Essential Work Samples for Hiring a Data Strategy Director

In today's data-driven business landscape, the role of a Data Strategy Director has become increasingly critical. This leadership position bridges the gap between technical data management and strategic business objectives, requiring a unique blend of skills that can be challenging to assess through traditional interviews alone. A Data Strategy Director must not only understand complex data architectures and governance frameworks but also possess the leadership abilities to drive organizational change and the communication skills to translate technical concepts into business value.

Work samples and role plays provide a window into how candidates approach real-world challenges they'll face in the role. For a Data Strategy Director position, these exercises reveal a candidate's ability to develop comprehensive data strategies, design governance frameworks, communicate with diverse stakeholders, and lead cross-functional teams. By observing candidates in action, hiring teams can evaluate both technical expertise and essential soft skills like strategic thinking, problem-solving, and leadership.

The stakes for hiring the right Data Strategy Director are exceptionally high. A misaligned hire can result in ineffective data strategies, compliance issues, and missed opportunities for data-driven innovation. Conversely, the right hire can transform an organization's approach to data, unlocking new insights and competitive advantages. The exercises outlined below are designed to comprehensively assess candidates across the multifaceted requirements of this pivotal role.

By implementing these carefully crafted work samples, your organization can move beyond resume reviews and behavioral interviews to gain deeper insights into how candidates will perform in real-world scenarios. This approach not only helps identify the most qualified candidates but also gives candidates themselves a clearer understanding of the role's expectations and challenges.

Activity #1: Data Strategy Roadmap Development

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to develop a comprehensive data strategy that aligns with business objectives. It tests strategic thinking, prioritization skills, and the ability to connect data initiatives to tangible business outcomes. A strong Data Strategy Director must be able to craft a vision and roadmap that transforms data from a passive asset into a strategic driver of business value.

Directions for the Company:

• Provide the candidate with a fictional company profile including industry, size, current data maturity level, business goals, and key challenges. Include information about existing data sources, systems, and team capabilities.
• Allow candidates 48 hours to prepare a data strategy roadmap presentation (15-20 minutes).
• Assemble a panel of 3-4 stakeholders representing different perspectives (e.g., CTO, CMO, COO) who will ask questions after the presentation.
• Prepare a list of standard questions to ask all candidates to ensure fair comparison.
• Evaluate the candidate on strategic thinking, business alignment, technical feasibility, and communication clarity.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the company profile and develop a 12-18 month data strategy roadmap that addresses the organization's goals and challenges.
• Prepare a 15-20 minute presentation that includes:
• Assessment of current data maturity and capabilities
• Strategic objectives and expected business outcomes
• Key initiatives with timeline and dependencies
• Required resources and potential challenges
• Success metrics and measurement approach
• Be prepared to answer questions about your strategy, including how you would adapt it based on changing business priorities or technical constraints.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the presentation, provide specific feedback on one aspect the candidate handled exceptionally well (e.g., "Your approach to prioritizing initiatives based on business impact was particularly strong").
• Offer one area for improvement (e.g., "We'd like to see more detail on how you would address data quality issues").
• Ask the candidate to spend 5-10 minutes revising or expanding on the improvement area, either verbally or by sketching additional details on a whiteboard.

Activity #2: Data Governance Framework Assessment

This exercise evaluates a candidate's knowledge of data governance principles and their ability to identify and address compliance and quality issues. It tests both technical understanding of governance frameworks and the practical skills needed to implement them effectively across an organization.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a case study of a company with data governance challenges, including issues related to data quality, access controls, compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR, CCPA), and siloed data management practices.
• Include sample documentation such as a current-state data catalog, access policies, and compliance audit findings.
• Provide the candidate with the case study materials 24 hours before the interview.
• Prepare evaluation criteria focused on comprehensiveness, practical implementation approach, and stakeholder management strategy.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided materials and identify the key data governance gaps and risks.
• Develop a framework for addressing these issues, including:
• Recommended governance structure (roles, responsibilities, committees)
• Data quality management approach
• Compliance and regulatory controls
• Data access and security policies
• Implementation and change management plan
• Prepare a 2-3 page executive summary of your assessment and recommendations.
• Be ready to discuss your approach in a 30-minute session, explaining how you would prioritize initiatives and manage stakeholder resistance.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on the strengths of the candidate's governance framework (e.g., "Your approach to balancing security with accessibility was well-considered").
• Identify one area where the framework could be strengthened (e.g., "The compliance monitoring process could be more robust").
• Ask the candidate to spend 10 minutes elaborating on how they would address this gap, encouraging them to incorporate the feedback into their thinking.

