Director of Data Platform

Description

About Metrc

Metrc is the leading SaaS provider in the highly regulated cannabis industry, delivering innovative solutions adopted by most U.S. jurisdictions. Our mission is to empower our customers with reliable, compliant, and actionable data insights while driving internal excellence through data-driven decision-making. We are seeking a hands-on Director of Data Platform to lead our Data team, reporting directly to the CTO, and shape the future of our data strategy for both external and internal stakeholders.

Role Overview

The Director of Data Platform will lead a team of two data engineers and four BI specialists to deliver a robust data platform that serves external customers and internal cross-functional teams (Sales, Customer Success, Senior Leadership, etc.). This role will oversee the end-to-end data ecosystem, including our data lake (Snowflake, Databricks, Domo, Tableau) and potentially real-time transactional databases (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MongoDB). As a hands-on leader, you will drive technical innovation, ensure regulatory compliance, and align data initiatives with business objectives in a fast-paced, regulated environment.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute a comprehensive data strategy to support external customers (state regulators, cannabis businesses) and internal teams (Sales, Customer Success, Senior Leadership).
• Partner with the CTO and cross-functional leaders to align data initiatives with business goals, ensuring scalability, performance, and compliance.
• Drive the transition of the Data team to serve both internal and external data needs, delivering dashboards, reports, and analytics solutions.
  
  

Data Platform Management

• Oversee the architecture, development, and maintenance of the data lake (Snowflake, Databricks) and BI tools (Domo, Tableau, and alternatives).
• Potentially manage real-time transactional databases (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MongoDB), ensuring high availability, performance, and security.
• Implement data governance, quality, and compliance frameworks to meet regulatory requirements in the cannabis industry.
  
  

Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of data engineers and BI specialists, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability.
• Identify skill gaps and drive hiring or upskilling initiatives to support expanded responsibilities (e.g., database administration, advanced analytics).
  
  

Technical Excellence

• Design and optimize data pipelines, ETL processes, and analytics workflows to support real-time and batch processing needs.
• Ensure seamless integration of transactional and analytical data systems to provide a unified view for stakeholders.
• Stay current with industry trends and emerging technologies to enhance the data platform’s capabilities.
  
  

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Work closely with external customers to deliver compliant, high-quality data products (dashboards, reports, APIs).
• Partner with internal teams to develop actionable insights, enabling data-driven decisions across Sales, Customer Success, and Senior Leadership.
• Communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences, ensuring alignment and buy-in.
  
  

Requirements

Qualifications

Experience

• 8 years of experience in data engineering, data platform management, or related fields, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record of building and scaling data platforms in a SaaS or regulated industry (e.g., cannabis, healthcare, finance).
• Hands-on experience with data lakes (Snowflake, Databricks) and BI tools (Tableau, Domo, or similar).
• Experience with real-time transactional databases (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MongoDB) is a plus.
• Familiarity with regulatory compliance and data governance in highly regulated environments.
  
  

Technical Skills

• Deep expertise in data architecture, ETL/ELT pipelines, and data modeling.
• Proficiency in SQL and modern data stack technologies (Snowflake, Databricks, etc.).
• Knowledge of database administration (e.g., performance tuning, high availability) for SQL Server, PostgreSQL, or MongoDB is preferred.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and data integration tools.
  
  

Leadership Skills

• Strong leadership and mentorship abilities, with experience managing small, high-performing data teams.
• Ability to balance strategic vision with hands-on technical execution.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to translate business needs into technical solutions.
  
  

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or a related field
  
  

Why Join Us?

• Be a key leader in a high-growth SaaS company transforming the cannabis industry.
• Shape a cutting-edge data platform that impacts both customers and internal teams.
• Work in a collaborative, innovative environment with direct access to the CTO and Senior Leadership.
• Competitive salary, benefits, and opportunities for professional growth.
  
  

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• Frequently required to sit.
• Frequently required to talk or hear.
• Continually utilize visual acuity to operate equipment, read technical information, and/or use a keyboard and mouse.