Head of data and AI

Interim Head of Data and AI Location - Stockholm (hybrid working) Day rate - 13,280 SEK per day Duration - 6 months Stanton house has partnered with a PE-backed business based in Stockholm seeking a senior interim Data and AI leader to shape how data is used across the business, for customers, and in future AI-enabled products and services. This is a senior leadership role combining strategic direction, technical expertise, commercial thinking and client engagement. You will be responsible for developing an integrated data estate and client-facing data roadmap, transforming data capabilities into well-governed, scalable and commercially viable products and services. You will lead a small technical team and work closely with senior stakeholders across the business to shape the organisation's data architecture, platform capabilities, governance framework and data distribution strategy. A key focus will be ensuring that data capabilities support both client requirements and wider business objectives, while meeting regulatory, security and data protection obligations across multiple jurisdictions. Responsibilities

• Define and own the organisation's data strategy, roadmap and long-term vision.
• Engage directly with clients to understand their data requirements and translate these into practical, prioritised delivery roadmaps.
• Align client needs and business objectives with a clear, achievable data product strategy.
• Act as a senior representative of the organisation's data capabilities, engaging with clients, prospects and executive stakeholders.
• Develop and execute a go-to-market strategy for data products and services, including proposition development, packaging, pricing and target markets.
• Partner with commercial, product and client-facing teams to build business cases for data investment.
• Identify opportunities to generate commercial value from existing data assets and develop new data propositions.
• Define and maintain the target data architecture, ensuring scalability, consistency and reusability across the organisation.
• Establish best-practice data management capabilities covering data quality, lineage, cataloguing, metadata and master/reference data.
• Ensure data management practices meet relevant regulatory, contractual and data protection requirements across applicable jurisdictions.
• Lead the design, development and ongoing evolution of the data platform, with a focus on Databricks and Microsoft Azure.
• Define and oversee data distribution strategies, including secure file transfer, APIs, API gateways, client portals and emerging AI-enabled access methods.
• Lead, manage and develop a small technical team, establishing clear priorities and promoting high standards of engineering quality and accountability.
• Build effective relationships with senior stakeholders across business functions and regional entities.

Skills Needed Essential Experience & Technical Skills

• Proven experience defining and delivering data strategies and client-facing data roadmaps.
• Strong track record of managing senior client relationships and translating business requirements into technical solutions.
• Demonstrable experience developing and executing commercial strategies and go-to-market propositions for data products.
• Deep expertise in data architecture, data management and data governance within a regulated environment.
• Hands-on experience with Databricks and Microsoft Azure data technologies.
• Strong understanding of data distribution methodologies, including SFTP, APIs, API gateways, client portals and secure data-sharing solutions.
• Experience leading, developing and managing technical teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex technical concepts to executive and non-technical audiences.

Desirable Experience

• Experience within a regulated industry, ideally financial services.
• Knowledge of European regulatory frameworks and their implications for data management and reporting, including GDPR, the EU AI Act and DORA.
• Experience working within a global organisation or group-level function, supporting multi-entity operating models.
• Exposure to AI, automation and emerging data access technologies, including Microsoft Copilot and MCP-style integrations.