Activity #3: Executive Communication Role Play

This exercise assesses a candidate's ability to communicate complex data concepts to non-technical stakeholders and influence decision-making. It evaluates communication skills, stakeholder management, and the ability to translate technical details into business value—critical competencies for a successful Data Strategy Director.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a scenario where the candidate must convince the executive team to invest in a significant data infrastructure modernization project.
• Provide background materials including current infrastructure details, business pain points, and financial constraints.
• Assign team members to play the roles of executives with different priorities:
• CFO concerned about ROI and costs
• CMO interested in customer insights
• CIO worried about integration with existing systems
• CEO focused on competitive advantage
• Prepare challenging questions that each executive would likely ask.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the scenario and prepare a 10-minute pitch for the executive team explaining:
• The business case for data infrastructure modernization
• Expected benefits and ROI
• Implementation approach and timeline
• Required resources and investment
• Risk mitigation strategies
• Adapt your communication style to address the concerns of different executives.
• Be prepared to respond to challenging questions and objections.
• Focus on translating technical concepts into business terms and value.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on what the candidate did well in communicating with the executive team (e.g., "You effectively addressed the CFO's concerns about ROI").
• Offer one specific area for improvement (e.g., "Your explanation of the technical architecture could be simplified for this audience").
• Give the candidate 5 minutes to rework their explanation of the identified area, observing how they incorporate the feedback and adjust their approach.

Activity #4: Cross-Functional Data Initiative Planning

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to plan and lead a complex data initiative requiring collaboration across multiple departments. It tests project planning skills, cross-functional leadership, and the ability to navigate organizational challenges—all essential for a Data Strategy Director who must drive change across the organization.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a scenario for implementing a customer 360 data platform that requires coordination between marketing, sales, customer service, IT, and legal/compliance teams.
• Provide information about each department's current systems, data assets, priorities, and potential resistance points.
• Include technical constraints, timeline pressures, and resource limitations to make the scenario realistic.
• Prepare a collaborative workspace (physical or digital) where the candidate can map out their plan.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the scenario and develop a comprehensive implementation plan for the customer 360 data platform.
• Your plan should include:
• Project phases and key milestones
• Cross-functional team structure and responsibilities
• Data integration approach and architecture considerations
• Change management and stakeholder engagement strategy
• Risk identification and mitigation plans
• Success metrics and measurement approach
• Be prepared to explain how you would handle specific challenges such as data silos, competing departmental priorities, and resistance to change.
• Consider both technical and organizational factors in your planning.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Highlight one strength in the candidate's implementation plan (e.g., "Your approach to phased implementation reduces risk while delivering early value").
• Identify one challenge area that wasn't fully addressed (e.g., "The plan doesn't fully address how to manage data quality across disparate sources").
• Ask the candidate to spend 10 minutes revising their approach to address this challenge, observing how they incorporate feedback and adapt their thinking.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should we allocate for each of these work samples?

For Activity #1 (Data Strategy Roadmap), allow 20 minutes for presentation and 15-20 minutes for Q&A. For Activity #2 (Governance Framework), schedule a 30-minute discussion. Activity #3 (Executive Communication) should take 10 minutes for the pitch plus 15-20 minutes for questions and feedback. Activity #4 (Initiative Planning) requires 45-60 minutes for comprehensive assessment.

Should we use all four activities for every candidate?

We recommend selecting 2-3 activities most relevant to your organization's priorities. Using all four would create an excessively long interview process. The Data Strategy Roadmap and Executive Communication exercises provide excellent broad coverage if you must choose only two.

How should we evaluate candidates who have experience in different industries?

Focus on the approach and thinking process rather than industry-specific knowledge. Strong candidates should be able to ask clarifying questions about industry context and adapt their strategies accordingly. Consider providing additional industry background for candidates coming from different sectors.

What if we don't have executives available to participate in the role play exercise?

Senior managers or team leads can effectively stand in for executives. The key is having participants who can authentically represent different stakeholder perspectives and challenge the candidate with realistic questions and concerns.

How do we ensure consistency in evaluation across different candidates?

Create a standardized rubric for each exercise with specific criteria aligned to the competencies you're assessing. Have the same interviewers conduct each specific exercise across candidates whenever possible, and hold calibration discussions before making final decisions.

Should we share these exercises with candidates in advance?

For Activities #1 and #2, providing materials 24-48 hours in advance allows candidates to prepare thoughtful responses that better reflect their capabilities. Activities #3 and #4 can be shared with minimal advance notice (1-2 hours) to assess how candidates think on their feet while still giving them time to organize their thoughts.

Hiring the right Data Strategy Director is a critical decision that will shape your organization's ability to leverage data as a strategic asset. By incorporating these work samples into your interview process, you'll gain deeper insights into candidates' capabilities and fit for this multifaceted role. Remember that the best candidates will not only demonstrate technical expertise but also show leadership potential, strategic thinking, and excellent communication skills.

For more resources to support your hiring process, check out Yardstick's comprehensive tools including our AI Job Description Generator, AI Interview Question Generator, and AI Interview Guide Generator. You can also find more information about the Data Strategy Director role in our detailed job description.

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