Job description
For over two decades, BrainPOP has been trusted by educators and parents worldwide as a source of engaging and impactful learning experiences for all kids. With a presence in over two-thirds of U.S. districts through school and district subscriptions and an estimated annual reach of 25 million students, BrainPOP is empowering kids to take agency over their learning and excel in and out of the classroom.
The company was acquired in 2022 by KIRKBI, the family-owned holding and investment company of the LEGO brand, marking a significant milestone as their first acquisition in the digital learning realm. We are thrilled to continue making learning fun and accessible with the strategic guidance and support of KIRKBI.
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced and visionary Senior Director, Data and Analytics to lead our data organization. You’ll define and execute our enterprise data strategy, build our next-generation data infrastructure, and use data-driven insights to guide strategic decisions.
You’ll oversee the entire data lifecycle, from designing and implementing robust data pipelines and architecture to developing and delivering high-quality analytics products and actionable insights. This role requires deep technical expertise in data engineering, modeling, and visualization, strong leadership in building and managing high-performing teams, and the ability to integrate AI enablement with a strategic mindset to translate complex data into impactful business outcomes. You’ll also partner with key stakeholders across the organization.
This role may be based in our NYC HQ, or remotely in one of our approved hiring states (see below). Eastern time zone is preferred. Travel to NYC HQ may be required quarterly, or more frequently as dictated by business need.
In This Role, You Will
- Data Strategy & Vision: Develop and execute our enterprise data strategy, ensuring effective data capture, storage, analysis, and utilization. Communicate vision, roadmap, and insights to the company, presenting complex data clearly to senior management. Identify opportunities to leverage data for competitive advantage and enable an AI-driven strategy for commercial and internal teams. Continuously evaluate and recommend new data capabilities and tools.
- Data Engineering & Architecture: Lead the design, build, and maintenance of scalable, efficient, and reliable data pipelines and architecture. Own the entire data flow from applications to data warehouse and dashboards. Define new metrics, model datasets, and implement access and governance rules. Ensure compliance with data privacy and security regulations.
- Analytics & Insights Delivery: Provide high-quality datasets and analytics reporting to drive company goals. Partner with business functions to understand needs, prioritize solutions, and deliver data-driven insights that steer strategy. Utilize statistical analysis, data mining, and machine learning for valuable insights. Oversee data assets and products, fostering a data culture built on AI-forward data fluency and self-service analytics.
- Leadership & Team Management: Lead, mentor, and upskill a high-performing data engineering and analytics team, fostering data-driven decision-making and continuous learning. Build high-trust relationships with partners and lead change management. Manage external vendors for system implementation and integration.
You Are
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with understanding of statistical and machine learning techniques.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, able to convey complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
- Strong business acumen and ability to translate data insights into actionable recommendations using visualization and storytelling.
- Willingness to be hands-on when needed.
On Your Resume
- Bachelor’s or Master’s in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Business Administration, Information Systems, or a related quantitative field. MBA is a plus.
- 10+ years progressive experience in data analytics and management, with a strong focus on strategic leadership and project delivery.
- 5+ years in a leadership or managerial role, building high-performing data teams.
- Proven ability to inform and execute an Enterprise analytics data management strategy.
- Extensive knowledge of database schemas, data dictionaries, field mappings, data sensitivity, data security, data flows, and process analysis.
- Fluent in SQL, Python, R, and BI tools like Looker, Tableau, or Power BI.
- AI-forward leader with experience leveraging AI capabilities for scale and optimization.
- Experience designing, building, shipping, and maintaining efficient, reliable data pipelines and models (Snowflake preferred).
- Experience with cloud architecture (AWS preferred) and data orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow). Streaming data platforms (Kafka, Kinesis) are a plus.
- Experience with IT governance, compliance, and risk management.
- Experience in SaaS a strong plus.
Location
The BrainPOP team operates in a hybrid work environment: Each role has remote flexibility and an in-person component at our New York headquarters or other meeting locations. Based on the requirements of a specific position, we may prioritize hiring within a commutable distance of our New York headquarters or in another region relevant to that role.
We can employ individuals residing in the following approved hiring states*:
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Massachusetts
- Missouri
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Texas
#LI-Remote
We take a geo-neutral approach to compensation within the US, meaning that we pay based on job function and level, not location. We have competitive pay bands for all other countries based on market standards. Individual compensation decisions are based on a number of factors, including experience level, skill set, and balancing internal equity relative to peers at the company. Based on these factors, we expect most of the candidates offered roles at our company to fall healthily throughout the range. We recognize that the person we hire may be less experienced (or more senior) than this job description, as posted. If so, the updated salary range will be communicated to you as a candidate.
USA Pay Scale
$170,000—$215,000 USD
Life at BrainPOP
At BrainPOP, our work directly impacts how teachers teach and students learn. They inspire us to build solutions that facilitate joy and meaningful learning outcomes. Our commitment to educators and kids is reflected in our dedication to the BrainPOP team: ensuring their experience is empowering, creative, collaborative, playful, and anchored in learning and growth.
Our team is made up of educators, data scientists, published authors, engineers, artists, bakers, film buffs, cyclists, dual citizens, and so much more. We value diversity and inclusion, collaboration, and learning from multiple perspectives.
We believe that a diverse organization is a more effective organization. BrainPOP is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
NOTICE: We have become aware of various fraudulent websites and third parties impersonating our company and offering false job opportunities. These offers are not affiliated with BrainPOP and are considered part of an unlawful recruitment scam. To ensure your safety and protect your personal information we strongly recommend that you only apply for positions through the official BrainPOP website or BrainPOP’s official LinkedIn page. If you receive any job offers or communications that do not originate from this page or our official e-mail domain brainpop.com, please treat them as suspicious and do not engage or provide any personal information. For any questions or to report suspicious activity, please contact us directly at [email protected]. While we have reported this general fraud to the authorities, you can report this fraud on your own behalf to the Federal Trade Commission (https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’ s Internet Crime Complaint Center (https://www.ic3.gov/).
