[Hiring] Director, Data Acquisition @J.D. Power

Role Description

The Director, Data Acquisition leads the strategy, procurement, acquisition, and management of vehicle source data for the Data Operations organization. This role ensures the company has reliable, cost-effective, and scalable access to various types of OEM vehicle data used in the processing of data for JD Power products and analytics solutions.

The Director works closely with Data Operations leadership, Procurement, Legal, Technology, and Commercial teams to oversee data supplier relationships, licensing, sourcing coverage, and supply continuity. The role requires a strategic and proactive approach to data acquisition while maintaining strong governance, cost discipline, and risk mitigation across the data supply ecosystem.

In this role, you will:

• Data Sourcing & Acquisition
  • Lead the sourcing and acquisition strategy for Data Operations, building on its existing network foundation to meet future needs.
  • Identify and evaluate new data sources and various acquisition approaches that improve Data Operations sourcing coverage and operational requirements.
  • Partner with Data Operations and Product leaders to understand evolving data needs and priorities.
  • Make strategic sourcing decisions that balance quality, coverage, cost, and business value.
  • Partner with commercial teams to build strategic relationships at OEMs, expanding Data Operations access to global and digital data streams.
• Team Leadership
  • Lead and develop the data acquisition team, setting clear priorities, goals, and performance expectations.
  • Grow the team's relationship network across data assets, including OEM, data supplier, and digital data relationships.
  • Coach team members on negotiation, supplier management, and governance practices, and build backup coverage for critical supplier relationships.
• Supplier & Licensing Management
  • Manage relationships with external data suppliers and strategic partners.
  • Lead supplier evaluations, contract negotiations, renewals, and performance reviews.
  • Oversee data licensing, usage rights, and contractual obligations.
  • Partner with Procurement, Legal, and Data Governance to ensure effective oversight.
• Supply Management & Resiliency
  • Establish contingency and backup sourcing plans for critical data assets.
  • Monitor supplier risk and develop mitigation strategies to ensure uninterrupted data access.
  • Ensure primary and secondary source coverage for critical data assets.
• Cost & Performance Management
  • Manage data supplier spend and identify opportunities to improve value and efficiency.
  • Develop reporting and performance measures for sourcing, costs, and supplier effectiveness.
  • Provide leadership with clear visibility into data supply risks, opportunities, and investment needs.
• Governance & Continuous Improvement
  • Establish standards and processes for data sourcing, acquisition, and supplier management.
  • Promote consistent practices across all data domains and business areas.
  • Drive continuous improvement to enhance sourcing efficiency, scalability, and effectiveness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Data Management, Technology, Supply Chain, Finance, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in business development, data acquisition, data operations, supplier management, procurement, business operations, or a related discipline, including Director-level leadership.
• Experience leading teams.
• Experience negotiating supplier agreements and managing third-party relationships.
• Working knowledge of data licensing, contracts, governance, and risk management practices.
• Strong financial, analytical, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven ability to influence decisions and drive outcomes across complex organizations.
• Polished presentation and negotiation skills.
• Ability to personally own key supplier relationships while leading a team.

Requirements

• Experience in the automotive industry, dealership operations, automotive finance, or incentive administration.
• Background in Finance, Mathematics, Statistics, Data Analytics, Data Science, Business, or a related field.
• Experience with Microsoft Power Platform, Power Automate, Power BI, Copilot Studio, or similar technologies.
• Experience with SQL, Python, VBA, or other automation and data tools.
• Understanding of regular expressions (RegEx) for data validation and pattern recognition.
• Knowledge of data governance and data quality frameworks.
• Experience developing standard operating procedures and process documentation.
• Customer service or customer support experience.
• Experience participating in process improvement or operational excellence initiatives.

Benefits

• This position has a starting salary range of $121,000 - 141,000 USD / $112,000 - 131,000 CAD.
• Eligible employees may participate in medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, retirement savings programs, paid time off, wellness programs, and other company-sponsored benefits.
• Benefits vary by country and employment status.