Vice President, Enterprise Data Strategy and Business Insights

Data Strategy Leader

At Whataburger, we believe data isn't just numbersit's the story of our guests, our teams, and our business. As we continue expanding across the country, we're introducing a new leadership role to help us turn that story into strategy. We're looking for a visionary leader who understands the science behind data but thrives in the art of storytelling. Someone who can deliver systems to pull insights out of data, and translate complex insights into clear, compelling narratives that drive action, build alignment, and inspire change. This role isn't just about building systemsit's about shaping vision, influencing culture, and connecting people to the power of information. Reporting directly to our CFO, you'll guide enterprise-wide data initiatives that improve accessibility, elevate consumer insights, and help every teamfrom Restaurant Operations to Marketing to Financemake smarter, more confident decisions.

Strategic Leadership & Influence

• Define and champion a company-wide data strategy that aligns with Whataburger's growth goals and brand values
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, translating business needs into data-driven opportunities
• Use storytelling to make data relatable, actionable, and memorable across all levels of the organization

Consumer & Business Insights Impact

• Lead efforts to unlock deeper insights into guest behavior, preferences, and patterns
• Partner with Marketing and Finance to improve forecasting, personalization, and segmentation
• Deliver the frequency and relevance of key data points, even when data is fragmented or hard to retrieve

Collaboration & Enablement

• Work alongside the CIO and IT/Data Engineering teams to ensure business needs are reflected in technical priorities and met
• Launch a data literacy program that empowers leaders across the Support System and Restaurant Operations
• Foster a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and continuous improvement

Governance & Value Realization

• Lead the development of governance frameworks that ensure data quality, reliability, and compliance (GDPR, CCPA, SOX)
• Lead the Data Governance, setting standards and tracking value realization across initiatives
• Communicate the business impact of data investments through clear KPIs and quarterly reporting

Technology & Vendor Strategy

• Evaluate emerging technologies and third-party partnerships that support data accessibility and analytics
• Advocate for and lead implementations of scalable solutions that improve data discoverability and usability across the enterprise

What You'll Bring

• 10+ years in data strategy, analytics, or business intelligence, with 5+ years in a senior leadership role
• Deep expertise in consumer insights and translating data into business impact
• Experience in consumer-facing, transaction-driven businesses (QSR or retail preferred)
• Strong understanding of data governance, privacy regulations, and enterprise data architecture
• Ability to influence without authority and drive change through partnership
• Proven track record of developing and mentoring high-performing teams, with a passion for growing others
• Skilled at crafting narratives that make data meaningful, memorable, and actionable
• Working knowledge of platforms like Snowflake, Informatica, and Dataiku, with the ability to collaborate effectively with technical teams who own and operate these systems
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), data visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI), and programming languages (SQL, Python, R)
• Commercial acumen to quantify ROI and position data as a driver of enterprise value

Bonus Points

• Professional certifications in insights, data governance, or data management
• Experience supporting investor relations or valuation narratives
• Background in navigating data accessibility challenges and fragmented systems

Whataburger Perks

This position offers competitive base compensation, 60% bonus potential, incentive units, company vehicle, 5 weeks paid time off to start, and additional benefits such as health, dental, vision, and 401(k). Most importantly Whataburger is growing and that means growth opportunities for you and your team, and a culture that feels like family. You'll be part of a team that's passionate about food, service, and making a difference in the communities we serve.