Vice President, Data Architecture

HNI•Muscatine, IA

42d

About The Position

HNI Corporation is a global family of brands for the workplace and home dedicated to enhancing the spaces where we live, work, and gather. We pride ourselves on fostering an environment where we make a positive impact on others; upholding our beliefs in integrity, inclusion and belonging. The Vice President, Data Architecture is a strategic and hands-on leadership role responsible for defining and executing the enterprise data strategy and architecture within a manufacturing environment. Reporting directly to the CIO, this role ensures that data architectures and platforms enable business outcomes while being scalable, secure, and aligned with the broader IT landscape. The VP, Data Architecture will drive data enablement and standards, ensure compliance with privacy and security regulations, and collaborate closely with IT counterparts to support current and future business needs. It is expected this role will have direct reports but also requires a willingness to dive deep into data architecture and actively contribute to implementation efforts.

Requirements

Bachelor's (required) or Master's degree (preferred) in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, or a related field.
12+ years of progressive experience in data architecture, data governance, or enterprise data management for large-scale enterprise solutions.
Strong business knowledge and understanding of value drivers within manufacturing environment.
Proven experience designing and implementing scalable, enterprise-grade data architectures in complex IT environments.
Strong knowledge of data enablement approaches and data product delivery.
Hands-on experience integrating and architecting data solutions across major enterprise platforms, preferably including: ERP systems such as Oracle E-Business Suite, Oracle Cloud ERP, and SAP S/4HANA. CRM platforms such as Salesforce.com, including Sales and Service towers. CPQ solutions (Oracle, Infor) with a focus on data modeling and integration. PLM systems (e.g., Siemens Teamcenter, PTC Windchill, Oracle Agile PLM) and their role in product data lifecycle.
Deep knowledge of data modeling, master data management (MDM), metadata management, and data integration best practices.
Strong understanding of data privacy, security, and regulatory compliance (e.g., GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA).
Experience with cloud-based and modern data platforms and tools (e.g., Snowflake, Databricks, ADLS, Azure Synapse, Informatica).
Strong leadership and communication skills with the ability to influence across business and technical teams at all levels of the organization.
Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor teams while also being hands-on and detail-oriented.
Experience working in Agile and DevOps environments.

Responsibilities

Set and execute the enterprise data strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals and IT architecture.
Design and implement enterprise-wide data architecture that supports quality, scalability, security, performance, and integration with IT systems in a manufacturing context.
Lead adoption of modern data principles including Data Mesh, data products, and federated governance.
Be a strategic advisor, collaborate with business team members and IT solution architects to understand business problems and ensure data architecture provides desired outcomes.
Partner closely with the VP of Decision Science, Data Engineering, and BI to enhance and evolve our data infrastructure, analytics ecosystem, and tooling to expand enterprise-wide data capabilities.
Ensure data architecture aligns with application and infrastructure strategies.
Evaluate and recommend tools, platforms, and technologies to support data enablement and data product delivery.
Establish and enforce data governance frameworks, policies, and standards across the organization.
Define and maintain data quality, metadata, and master data management practices.
Ensure compliance with data privacy and security regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA).
Identify opportunities to leverage data for business insights, innovation, and operational efficiency.
As the team develops, lead and mentor a small team of data architects, engineers, and master data management professionals.
Foster a culture of data stewardship and literacy across the organization.
Dive deep into data architecture and modeling when needed.
Provide technical leadership and guidance on complex data challenges.
Lead by example in both strategic thinking and tactical execution.