What is CDO? How to Hire Your First Chief Data Officer in the UAE?
If it wasn’t for the powerful chief data officer, companies would be lost behind mountains of data. They wouldn’t know how to make sense of it all or even how to adequately protect it. A CDO is not a simple position; from adding value to the data derived to managing and protecting it, the position’s sphere of activities is wide. But a CDO’s duties and responsibilities don’t conclude there. This article will help you gain an understanding of who a chief data officer is, his duties, and how you can hire the best one for your business.
The rise of technology has encouraged companies in various industries to move online, especially with their data. The digital assets and digital interfaces produce massive volumes of data that businesses want to analyze for optimization and benefit. As a result, companies are now in great need of professionals who can use their expertise to help analyze and comprehend these data.
There are several experts employed within large companies to specifically handle data which includes data analysts, data architectures, marketing analysts, and business analyst managers/consultants. In addition, to supervise the usage and governance of data across an organization, a chief data officer (CDO) is often hired.
Chief Data Officer
Gartner, a technology research and consulting company, defines a chief data officer (CDO) as “a senior executive who bears responsibility for the firm’s enterprise-wide data and information strategy, governance, control, policy development, and effective exploitation.
The CDO’s roles will cover accountability and responsibility for information protection and privacy, information governance, data quality, and data life cycle management, along with the exploitation of data assets to create business value.”
According to the DAMA International Data Management Book of Knowledge (DMBOK), “As a position on the business side with a focus on technology, the Chief Data Officer has a unique perspective. While most companies recognize at some level that data is a valuable corporate asset, only a few have appointed a CDO to help bridge the gap between technology and business and evangelize an enterprise-wide Data Management strategy at a senior level.”
Does Your Organization Need a CDO?
1) Are Your Digitalized Operational Activities Managing Business Worth Millions of Dollars or More
A CDO can apply his or her expert knowledge and skills to develop and govern the data and information of large companies to effectively drive their business decisions and growth.
For organizations worth over millions, it is challenging to analyze such massive volumes of data without the assistance of a data professional. This is where a CDO can supervise the collection, storage, management, and protection of all the company’s data.
In addition, large businesses often have extensive digitalized operational activities, so if the data is not handled accurately, the company may lose time, money, and effort.
2) When Digital Transformation Activities Will Involve Investments and Projects Worth Millions of Dollars
The expertise of a CDO enables him to gain insights from a company’s data to determine the areas to cut costs and increase revenue.
Being the executive recruitment Dubai, the CDO also has to effectively communicate the status, value, and importance of the data collected to executive members to help them with business decisions. Moreover, a chief data officer has the relevant knowledge and skills to handle data applications and tools and derive valuable insights to benefit the project.
Lastly, and most importantly, a CDO has the necessary leadership skills to lead, motivate and manage the company’s technical teams so they can work together to accomplish the project objectives.
3) If Your Data-Based Business Models Involve Complex International Compliance and Management
Compliance management is the continuous process of monitoring and assessing an organization’s systems to ensure it aligns with the industry standards, as well as regulatory laws and policies.
Being proficient and experienced in compliance management, the CDO can strategize, organize, implement and monitor the company’s data processes so they can attain the industry’s set standards.
Furthermore, the CDO also ensures that the data procedures conform with federal and international laws and legislations. Hence, if you run an international business, it is beneficial to have a CDO who will be responsible for both national and international compliance and management.
4) If Your Company Offers Data and Analytics Solutions and You Need to Set Up Data Governance and Security Infrastructure
Data and analytics solutions help businesses to utilize their data in ways that nurture growth, opportunities, innovation, and competitive advantage. If you run a company that provides this type of service, then you need security measures in place to protect your valuable data.
A CDO is an expert who can safeguard the data against intrusion, corruption, and being misplaced. So, with the assistance of the CDO and exceptional security systems in place, the data of your company is protected from data breaches. This is crucial because if your data is in the wrong pair of hands, it can result in your company losing clients and getting a bad reputation.
Tips – How to Hire Chief Data Officer for Your Company in the UAE
1. Hire a CDO Executive Search Agency
Considering the significant role that a chief data officer plays within a company, candidates who are proficient with appropriate skill sets are highly required. Therefore, simply posting a job opening for this position on your company’s website isn’t going to bring you the best candidates.
C-level recruiters or CDO recruitment experts are specialized in recruiting high-ranking officers, and over the years, they have established connections with top executives, providing you easy access to the otherwise inaccessible people and their network.
2. Get Assistance in Creating a Detailed Description of Roles, Duties, Responsibilities and Performance Expectations
With the assistance of the CDO recruitment firm, you should formulate a document comprising detailed information about the various roles, responsibilities, duties, and performance levels of the CDO.
This is a crucial step because this helps you to look out for the appropriate knowledge and skill sets required for this position from potential candidates. Moreover, it better equips the CDO recruitment partner to seek potential candidates to accommodate into your company’s work culture and administrative structure.
3. Find the Best-Match CDO Talent from Regional or Target International Locations
C-level recruiters apply talent mapping and sourcing strategies to find the top candidates for CDO, regionally and internationally. After a list containing potential executives has been drafted, they begin to qualify the candidates, identify and evaluate their suitability for this position.
The shortlisted professionals are well prepared to carry out the groundwork from verifying candidates’ qualifications and background to shortlisting the most potential candidates for the role. This way, you only have to interview a handful of candidates, which in turn saves your company’s valuable time and efforts.
4. Frame CDO Interviews in The Right Manner with Expert Assistance
C-level recruiters use their detailed analyses of your company’s work culture, future strategies, mission, and administrative structure to find candidates that fit the criteria.
Moreover, using the candidate profile, the CDO recruitment expert can help you customize questions to screen for suitable qualifications and skill sets. Furthermore, pre-and post-interview, the search firm discusses with you each candidate’s resume, qualifications, strengths, and motivation. So, in every aspect, you receive the most proficient chief data officer for your company.
5. Be Flexible About the Terms of The Offer
For a legally binding contract, you need to include definite and certain terms. This also means the terms should be stated in a manner that the candidate is capable of understanding.
Moreover, the offer should be flexible to accommodate the needs of the candidate. For instance, the company has included a transportation facility for the CDO, but if the candidate wants to make his or her own arrangements, the company can alter it to provide a transportation allowance.
Partner With Alliance Recruitment Agency-UAE
Alliance Recruitment Agency offers high-quality C-level recruitment services to companies in the UAE. Our global manpower agency has been serving organizations for 11+ years and has assisted with 100 C-level recruitment activities. Our experienced industry-focused C-level recruitment teams offer expert solutions that have reduced C-level recruitment time and costs.
Connect with us for a smooth recruitment process experience! We connect you with outstanding professionals with excellent track records, industry experience, knowledge, and proven abilities for performing the roles you have specified for a C-level position.