# Head of Data Architecture, Asia Data Office

**Company**: Manulife Financial Corporation
**Work arrangement**: hybrid
**Experience**: executive
**Job type**: full-time
**Category**: IT
**Industry**: Finance

**Apply**: https://manulife.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/MFCJH_Jobs/job/Hong-Kong/Head-of-Data-Architecture_JR26100649-1?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply
**Canonical**: https://yubhub.co/jobs/job_7a39a2ea-91a

## Description

We are seeking a Head of Data Architecture (Director Level) to serve as the regional authority for enterprise data and AI architecture in Asia. This role will define, govern, and drive the end-to-end data and AI architecture strategy, while also owning solution architecture for critical initiatives.

**Position Responsibilities:**

- Strategy & Architecture Leadership

- Define and lead the Asia enterprise data & AI architecture vision, strategy, and roadmap

- Establish target state architecture for data, analytics, and AI platforms

- Drive architectural alignment with global standards, regulatory requirements, and business strategy

- Lead architecture decision-making, including trade-offs, investments, and technology choices

- End-to-End Solution Ownership

- Own end-to-end solution architecture for key data, analytics, and AI initiatives

- Ensure solutions are scalable, modular, secure, and production-ready

- Guide delivery teams across markets to ensure design integrity and consistency

- Act as the final design authority for high-impact programs

- Platform & Technology Architecture

- Design and govern cloud-native data and AI platforms across Azure and Alicloud

- Drive adoption of modern data architectures (Data Fabric, Lakehouse, Data Mesh where applicable)

- Establish reusable architecture blueprints, patterns, and accelerators

- Including GenAI, RAG, feature stores, and MLOps patterns

- Ensure integration with enterprise platforms (PAS, CRM, Claims, Digital)

- Data Governance & Standards

- Standardize data models, pipelines, and lifecycle management practices

- Enforce enterprise standards for:

- Data quality, lineage, metadata, cataloguing

- Master/reference data management

- Data interoperability across markets

- Define and embed data governance-by-design principles

- Security, Privacy & Responsible AI

- Establish and enforce data security, privacy, and compliance controls

- Alignment with regional regulations (e.g., India DPDP, China CSL/PIPL, etc.)

- Define and operationalize Responsible AI frameworks

- Ensure architecture supports auditability, transparency, and risk controls

- Governance & Operating Model

- Lead architecture governance forums and design authorities

- Drive cross-market alignment and reuse of capabilities

- Institutionalize architecture guardrails, fitness functions, and automated compliance checks

- Support vendor and platform selection through architecture oversight and evaluation frameworks

- Stakeholder & Leadership Engagement

- Partner with IT, Data, AI, Security, and Business leaders from across Global, Regional and Local level

- Act as a trusted advisor to CIO, CDO, and senior stakeholders

- Influence program direction and ensure technology investments align with long-term architecture vision

- Collaborate with global architecture teams for standardization and reuse

- Team & Capability Development

- Lead and mentor a regional team of data solution architects

- Build capability maturity across markets

- Drive adoption of modern engineering and architecture practices

**Required Qualifications:**

- 20+ years of experience in data, analytics, and enterprise architecture

- 3–5 years in a leadership role (Head, Lead Architect, or equivalent)

- Proven experience in defining and delivering enterprise-scale data and AI platforms

- Strong experience with:

- Cloud platforms (Azure required, Alicloud preferred)

- Data architecture paradigms (Lakehouse, Data Fabric, Data Mesh)

- AI/ML and GenAI architectures (including RAG, MLOps)

- Experience in financial services / insurance domain

- Exposure to Asia markets and regulatory environments

- Experience in greenfield transformation or large-scale platform modernization

- Familiarity with enterprise integration patterns and distributed architectures

- Strategic thinking with execution focus

- Strong architecture governance and decision-making ability

- Deep technical expertise in modern data & AI ecosystems

- Stakeholder influence and executive communication

- Ability to operate in a federated, multi-market environment

## Skills

### Required
- Cloud platforms (Azure, Alicloud)
- Data architecture paradigms (Lakehouse, Data Fabric, Data Mesh)
- AI/ML and GenAI architectures (RAG, MLOps)
- Data governance
- Security and compliance
- Leadership and stakeholder engagement

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Source: [Apply at manulife.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com](https://manulife.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/MFCJH_Jobs/job/Hong-Kong/Head-of-Data-Architecture_JR26100649-1?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply)