Vice President - Head of Data Platforms

Location Designation: Hybrid - 3 days per week 

Our New York Life culture has laid the foundation for over 180 years of commitment to our employees, agents, policy owners, and the communities where we live and work. Here you become a valued part of a welcoming, inclusive, and caring organization with a long-standing legacy in stability and growth. The strength revolves around our diversified, multi-dimensional business portfolio that goes beyond life insurance.

As a Fortune 100 company and industry leader, we provide an environment where you can explore your career ambitions, offering opportunities to tackle meaningful challenges and stretch your skills while balancing work and life priorities.  You will be part of an inclusive team guided by our belief to always be there for each other–providing the support and flexibility to grow and reach new heights while making an impact in the lives of others.

You are our future, and we commit to investing in you accordingly. 

Join Strategic Capabilities and collaborate with a winning team developing and executing game-changing business strategies, informed by cutting-edge data and competitive insights. Fuel business growth through smart acquisitions, innovative partnerships, and impactful technology integration. Leverage AI and strategic data management to bring ideas to life, all while ensuring effective governance and project management.

Role Overview:
The VP of Data Platform Engineering will lead the design, development, and scaling of enterprise-grade data platforms that power analytics, machine learning, AI, and business intelligence across the organization. This role requires a visionary leader who can balance technical excellence with business strategy while building and inspiring high-performing engineering teams.

What You’ll Do:

Strategic Leadership
• Define and execute the long-term technical vision and roadmap for data platform architecture
• Partner with C-suite executives and business stakeholders to align data platform capabilities with business objectives
• Drive platform strategy decisions including build vs. buy, technology stack selection, and architectural patterns
• Establish data platform standards, governance frameworks, and best practices across the organization
• Lead digital transformation initiatives and modernization of legacy data systems

Engineering Excellence
• Oversee the design and implementation of scalable, reliable, and secure data platforms
• Champion engineering best practices including CI/CD, infrastructure as code, observability, and automated testing
• Drive platform strategy to support core insurance functions including underwriting, claims, actuarial analysis, and agent operations
• Enable advanced analytics for risk assessment, fraud detection, and customer lifetime value optimization
• Lead technical architecture reviews and technology evaluation processes

Team Leadership & Development
• Build, lead, and mentor a diverse team of data engineers, platform engineers, and technical managers
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning
• Develop talent pipeline through strategic hiring, succession planning, and career development programs
Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Collaborate with VP of Analytics, VP of Data Science, and CTO to deliver integrated data solutions
• Partner with Product Management to translate business requirements into technical solutions
• Work closely with Engineering teams across the organization to enable data-driven product development
• Engage with external partners, vendors, and technology communities to stay current with industry trends

What You’ll Bring:
• 15+ years of progressive experience in data engineering, platform engineering, or related technical fields
• 8+ years in senior leadership roles managing large engineering organizations
• Proven track record of scaling data platforms at high-growth companies or enterprises
• Experience leading digital transformation and cloud migration initiatives
• Background in both startup and enterprise environments preferred
Technical Expertise
• Deep expertise in modern data stack technologies (Spark, Kafka, Airflow, dbt, Databricks, etc.)
• Strong knowledge of AWS cloud platform and infrastructure automation
• Experience with containerization, microservices, and distributed systems architecture
• Familiarity with machine learning platforms and MLOps practices
• Background with real-time data processing and streaming analytics
• Experience implementing a data mesh architecture and domain-driven design principles
• Previous experience as a VP or C-level executive at a technology company
• Active participation in open source communities or technology thought leadership
• Experience is scaling AI driven Software and Data Engineering.
Leadership & Business Skills
• Exceptional leadership and people management skills with experience building high-performing teams
• Strong business acumen with ability to translate technical concepts to executive stakeholders
• Excellent communication and presentation skills for both technical and non-technical audiences
• Experience managing P&L responsibility and large technology budgets
• Track record of driving cultural change and organizational transformation

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Pay Transparency

Salary Range:  

Overtime eligible: Exempt 

Discretionary bonus eligible: Yes 

Sales bonus eligible: No 

Actual base salary will be determined based on several factors but not limited to individual’s experience, skills, qualifications, and job location. Additionally, employees are eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. In addition to base salary, employees may also be eligible to participate in an incentive program.

Our Benefits

We provide a full package of benefits for employees – and have unique offerings for a modern workforce, including leave programs, adoption assistance, and student loan repayment programs. Based on feedback from our employees, we continue to refine and add benefits to our offering, so that you can flourish both inside and outside of work. Click here to discover more about our comprehensive benefit options or visit our NYL Benefits Site.

Our Commitment to Inclusion
At New York Life, fostering an inclusive workplace is fundamental to who we are and how we serve our communities. We have a longstanding commitment to creating an environment where individuals can contribute their best and succeed together. This foundation is rooted in our core values of humanity and integrity, ensuring that every employee feels valued and supported. By embracing a broad range of perspectives and experiences, we achieve greater success and fulfill our promise of providing financial security and peace of mind to families across all communities. Click here to learn more about New York Life’s leadership in this space.​

Recognized as one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies, New York Life is committed to improving local communities through a culture of employee giving and volunteerism, supported by the Foundation. We're proud that due to our mutuality, we operate in the best interests of our policy owners. To learn more about career opportunities at New York Life, please visit the Careers page of www.NewYorkLife.com.

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Job Requisition ID: 92098