Principal D&A Portfolio & Operations (E6117)-260153:KNW-D80
Description
Job Summary The Principal, D&A Portfolio & Operations is a senior leader within the Data & Analytics organization, accountable for the health, alignment, and execution of the entire D&A portfolio as well as the operational backbone that keeps the organization running. Reporting directly to the Chief Data Officer (CDO), this role drives portfolio-level management across all D&A workstreams while simultaneously orchestrating the day-to-day operations of the function — ensuring teams are aligned to their roadmaps, resourced appropriately, and delivering against enterprise priorities.
This role oversees all contractors and project management staff within D&A, makes leadership decisions on resourcing and project matters, and represents the office of the CDO in engagements with peer IT organizations and business stakeholders. The ideal candidate is equally comfortable managing a complex multi-team portfolio and driving the operational rhythms — staff meetings, executive summaries, planning cycles — that hold a high-performing D&A organization together.
Key Responsibilities
How You Will Make An Impact
Portfolio Management
Own end-to-end visibility and governance of the D&A portfolio, ensuring all initiatives are aligned to strategy, properly sequenced, and delivering measurable value.
Monitor team roadmaps across analytics, data engineering, data governance, and other D&A functions, identifying risks, dependencies, and misalignments early.
Establish and maintain portfolio-level KPIs, health metrics, and reporting that give the CDO and leadership team clear line of sight into delivery and performance.
Drive intake, prioritization, and resource allocation decisions across the portfolio in partnership with the CDO and Director peers.
Ensure cross-team alignment so workstreams are coordinated, dependencies are managed, and teams are reinforcing rather than duplicating each other’s efforts.
Operations & Organizational Leadership
Serve as the operational leader for the D&A organization on behalf of the CDO, ensuring teams have what they need to deliver and removing blockers as they arise.
Oversee and manage all contractors and project management staff within the D&A organization.
Make leadership decisions regarding resourcing, vendor engagement, and project execution in partnership with the CDO.
Plan, facilitate, and drive outcomes from D&A staff meetings, leadership forums, planning sessions, and operating reviews.
Own the development and delivery of D&A Executive Summaries and leadership communications for senior stakeholders.
Stakeholder & Cross-Functional Engagement
Represent the CDO and the D&A Director team in interactions with other IT organizations, business partners, and enterprise governance bodies.
Serve as a trusted liaison between D&A leadership and the broader IT organization, ensuring commitments are clearly understood and met on both sides.
Build strong working relationships with peer Directors inside D&A and across IT to facilitate collaboration and resolve cross-functional issues
Process & Continuous Improvement
Define and continuously improve how the D&A organization plans, prioritizes, communicates, and delivers work.
Standardize project intake, status reporting, escalation, and portfolio review processes across D&A teams.
Champion a culture of transparency, accountability, follow-through, and continuous improvement.
Travel Information
10% Domestic
Qualifications
Education
Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience degree in data/analytics-oriented field, or equivalent experience Req
Master's or other advanced degree Pref
Work Experience
7-10 years 10+ years of progressive experience in data & analytics, IT operations, portfolio or program management, or a related discipline Req
4-7 years 5+ years in a senior leadership role managing cross-functional teams, contractors, or matrixed staff. Req
7-10 years Demonstrated experience leading portfolio management and/or operating in a Chief of Staff or operational leadership capacity within a technology organization. Req
7-10 years Strong understanding of data & analytics functions including data engineering, business intelligence, data governance, and advanced analytics. Req
7-10 years Proven ability to make independent leadership decisions on personnel, vendor, and project matters. Req
7-10 years Excellent executive communication skills — both written (executive summaries, briefings) and verbal (facilitating leadership meetings, representing the office of the CDO). Req
7-10 years Experience managing vendor and contractor relationships at scale. Req
7-10 years Strong organizational and prioritization skills with a bias toward action and accountability. Req
7-10 years PMP, PgMP, or similar project/program management certification. Pref
7-10 years Experience in a large enterprise IT environment. Pref
7-10 years Familiarity with Agile, SAFe, or hybrid delivery methodologies. Req
7-10 years Hands-on experience with portfolio management tools (e.g., Jira, ServiceNow, Planview, Clarity). Req
Skills and Requirements
Functional Abilities
Strong data, AI / data science and technological knowledge, covering recent topics such as data governance, data domains, AI models and techniques, platform, cloud, API, microservices, DevOps, engineering, data security/privacy, BI and analytics
Strong leadership experience in enterprise or cross-functional role
Strong change management leadership; influencing skills with suppliers and customers
Can make tradeoffs in data exchange, usage, partnering, investment based on a risk-back model
Knowledge of start-ups sphere and AI market dynamics
Analytical ability to develop and implement new concepts and tools
Leadership Skills
Broad network in data and analytics community
Effective leader across direct and indirect report structures
High level of personal maturity and natural authority
Ability to deal with decision making processes
Excellent teamwork and ability to galvanize and inspire team
Strong communication and persuasion skills
Personal characteristics
Charismatic people leader, embracing a culture of trust
Entrepreneurial and proactive "can do attitude”
Good measure of creativity and social competence
High energy levels, stress resistance and cultural openness
Other Requirements: As defined in IEEE Policies, individuals currently serving on an IEEE board or committee are not eligible to apply.
PLEASE NOTE: This position is not budgeted for employer-sponsored immigration support, this includes all persons in F (both CPT and OPT), J, H, L, or O status.
For information on work demands and conditions required for this position, please consult the reference document, ADA Requirements. This position is classified under Category I - Office Positions.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. =============================================== Disclaimer: This job description is proprietary to IEEE. It outlines the general nature and key features performed by various positions that share the same job classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties and qualifications required of all employees assigned to the job. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or re-assign duties to this job at any time due to reasonable accommodations or other business reasons. Min: 137,700Max: 202,000