Senior Director of Data Engineering and Transformation

Lumen is the trusted network for the AI‑powered world, connecting people, data, and applications through our expansive fiber network and connected ecosystem. We enable secure, high‑performance connectivity across cloud, edge, and AI workloads for enterprises, governments, and communities. At Lumen, you’ll work on infrastructure customers rely on today and build for what’s next, where performance, security, and resilience matter. This is a high accountability environment where bold ideas drive real innovation for our customers, partners, and industry. The work is challenging, expectations are clear, and trust is built into how we operate. If you’re ready to take ownership, deliver meaningful impact, and help shape the future of AI‑ready connectivity, join us today. The Role We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Senior Director of Data Engineering & Transformation to lead the modernization, execution, and optimization of enterprise data platforms, architectures, and engineering capabilities across Lumen. This leader will drive scalable data products, modern pipelines, integration frameworks, and AI-ready data structures that enable analytics, artificial intelligence, business decision-making, and increased automation. In this role, the Senior Director will shape the company’s data landscape by modernizing platforms, improving engineering practices, and accelerating the organization’s ability to use data as a strategic asset. The position also focuses on making Lumen data more accessible and consumable for business users, enterprise applications, and AI agents to improve productivity and unlock greater business value, while ensuring data governance requirements such as quality, security, lineage, access controls, metadata, and compliance are embedded into technical solutions and architecture practices. Location This is a remote opportunity open to candidates located anywhere in the U.S. The Main Responsibilities Transform enterprise data infrastructure by modernizing data platforms, architectures, pipelines, and engineering practices. Make data more available and consumable for business users, enterprise applications, analytics platforms, and artificial intelligence. Design scalable enterprise data architectures that support analytics, AI, automation, reporting, and operational use cases. Lead data pipeline development and optimization, including ETL/ELT, ingestion, transformation, orchestration, monitoring, testing, and production support. Drive data platform modernization across cloud, lakehouse, integration, storage, analytics, and AI-enablement capabilities. Deliver reusable data products and solutions, including APIs, semantic layers, governed access patterns, analytical datasets, and AI-ready data structures. Enable AI-ready data architecture for machine learning, intelligent applications, AI agents, advanced analytics, and automation workflows. Lead complex transformation initiatives from strategy through execution, including roadmaps, milestones, dependencies, risks, and measurable business outcomes. Embed governance into technical delivery, including data quality, security, lineage, metadata, access controls, compliance, and responsible data use. Lead and mentor technical teams across data architecture, data engineering, platform engineering, and technical delivery while fostering excellence, accountability, and innovation. What We Look For in a Candidate Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Data Science, or a related field. Advanced degree preferred. 15+ years of experience in data engineering, data architecture, enterprise data platforms, data integration, data transformation, or related technical disciplines. Strong experience designing and implementing large-scale data architectures, modern data platforms, enterprise data pipelines, and data engineering solutions. Deep knowledge of ETL/ELT pipelines, data ingestion, data transformation, data modeling, data warehousing, lakehouse architectures, cloud data platforms, and distributed data systems. Experience structuring data for analytics, reporting, AI, machine learning, business intelligence, intelligent applications, and automation use cases, including applied AI for data and AI-agent consumption patterns. Experience structuring data for analytics, reporting, AI, machine learning, and business intelligence use cases. Strong understanding of data quality, security, metadata, lineage, access management, and governance requirements as part of technical delivery. Proven ability to lead technical teams and manage complex data engineering, architecture, and transformation programs. Strong communication skills with the ability to translate technical concepts into executive-level presentations, transformation roadmaps, and business-facing recommendations. Experience evaluating, selecting, and implementing data technologies, platforms, and engineering frameworks. Preferred Skills Experience with data analytics, business intelligence, applied AI for data, AI agents, automation enablement, and machine learning enablement platforms. Experience with data analytics, business intelligence, AI, and machine learning enablement platforms. Familiarity with cloud-based data platforms and services such as Azure, AWS, Google Cloud, Snowflake, Databricks, Microsoft Fabric, or similar technologies. Experience with data mesh, lakehouse architecture, domain-oriented data products, metadata management, feature stores, vector databases, or AI-ready data platform design. Experience with DevOps, DataOps, CI/CD, orchestration, monitoring, testing automation, and production support for data platforms and pipelines. Certification in cloud architecture, data engineering, data architecture, or data management preferred. Compensation This information reflects the anticipated base salary range for this position based on current national data. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. Individual pay is based on skills, experience and other relevant factors. Location Based Pay Ranges $174,876 - $233,168 in these states: AL AR AZ FL GA IA ID IN KS KY LA ME MO MS MT ND NE NM OH OK PA SC SD TN UT VT WI WV WY $183,621 - $244,827 in these states: CO HI MI MN NC NH NV OR RI $192,364 - $256,486 in these states: AK CA CT DC DE IL MA MD NJ NY TX VA WA Lumen offers a comprehensive package featuring a broad range of Health, Life, Voluntary Lifestyle benefits and other perks that enhance your physical, mental, emotional and financial wellbeing. We're able to answer any additional questions you may have about our bonus structure (short-term incentives, long-term incentives and/or sales compensation) as you move through the selection process. Learn more about Lumen's: Benefits Bonus Structure Requisition #: 342368 Life at Lumen Life at Lumen is human and connected, even in a fast moving, AI‑focused organization. We set clear expectations and trust people to meet them. With real support and shared accountability, teams collaborate better, move faster, and deliver meaningful outcomes. Our Lumen 8 behaviors guide how we interact, make decisions, and work together, shaping a culture built to perform and win. To learn more about Life at Lumen and how we live the Lumen 8, please visit: https://jobs.lumen.com/global/en/life-at-lumen Background Screening If you are selected for a position, there will be a background screen, which may include checks for criminal records and/or motor vehicle reports and/or drug screening, depending on the position requirements. For more information on these checks, please refer to the Post Offer section of our FAQ page . Job-related concerns identified during the background screening may disqualify you from the new position or your current role. Background results will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Equal Employment Opportunities We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, ancestry, citizenship, national origin, religion, veteran status, disability, genetic characteristic or information, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, family status, pregnancy, or other legally protected status (collectively, “protected statuses”). We do not tolerate unlawful discrimination in any employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, compensation, promotion, benefits, discipline, termination, job assignments or training. Privacy Notice Lumen is committed to protecting the privacy and security of personal information collected during the recruitment and hiring process. Our Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect applicant information, as well as how individuals may request access to or deletion of their personal data. To review Lumen’s Privacy Notice, please visit: https://jobs.lumen.com/global/en/privacy-notice Disclaimer The job responsibilities described above indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not intended to include a comprehensive inventory of all duties and responsibilities for this job. Job duties and responsibilities are subject to change based on evolving business needs and conditions. In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information. Please be advised that Lumen does not require any form of payment from job applicants during the recruitment process. All legitimate job openings will be posted on our official website or communicated through official company email addresses. If you encounter any job offers that request payment in exchange for employment at Lumen, they are not for employment with us, but may relate to another company with a similar name. Job Segment: Data Architect, Computer Science, ERP, Business Intelligence, Data Warehouse, Data, Technology