
• Deep roots in SQL Server and Kimball methodology (star schemas, dimensional modeling).
• Proven track record managing Data Hubs or ODS environments that feed high‑volume data to external ERPs, CRMs, and academic systems.
• Experience moving away from traditional SSIS toward modern orchestration tools, and implementing or managing Master Data Management (MDM) solutions.
• Demonstrated experience owning program budgets and vendor/tooling investment decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex technical solutions into business‑relevant insights for non‑technical stakeholders, while also providing hands‑on technical guidance to engineering teams.
• Understanding of the unique data privacy and availability needs of a top‑tier teaching and medical research institution.
• Excellent communication, presentation, collaboration, and networking skills.

Responsibilities

• Organizational & People Leadership — Lead the Data Architecture function. Directly manage a team of 8 FTEs, including two senior architecture leaders (soli‑line) who each lead their own teams. Set direction, allocate work and priorities, manage performance, develop staff, and own succession and leadership continuity for the function.
• Enterprise Data Architecture Strategy & Standards — Own the strategic direction and end‑to‑end design of the HMS data ecosystem, ensuring seamless integration across the Data Lake, Data Mart, and Data Hub. Establish and enforce the enterprise data architecture standards, patterns, and delivery practices that govern all HMS data and solution architecture work.
• Cloud Modernization Program — Direct the strategy, roadmap, business case, and execution of migrating the legacy SQL Server / SSIS estate to a modern, cloud‑native, serverless‑ETL platform. Make key platform and build/buy decisions and secure funding and executive buy‑in.
• Budget, Vendor & Investment Management — Develop and manage the data architecture program budget; evaluate, select, and manage platform and tooling vendors and the associated investments, ensuring solutions are efficient, scalable, and aligned with institutional priorities.
• Data Governance & Mastering (MDM) — Define and enforce enterprise data governance, master data management, retention, and security policy in partnership with HMS Information Security, ensuring a single source of truth for institutional data across a fragmented landscape.
• Stakeholder & Institutional Engagement — Serve as the School's senior advisor on data architecture to senior administrators and faculty, translating institutional strategy and complex business requirements into technical roadmaps and priorities.
• Standards, Documentation & Continuous Improvement — Maintain the enterprise data architecture documentation library and continuously evaluate and evolve enterprise data systems, tools, and analytics capabilities as the environment scales.

Skills

Data architecture

Cloud migration

Leadership

Stakeholder management

SQL Server

Kimball methodology

MDM

Budget management

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Information Systems

Job description

Harvard Medical School seeks a Senior Director, Data Architecture to lead the strategy, design, governance, and delivery of HMS’s enterprise data ecosystem. You will direct a team of data and solution architects and oversee a multi‑year modernization from on‑prem to cloud‑native architectures, enabling data‑driven decision making across HMS.

The role sets standards, manages budgets and vendor investments, governs data and MDM, and partners with senior leaders to translate business needs into