Director - Enterprise Data Architect

Ziff Davis•Dallas, TX

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Enterprise Data Architect is a director level role within Ookla’s Chief Data & Analytics Office responsible for defining and maintaining the enterprise data architecture, standards, models, and design patterns that form the foundation for trusted data, analytics, AI, and data products across Ookla. This role reports directly to the VP of Data Architecture. This role will translate business and technology priorities into scalable data designs, maintain enterprise data models and reference structures, support architecture reviews and integration needs, and guide modernization of the data landscape. Working across product, engineering, analytics, governance, and platform teams, the Enterprise Data Architect will help ensure Ookla’s data ecosystem is consistent, interoperable, secure, and positioned for long-term growth. This position operates in a hybrid work environment and includes approximately 25% travel to support stakeholder engagement, architecture planning, technology alignment, and team collaboration.

Requirements

Deep expertise in enterprise data architecture, data modeling, data engineering, cloud platforms, and modern data ecosystems.
Strong understanding of canonical modeling, reference data structures, metadata, lineage, APIs, integration patterns, and batch and streaming architectures.
Experience defining data architecture standards, reference architectures, and design guidelines in complex, data-intensive organizations.
Proven ability to modernize data landscapes, simplify platforms, improve interoperability, and reduce technical debt.
Familiarity with data governance, data quality, privacy, security, data lifecycle management, and enterprise architecture practices.
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence both technical and business audiences.
Strategic and pragmatic mindset with the ability to balance architectural rigor, delivery speed, operational reliability, and business value.
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, Data Management, or a related field.
10+ years of experience in data architecture, data modeling, data engineering, enterprise architecture, or related technology disciplines.
Experience designing and governing enterprise-scale data models, integration patterns, and cloud-based data platforms.
Experience partnering with engineering, platform, analytics, governance, and product teams to deliver data architecture outcomes.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree preferred.
Relevant certifications in cloud platforms, enterprise architecture, data modeling, data engineering, or data management are preferred.

Responsibilities

Define and maintain Ookla’s enterprise data architecture principles, standards, reference architectures, and design patterns.
Develop and steward enterprise data models, canonical definitions, schema standards, and reference data structures.
Translate business, product, analytics, and engineering needs into scalable data designs and integration patterns.
Support architecture reviews, solution design, and integration decisions to ensure interoperability, reliability, security, and performance.
Modernize the data landscape by simplifying data structures, reducing technical debt, and retiring obsolete data patterns where appropriate.
Guide technology choices related to data storage, processing, integration, APIs, metadata, and data services.
Ensure data architecture aligns with governance, data quality, privacy, security, lifecycle management, and enterprise standards.
Provide hands-on architectural leadership, documentation, and mentorship to data engineers, modelers, analysts, and technical stakeholders.