Senior Director, Data Architecture

Grade: 061 Department: Information Technology - Data Architecture FLSA Status: Exempt Company Description By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive. Why join Harvard Medical School? Harvard Medical School's mission is to nurture a diverse, inclusive community dedicated to alleviating suffering and improving health and well-being for all through excellence in teaching and learning, discovery and scholarship, and service and leadership. You’ll be at the heart of biomedical discovery, education, and innovation, working alongside world-renowned faculty and a community dedicated to improving human health. This is more than a job - it’s an opportunity to shape the future of medicine.

The Senior Director, Data Architecture is the senior leader accountable for the strategy, design, governance, and delivery of Harvard Medical School's enterprise data ecosystem. Reporting to the Managing Director, Business Systems Architecture, and serving as a member of the Business Systems Architecture leadership team, the Senior Director leads the Data Architecture function — one of the two core functions within Business Systems Architecture, alongside Information Systems — and directs a team of data and solution architecture professionals, including two senior architecture leaders who each manage their own teams The Senior Director owns the multi-year modernization of the HMS data platform — including migration of a large on-premise estate (SQL Server / SSIS Data Lake, Kimball-style Data Mart, and Data Hub, spanning more than 50 data sources) to a cloud-native architecture — and holds decision authority over enterprise data architecture standards, platform and tooling investments, and the associated program budget. Partnering with IT leadership, Institutional Planning & Effectiveness, Faculty Affairs, academic and administrative units, and Harvard University IT, the role ensures that institutional data is governed, integrated, and accessible to support School-wide decision-making. The Senior Director sets the enterprise data architecture standards that HMS data and solution architects follow, aligns priorities across teams, and is accountable for the performance, development, and leadership continuity of the data architecture function. Principal Duties and Responsibilities: Organizational & People Leadership — Lead the Data Architecture function. Directly manage a team of 8 FTEs, including two senior architecture leaders (soli-line) who each lead their own teams. Set direction, allocate work and priorities, manage performance, develop staff, and own succession and leadership continuity for the function. Enterprise Data Architecture Strategy & Standards — Own the strategic direction and end-to-end design of the HMS data ecosystem, ensuring seamless integration across the Data Lake, Data Mart, and Data Hub. Establish and enforce the enterprise data architecture standards, patterns, and delivery practices that govern all HMS data and solution architecture work. Cloud Modernization Program — Direct the strategy, roadmap, business case, and execution of migrating the legacy SQL Server / SSIS estate to a modern, cloud-native, serverless-ETL platform. Make key platform and build/buy decisions and secure funding and executive buy-in. Budget, Vendor & Investment Management — Develop and manage the data architecture program budget; evaluate, select, and manage platform and tooling vendors and the associated investments, ensuring solutions are efficient, scalable, and aligned with institutional priorities. Data