Role Overview for VP, Data Platform Architecture with a Public Retailer – Bentonville, AR
JRG Partners is proud to partner with a globally recognized, publicly traded retail leader in their search for a transformative Vice President of Data Platform Architecture. Located at their corporate headquarters in Bentonville, AR, this is a career-defining opportunity to shape the future of data and analytics for a company that impacts millions of customers daily. As the VP of Data Platform Architecture, you will be the senior-most technology leader responsible for the vision, strategy, and execution of the enterprise-wide data ecosystem. You will inherit a complex environment and be empowered to lead a significant modernization initiative, transitioning the organization towards a state-of-the-art, cloud-native, and AI-ready data platform.
This is not just a technical leadership role; it is a strategic business role. You will be a key partner to the C-suite and business unit leaders, translating complex business challenges into a cohesive and scalable data strategy. Your work will directly influence everything from supply chain optimization and personalized marketing to in-store operations and e-commerce innovation. You will be at the helm of managing petabytes of data, architecting systems that can handle billions of transactions, and building the foundational platform that will unlock the next generation of business insights and artificial intelligence capabilities. The ideal candidate is a visionary with a deep technical background, a proven track record of leading large-scale data transformations, and the executive presence to inspire change across a massive organization. You will be responsible for building and mentoring a world-class team of architects and engineers, fostering a culture of innovation, data-driven decision-making, and engineering excellence. If you are passionate about building platforms that operate at an immense scale and are eager to make a tangible impact on a household name in the retail industry, this role offers an unparalleled challenge and reward.
Key Responsibilities of VP, Data Platform Architecture with a Public Retailer – Bentonville, AR
Strategic Vision & Roadmap Development
Define, articulate, and champion the long-term vision and strategic roadmap for the company’s enterprise data platform. Ensure the data architecture is aligned with overarching business objectives, future growth, and emerging technological trends.
Architectural Leadership & Design
Lead the architectural design and implementation of a highly scalable, resilient, and secure data platform. This includes data lakes, data warehouses, real-time data streaming solutions, and platforms for machine learning and advanced analytics. Make critical decisions on technology stacks, frameworks, and build-versus-buy solutions.
Team Leadership & Talent Development
Build, lead, mentor, and inspire a high-performing, geographically distributed organization of data architects, data engineers, and platform engineers. Foster a collaborative and innovative culture, promoting technical excellence and continuous learning.
Platform Modernization & Transformation
Spearhead the migration from legacy data systems to a modern, cloud-native data architecture on platforms like GCP, AWS, or Azure. Drive the adoption of modern data engineering principles and practices, including concepts related to data mesh architecture to enable federated data ownership and scalability.
Data Governance, Quality, and Security
Establish and enforce robust data governance policies, metadata management practices, and data quality frameworks across the enterprise. Partner with the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to ensure the data platform adheres to the highest standards of security, privacy, and regulatory compliance (e.g., CCPA, GDPR).
Stakeholder Collaboration & Influence
Act as a primary technology partner to executive leadership and business stakeholders. Effectively communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences, building consensus and ensuring data solutions meet the evolving needs of the business.
Operational Excellence & Financial Management
Oversee the operational stability and performance of all data platforms, ensuring high availability and reliability. Develop and manage the annual budget for the data platform organization, optimizing costs and demonstrating a clear return on investment for all technology initiatives.
Innovation and Emerging Technologies
Continuously evaluate and pilot emerging technologies in the data and AI/ML space. Drive innovation by identifying opportunities to leverage new tools and techniques to create a competitive advantage for the business.
Requirements for the VP, Data Platform Architecture with a Public Retailer – Bentonville, AR
Executive Leadership Experience
A minimum of 15 years of progressive experience in technology, with at least 7-10 years in a senior leadership capacity (Director, Senior Director, or VP level) managing large, complex data engineering and architecture teams.
Large-Scale Enterprise Experience
Proven experience leading data initiatives within a large, publicly traded company, preferably in the retail, CPG, or e-commerce sectors. Must be comfortable navigating a complex, matrixed organization.
Deep Technical Expertise
Expert-level knowledge of modern data architecture patterns and principles. Extensive hands-on experience with public cloud data services (e.g., Google BigQuery, AWS Redshift, Azure Synapse) and the modern data stack (e.g., Snowflake, Databricks, Kafka, Spark, Fivetran, dbt).
Proven Transformation Leader
Demonstrated success in leading at least one major end-to-end data platform modernization project, including migrating from on-premise, legacy systems to a cloud-based architecture.
Strong Business Acumen
Ability to understand and articulate how data platform investments drive tangible business value. Experience in financial planning, budget management, and vendor negotiations for a large technology organization.
Exceptional Communication Skills
World-class written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present to and influence C-level executives, board members, and large technical audiences with confidence and clarity.
Educational Background
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related technical field is required. An MBA or other advanced degree is a plus.
Strategic Mindset
Must be a strategic thinker who can balance long-term vision with short-term execution and delivery. Ability to anticipate future business needs and proactively design scalable solutions.
Benefits & Perks Offered
Our client is committed to investing in their employees and offers a comprehensive executive compensation and benefits package designed to attract and retain top talent. This includes:
Executive Compensation
A highly competitive base salary, a significant annual performance-based bonus, and a substantial long-term equity incentive package (RSUs).
Comprehensive Health & Wellness
Premier medical, dental, and vision insurance plans for you and your dependents. Access to wellness programs, mental health resources, and fitness center reimbursements.
Retirement & Financial Planning
A best-in-class 401(k) retirement plan with a generous company match, an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), and access to financial planning services.
Work-Life Balance
A generous paid time off (PTO) policy, paid company holidays, and flexible scheduling options to support a healthy work-life integration.
Relocation Assistance
A comprehensive, executive-level relocation package is available for the selected candidate and their family to move to the vibrant Bentonville, AR area.
Professional Development
A significant budget for continuous learning, including attendance at industry conferences, executive education programs, certifications, and workshops.
Additional Perks
Generous employee discounts on company products and services, parental leave, and various other corporate benefits.
How to Apply
This is an exclusive search being conducted by JRG Partners. If you are a transformative data leader with the experience and vision to lead a world-class data organization, we encourage you to apply. To be considered for this confidential opportunity, please submit your resume and a cover letter outlining your qualifications and interest in the role.
JRG Partners is a leader in executive search for technology and data professionals. To learn more about our expertise in this domain, please visit the homepage for JRG Partners’ Data & Analytics practice. We look forward to connecting with you.
Our client is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.
