Vice President, Enterprise Data Strategy and Business Insights

Whataburger Restaurants•San Antonio, TX

25d

About The Position

Welcome to Whataburger Careers! At Whataburger, we believe data isn’t just numbers—it’s the story of our guests, our teams, and our business. As we continue expanding across the country, we’re introducing a new leadership role to help us turn that story into strategy. We’re looking for a visionary leader who understands the science behind data but thrives in the art of storytelling. Someone who can deliver systems to pull insights out of data, and translate complex insights into clear, compelling narratives that drive action, build alignment, and inspire change. This role isn’t just about building systems—it’s about shaping vision, influencing culture, and connecting people to the power of information. Reporting directly to our CFO, you’ll guide enterprise-wide data initiatives that improve accessibility, elevate consumer insights, and help every team—from Restaurant Operations to Marketing to Finance—make smarter, more confident decisions.

Requirements

10+ years in data strategy, analytics, or business intelligence, with 5+ years in a senior leadership role
Deep expertise in consumer insights and translating data into business impact
Experience in consumer-facing, transaction-driven businesses (QSR or retail preferred)
Strong understanding of data governance, privacy regulations, and enterprise data architecture
Ability to influence without authority and drive change through partnership
Proven track record of developing and mentoring high-performing teams, with a passion for growing others
Skilled at crafting narratives that make data meaningful, memorable, and actionable
Working knowledge of platforms like Snowflake, Informatica, and Dataiku, with the ability to collaborate effectively with technical teams who own and operate these systems
Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), data visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI), and programming languages (SQL, Python, R)
Commercial acumen to quantify ROI and position data as a driver of enterprise value

Nice To Haves

Professional certifications in insights, data governance, or data management
Experience supporting investor relations or valuation narratives
Background in navigating data accessibility challenges and fragmented systems

Responsibilities

Define and champion a company-wide data strategy that aligns with Whataburger’s growth goals and brand values
Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, translating business needs into data-driven opportunities
Use storytelling to make data relatable, actionable, and memorable across all levels of the organization
Lead efforts to unlock deeper insights into guest behavior, preferences, and patterns
Partner with Marketing and Finance to improve forecasting, personalization, and segmentation
Deliver the frequency and relevance of key data points, even when data is fragmented or hard to retrieve
Work alongside the CIO and IT/Data Engineering teams to ensure business needs are reflected in technical priorities and met
Launch a data literacy program that empowers leaders across the Support System and Restaurant Operations
Foster a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and continuous improvement
Lead the development of governance frameworks that ensure data quality, reliability, and compliance (GDPR, CCPA, SOX)
Lead the Data Governance, setting standards and tracking value realization across initiatives
Communicate the business impact of data investments through clear KPIs and quarterly reporting
Evaluate emerging technologies and third-party partnerships that support data accessibility and analytics
Advocate for and lead implementations of scalable solutions that improve data discoverability and usability across the enterprise