Executive Director, Data, AI & Collaboration Services

Kardigan•Princeton, NJ

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

Kardigan is a heart health company focused on making cardiovascular disease preventable and curable. The Executive Director, Data Strategy, AI & Collaboration is a pivotal role responsible for defining and driving the company's approach to leveraging data, artificial intelligence, and modern collaboration technologies as strategic assets. This leader will own the end-to-end roadmap for these domains, with a strong emphasis on Data and AI, ensuring collaboration platforms enhance the effectiveness of scientific, clinical, and business teams. Operating within the IT department, this individual will be the foremost internal expert on data-driven decision-making and AI-enabled innovation, translating ambition into measurable capabilities. The role requires both visionary leadership and hands-on execution, building programs from the ground up and influencing without large teams in a resource-efficient manner. This is an opportunity to shape the data and AI foundation of a patient-focused company.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required in Computer Science, Data Science, Bioinformatics, Engineering, or a related quantitative discipline.
12+ years of progressive experience in data, analytics, or technology leadership.
Minimum of 5 years at the Director level or above in a life science, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or medical device company.
Demonstrated track record of building and executing enterprise data strategy and governance programs in a GxP-regulated environment.
Firsthand knowledge of FDA 21 CFR Part 11, ICH E6(R2), and data integrity principles.
Proven experience architecting and delivering cloud-based data platforms at scale.
Hands-on proficiency with at least one major platform (e.g. Snowflake, Databricks, Azure Synapse, AWS, or GCP equivalent).
Direct experience implementing AI and machine learning solutions in a life sciences context, including model validation, documentation, and governance in a regulated setting.
Deep familiarity with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem and enterprise collaboration platforms.
Track record of operating effectively in fast-paced, lean, resource-constrained organizations; comfortable as a builder and an operator simultaneously.
Demonstrated executive presence and ability to influence C-suite, board members, and cross-functional senior stakeholders.
Strategic vision paired with operational execution.
Deep technical depth in data engineering, ML/AI, and cloud architecture.
Exceptional communication and storytelling skills; able to translate technical complexity into compelling executive narratives.
Entrepreneurial mindset with high tolerance for ambiguity and a bias for action.
Collaborative leadership style; builds trust quickly across diverse functions and seniority levels.
Strong business acumen — understands how data and AI investments connect to pipeline value, competitive differentiation, and patient outcomes.
Unwavering commitment to responsible AI, data ethics, patient privacy, and regulatory compliance.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (M.S., Ph.D., or MBA) strongly preferred.
Experience with clinical data standards (CDISC, SDTM, ADaM) and integration of clinical trial data into enterprise analytics platforms.
Hands-on familiarity with generative AI platforms (Azure OpenAI Service, AWS Bedrock, Anthropic Claude API) and validated deployment in a regulated environment.
Knowledge of Veeva Vault (eTMF, RIM, QualityDocs), CTMS, LIMS, or ELN systems and their data integration patterns.
Experience with real-world data (RWD) and real-world evidence (RWE) platforms and their applications in drug development and commercial strategy.
Exposure to federated data architectures, data mesh, or data fabric patterns in a multi-site or multi-partner setting.
Familiarity with emerging AI regulatory frameworks including FDA's AI/ML-Based Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) guidance and the EU AI Act.
Prior experience in a company scaling from clinical stage through commercial launch.

Responsibilities

Develop and own the enterprise data strategy, roadmap, and governance framework.
Architect and implement a scalable, cloud-native data platform, including data lake, data warehouse, and data mesh components.
Establish enterprise-wide data standards, ontologies, master data management (MDM) practices, and metadata management.
Define and enforce data governance policies, access controls, and stewardship programs in compliance with relevant regulatory frameworks.
Partner with Legal, Regulatory Affairs and Quality to ensure data integrity requirements are embedded by design.
Build the organizational capabilities (processes, roles, tools, and culture) needed to sustain data excellence.
Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive AI strategy.
Establish the company's AI/ML platform, including infrastructure for model development, validation, deployment, monitoring, and retraining.
Drive the responsible adoption of Generative AI, including large language models (LLMs) and multimodal models.
Build and maintain an AI governance framework encompassing model validation, explainability, bias detection, and human oversight.
Identify and manage strategic partnerships with AI vendors and technology providers.
Champion a culture of data literacy and AI fluency; develop internal training programs and communities of practice.
Stay ahead of the rapidly evolving AI landscape and provide executive-level counsel.
Own the strategy, architecture, and roadmap for enterprise collaboration platforms, including Microsoft 365 / Teams and SharePoint Online.
Drive platform consolidation, rationalization, and integration.
Lead change management and adoption programs for collaboration platforms.
Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the VP, Head of IT, and functional leaders on data, AI, and digital innovation topics.
Build, lead, and develop a high-performing team, leveraging a hybrid model of employees, managed service providers, and strategic partners.
Define OKRs, KPIs, and value metrics for the Data, AI & Collaboration portfolio.
Own the budget, vendor relationships, and contract governance for the portfolio.
Collaborate closely with IT Operations and Solution Delivery peers to ensure architectural coherence, cybersecurity alignment, and integration.
Represent Kardigan in external forums, industry consortia, and regulatory advisory groups.