[Hiring] Head of Data Platform & AI @Octave

Role Description

Octave is looking for a Head of Data Platform & AI to lead the technical vision and execution across our data platform and emerging AI, machine learning, and Data Science capabilities. This role will own and evolve Octave’s data and AI/ML technical foundation, set the technical/strategic direction for AI/ML in close partnership with Product and cross-functional business leaders, and build the team required to execute that vision as Octave grows.

This is a leadership role for a builder. While you will set strategy, lead the team, and operate as a senior cross-functional partner, you will remain close to the technology and be expected to contribute directly to architecture, prototypes, technical evaluation, and difficult engineering problems. You will initially lead a Data Platform team and work closely with Product, Engineering, Analytics, and business leaders across Octave.

Management Responsibilities

• Develops, coordinates, and implements systems, policies, procedures, and productivity standards.
• Provide leadership and guidance to the team, ensuring the achievement of goals and objectives.
• Foster a positive and collaborative work environment.
• Oversee the planning, execution, and completion of projects and initiatives within the team.
• Establish and monitor operational processes and workflows to enhance efficiency and productivity.
• Streamline operational processes, enhance efficiency, and improve overall organizational performance.
• Implement best practices, monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), and develop strategies to achieve operational excellence.
• Ensures a safe, secure, and compliant work environment.
• Accomplishes staff results by communicating job expectations; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results.
• Build and manage a high-performing team, including hiring, training, and development.
• Provide leadership to the team, including setting goals, providing guidance, and ensuring the team's overall success.
• Set performance expectations and goals for team members. Conduct regular performance evaluations, provide feedback, and address performance issues.
• Identify skill gaps within the team and develop strategies for filling those gaps. Support employee development through training, mentoring, and coaching. Identify high-potential employees and create succession plans.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Define Octave’s Data & AI Technical Vision.
• Develop and own the technical strategy and roadmap for Octave’s data platform and AI/ML capabilities.
• Own company-level KPIs spanning Octave's AI/ML and Data Platform areas.
• Partner closely with Product and cross-functional leaders to identify where AI, machine learning, and Data Science can create meaningful customer and business value.
• Serve as Octave’s senior technical leader and thought partner on data, AI, ML, and Data Science.
• Help Product, Engineering, and business leaders evaluate opportunities, understand technical feasibility and tradeoffs.
• Develop a clear point of view on where traditional machine learning, predictive modeling, generative AI, LLM-based systems, and other approaches are appropriate.
• Establish principles for when Octave should build capabilities internally, leverage third-party platforms or models, or partner externally.
• Balance near-term delivery with the foundational investments required to support Octave’s longer-term strategy.
• Establish the technical capabilities required to develop, evaluate, deploy, monitor, and continuously improve production AI and machine-learning systems.
• Work with Product and business leaders to translate promising AI/ML opportunities into well-defined technical initiatives.
• Ensure AI/ML initiatives are grounded in clear customer or business outcomes.
• Guide technical experimentation and prototyping to validate opportunities before making significant investments.
• Establish rigorous approaches to model and system evaluation, experimentation, observability, feedback loops, governance, privacy, security, and responsible AI.
• Determine the Data Science, ML Engineering, and Applied AI capabilities Octave needs over time.
• Own the architecture and evolution of Octave’s centralized data platform.
• Ensure the platform is reliable, scalable, observable, secure, and straightforward for downstream consumers to use.
• Establish strong engineering practices around data quality, testing, lineage, documentation, monitoring, and reliability.
• Build scalable interfaces and data products that enable analysts, Product, Engineering, and other teams to work effectively with trusted data.
• Make pragmatic architectural and technology decisions that balance scalability and technical quality.
• Avoid unnecessary complexity and ensure platform investments are justified by real customer, product, or business needs.
• Treat analysts embedded within Octave’s product and business organizations as key customers and partners of the Data Platform.
• Partner with analysts and their leaders to understand common needs, remove technical bottlenecks, and improve access to reliable and well-modeled data.
• Establish shared technical standards, platform capabilities, and ownership models.
• Create clear ownership boundaries between the centralized Data Platform organization and embedded analytics teams.
• Build foundational data capabilities that allow analysts to spend more time generating insights.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the existing Data Platform team while remaining close to the technical work.
• Continuously assess the technical capabilities required to execute Octave’s evolving data and AI strategy.
• Develop existing team members and recruit exceptional external talent when specialized skills or experience are missing internally.
• Proactively identify capability gaps rather than scaling the organization through headcount alone.
• Build additional specialized capabilities—including Data Science, ML Engineering, Applied AI, or other disciplines.
• Determine when capabilities should live centrally, be embedded within Product or Engineering teams, or operate through another organizational model.
• Develop strong technical leaders and individual contributors.
• Stay sufficiently close to the technology to provide credible technical leadership.
• Dive into system design, architecture, data modeling, prototypes, code, technical evaluations, or production issues.
• Personally engage with emerging AI/ML technologies enough to develop an informed point of view.
• Serve as a technical thought partner to Data Platform engineers, Product engineers, analysts, and senior company leadership.
• Set a high technical bar while empowering the team to own execution.
• Use technical depth to simplify problems and help the company avoid both underinvestment and unnecessary overengineering.

Required Skills

• Strong technical foundation and prior experience as a highly capable individual contributor before moving into leadership.
• Strong understanding of traditional machine-learning and Data Science approaches and newer AI capabilities.
• Strong judgment around build-versus-buy decisions.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to move fluidly between detailed technical discussions and conversations with senior business and product leaders.
• Comfortable operating in a small, fast-moving organization.

Education & Experience

• 8+ years of experience building and leading data platform, data engineering, Data Science, ML, or AI capabilities in high-growth technology environments.
• Demonstrated experience architecting and building modern data platforms and production data systems.
• Meaningful experience applying machine learning and/or AI to real-world product or business problems.
• Experience partnering closely with Product teams to identify and deliver technically sophisticated product capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to diagnose organizational capability gaps, build new technical capabilities, and recruit senior, specialized technical talent.

Company Values

• We’re human beings first.
• People deserve better than status quo.
• No bystanders. No stars. No tourists.
• Partnership paves the path ahead.
• Quality is crucial at scale.
• Progress is a process.
• There are people behind every data point.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to frequently communicate with others through virtual meeting applications.
• Must be able to observe and communicate information on company provided laptop.
• Move up to 10 pounds on occasion.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship now or in the future.

Compensation, Equity & Incentives

• Base Salary Range: $239,300 – $280,000 depending on location.
• Performance Bonus: This role is not currently eligible for bonus incentives.
• Equity Awards: This role is eligible to participate in Octave’s equity program via Stock Options.
• Remote Work Stipend: New full-time employees receive a $300 equipment reimbursement.
• Internet & Phone Reimbursement: Up to $75 for internet and cell phone related expenses.

Comprehensive Benefits

• Health & Wellness: Choose from HDHP and PPO medical plan options, plus comprehensive Dental and Vision coverage.
• Medical Support: Access to a company-sponsored membership with One Medical.
• Retirement: 401(k) that offers both traditional and Roth options.
• Paid Time Off: Up to 15 paid company holidays and accrued sick time.
• Financial Protection: Company-paid Life, AD&D, and Disability insurance.
• Parental Leave: Paid bonding leave after 6 months for new baby, adoption, or foster placement.
• Growth: Professional development reimbursement for role-related growth opportunities.

Application Instructions

Please complete the following application. The U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Information questions are optional to complete.