Chief Data Officer

The Role:

Chief Data Officer (Data-as-Intelligence)

This is not a traditional CDO role.

At Datenna, the Chief Data Officer owns the product vision for data as intelligence. This role sits at the intersection of data, product, and intelligence, combining the strategic ownership of a CDO with the product instinct of a Chief Product Officer. The CDO defines what intelligence products we build, how customers experience them, and how raw, messy OSINT data is transformed into trusted, explainable, decision-grade intelligence. As a core member of the leadership team, you will shape the evolution of Datenna’s intelligence platform — from early prototypes through to scalable, production-grade systems — while remaining hands‑on where it matters.

Your Mission at Datenna:

• Own the product vision and roadmap for Datenna’s data-as-intelligence capabilities.
• Translate customer and analyst needs into concrete intelligence products, not abstract data initiatives.
• Define how analysts interact with entities, evidence, timelines, confidence, and provenance.
• Ensure every data investment directly improves intelligence quality and customer trust.

Hands‑on Prototyping & Validation

• Identify product opportunities and make them tangible quickly through prototypes and proofs of concept.
• Put early versions in front of customers, run feedback loops, and iterate before committing to full‑scale development.
• Personally engage in problem‑solving — this is a player‑coach role, not a purely delegating one.

Technical Architecture & Systems Thinking

• Design and evolve an integrated intelligence data architecture that brings together:
• Graph databases and entity resolution
• Vector embeddings and similarity search
• LLM‑based classification, translation, and standardisation (including offline models)
• Data provenance, traceability, and explainability
• Treat these capabilities as one coherent system, not separate workstreams.
• Contribute meaningfully to technical discussions with engineering and research teams.

Governance, Quality & Trust

• Define how confidence, uncertainty, and evidence chains are surfaced to analysts.
• Architect for transparency: when data was collected, when it was updated, where it came from, and whether the source is still active.
• Ensure that data quality directly maps to intelligence quality.
• Lead and develop multidisciplinary teams across data engineering, research, and data operations.
• Work closely with the CTO, Research, and Engineering to align architecture, product delivery, and innovation.
• Act as a bridge between deep technical work and executive decision‑making.

Board‑Level Communication

• Write and own a clear, structured product roadmap.
• Present complex technical and product decisions to the board with clarity and confidence.
• Clearly articulate where Datenna’s intelligence products are going — and why.

What we are looking for?

• Proven experience leading data‑driven intelligence or OSINT products where data itself is the product.
• Strong technical understanding of data engineering, architecture, and AI‑driven enrichment — with the ability to actively contribute, not just oversee.
• Demonstrated ability to move from idea to prototype to customer validation quickly.
• Strong product instinct, with a clear focus on analyst experience and customer trust.
• Excellent communication skills across technical teams, leadership, and external stakeholders.
• Comfort operating in a mission‑driven, international environment with evolving priorities.

Please know that applicants may be subject to a screening process.

Why Datenna?

• Lead the core of Datenna’s intelligence capabilities; the data that powers our platform, insights, and impact.
• Work alongside experts in OSINT, AI, and China‑focused intelligence to shape the future of data‑driven analysis.
• Opportunity to define and build the next generation of intelligence products.
• Real ownership and autonomy in a mission‑driven, high‑impact environment.

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