Description & Requirements

What makes us a great place to work

We are proud to be consistently recognized as one of the world's best places to work. We are currently the top ranked consulting firm on Glassdoor's Best Places to Work list and have earned the #1 overall spot a record seven times. Extraordinary teams are at the heart of our business strategy, but these don't happen by chance. They require intentional focus on bringing together a broad set of backgrounds, cultures, experiences, perspectives, and skills in a supportive and inclusive work environment. We hire people with exceptional talent and create an environment in which every individual can thrive professionally and personally.

Who you'll work with

The Senior Director, Data Architecture is responsible for leading the firm's enterprise data architecture strategy and defining the long-term direction for enterprise data platforms, models, and related capabilities. You will report to the EVP, Data & Technology and work as part of a small senior team shaping the firm's data strategy. You will partner closely with our data governance, information security, privacy, and legal colleagues, with the engineering team building our agentic platform, and with data and analytics capabilities across several functions and business leaders across the firm who own the data in their domains. You will set technical direction for engineering teams across multiple global locations, in collaboration with our delivery partners, and own our relationship with Databricks.

Where you'll fit within the team

We are building a single, governed data platform on Databricks that spans every kind of data we hold - structured and unstructured alike - to serve as the data fabric for the agentic AI platform we are building alongside it, and as the authoritative data and knowledge platform for the firm. The Senior Director, Data Architecture will own that platform: its architecture, how it is built, and how quickly it delivers value for our people and our clients. The role will provide senior architectural leadership for the firm's current Databricks environment and establish a scalable, secure, and governed data foundation that supports trusted use of data, analytics, and AI. The Senior Director defines target-state architecture, sets technical direction and standards, and drives adoption of shared enterprise data capabilities across functions and regions. The role leads the Data Modeling Center of Excellence and data architecture team, advises senior stakeholders on complex architecture decisions and trade-offs, and contributes to the firm's broader data strategy. This is an unusual combination of foundational architectural ownership and immediate, visible impact - the choices you make will determine what our AI can be trusted to do, and how fast we can move. You will join at the point where the direction is set, but the building has just begun.

What you'll do

Architecture strategy and technical leadership

• Define and execute the strategic roadmap and target-state architecture for the firm's enterprise data platform, including the current Databricks environment, aligned with business strategy
• Establish architecture principles, standards, and technology direction to ensure scalable, secure, governed, and maintainable data capabilities
• Provide senior technical leadership on complex architecture decisions and guide internal and external engineering teams through implementation
• Partner with data governance, security, privacy, and technology leaders to embed appropriate quality, governance, and control requirements into the architecture
• Drive alignment and adoption of enterprise data architecture standards across functions and regions, promoting reuse and reducing fragmentation
• Serve as a thought partner to senior business and technology leaders on architecture decisions, strategic trade-offs, and emerging data and AI capabilities

Data Modeling Center of Excellence

• Lead the Data Modeling Center of Excellence and establish enterprise standards for data modeling, ontology, and related disciplines
• Define standards that support consistent, governed, and reusable data products and models across business domains
• Partner with business and data owners to define data domains, ownership, and authoritative sources across structured and unstructured information
• Maintain high standards of architecture and modeling quality and provide expert guidance across the firm

People management and leadership

• Lead the data architecture and data modeling teams with a focus on skill development, career progression, and performance
• Conduct performance reviews and professional development planning; develop specialist architecture and modeling talent
• Support recruiting and team growth aligned to evolving business needs
• Foster team cohesion, collaboration, and an inclusive culture across a globally distributed team

About you

• 10-15+ years of experience in enterprise data architecture and engineering, including leading architecture for complex, large-scale data environments
• Hands-on Databricks experience required, with deep knowledge of modern lakehouse architecture, managing large volumes of structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data, governance, and catalog capabilities in a cloud environment
• Proven experience defining strategic architecture roadmaps and designing scalable, secure, and governed enterprise data platforms using modern cloud technologies
• Strong background in data modeling and related architecture disciplines, including establishing standards across complex data domains
• Experience leading architecture and/or data modeling teams and developing senior technical talent
• Track record advising senior stakeholders, managing complex technology trade-offs, and driving adoption of enterprise architecture standards
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to engage effectively across engineering, product, business, and senior leadership audiences
• Hybrid: This role follows a hybrid model, requiring in-office presence (1-day per week) at your Bain home office in Chicago or Boston

U.S. compensation information

Compensation for this role includes base salary, annual discretionary performance bonus, 401(k) plan with an annual employer contribution based on years of service and Bain's best in class benefits package (details listed below).

Some local governments in the United States require a good-faith, reasonable salary range to be included in job postings for open roles.

The estimated annualized compensation for this role is as follows:

In the state of Massachusetts, the good-faith, reasonable annualized full-time salary range for this role is between $236,000 and $289,250. I n the state of Illinois, the good-faith, reasonable annualized full-time salary range for this role is between $226,000 and $276,750 ; placement within these ranges will vary based on several factors including, but not limited to experience, education, licensure/certifications, training and skill level

• Annual discretionary performance bonus
• This role may also be eligible for other elements of discretionary compensation
• 4.5% 401(k) company contribution, which increases after 3 years of service and is 100% vested upon start date

Bain & Company's comprehensive benefits and wellness program is designed to help employees achieve personal independence, protection and stability in the areas most important to you and your family.

• Bain pays 100% individual employee premiums for medical, dental and vision programs, offering one of the most comprehensive medical plans for employees without impacting your paycheck
• Generous paid time off, including parental leave, sick leave and paid holidays
• Fully vested 401(k) company contribution
• Paid Life and Long-Term Disability insurance
• Annual fitness reimbursements