Head of Data Operations

Sun King

2d • Remote

About The Position

Sun King is seeking a servant-leader to serve as the Head of Data Operations. This role acts as the data equivalent of Product Ops in a software organization, focusing on enablement and systems design. You will oversee the Data Academy, which serves as our internal residency for elite data talent and functions as the primary Data Desk for the organization. As the Head of Data Operations, you will lead a team of regional Data Operations Leads across Kenya and India. The ideal candidate is a practitioner who finds professional reward in building systems that empower others to do great work. You likely have experience building internal training programs at a global consultancy, managing technical enablement at a high-growth company, or leading pedagogical delivery at a technical institution like Moringa School or Andela.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a technical or pedagogical field such as Computer Science, Data Science, or Education.
• 6–8 years of experience in data, with at least 3 years as a senior practitioner and significant experience in a technical training, enablement, or "skip-level" management role.
• Expert-level command of SQL and LookML, with a deep understanding of AWS-based environments including Redshift, S3, and Glue.
• A track record of prioritizing the growth and competence of a team over personal technical accolades.
• Experience managing service queues and designing scalable training or recruitment workflows.

Nice To Haves

• Experience building internal training programs at a global consultancy
• Managing technical enablement at a high-growth company
• Leading pedagogical delivery at a technical institution like Moringa School or Andela

Responsibilities

• Manage the Talent Pipeline: Oversee the rotation curriculum and technical onboarding systems that transform entry-level graduates into high-impact Analysts and Analytics Engineers. You will empower your Data Operations Leads to execute this curriculum daily.
• Strategic Recruitment: Lead the selection and onboarding of regional Data Operations Leads and oversee the data-driven recruitment engine used to filter high-volume campus applications and secure top-tier talent.
• Define Technical Standards: Establish the Sun King Data Standard, ensuring every graduate masters SQL, LookML, and the business logic required for specialized roles.
• Global Operational Flow and Data Desk Management Service Accountability: Set the global strategy for the Data Desk. While your regional Leads manage daily ticket assignments, you are responsible for overall SLA performance, quality of output, and the health of escalation pathways.
• Operationalize Quality: Partner with the Data Product team to define high-level SOPs. You will guide your Data Operations Leads in testing these procedures to ensure they are realistic for the junior workforce.
• Systemic Automation: Lead the transition of manual tasks into automated self-service tools by working with the Engineering Hub. Your goal is to provide the Data Product team with high-quality assets that reduce the support burden on the desk.
• Management of Regional Leads: Provide mentorship and professional development to the Data Operations Leads. You will ensure they are utilizing their squads effectively and maintaining technical rigor across all cohorts.
• Hands-On Mentorship: While your focus is on the system, you will remain close to the technical work. You will not build executive dashboards daily, but you will oversee their development and get involved in troubleshooting and fixing code when pipelines or logic fail.
• Empowerment over Centralization: Success is measured by the speed at which you graduate talent and how effectively you enable the Data Product team to deploy new tools through the Data Ops infrastructure.

Benefits

• Professional growth in a dynamic, rapidly expanding, high-social-impact industry
• An open-minded, collaborative culture made up of enthusiastic colleagues who are driven by the challenge of innovation towards profound impact on people and the planet.
• A truly multicultural experience: you will have the chance to work with and learn from people from different geographies, nationalities, and backgrounds.
• Structured, tailored learning and development programs that help you become a better leader, manager, and professional through the Sun King Center for Leadership.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level