S5 | Ep 38 | The Evolving Data Leadership Landscape; What It Means for Your Next Career Move with Executive Career Coach, Julia Westland

Driven by Data: The Podcast

In Episode 38, of Season 5 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom was joined by Executive Career Coach, Julia Westland. Julia spent many years as a Data & Analytics professional working in management consulting before transitioning into headhunting where she led Spencer Stuarts Digital, Data & AI practice, before becoming a career coach.

Together they unpick the current Data & Analytics job market, the trends they're seeing, forecast what is to come and give a whole host of advice around job searching in the current market, which includes;

• Why the demand for data leaders remains strong despite ongoing economic uncertainty and market shifts.
• Why organisations are prioritising specificity in defining and sourcing data leadership roles.
• The importance of understanding company context when navigating data leadership opportunities.
• Why the CDO role varies widely in scope and the consequences that has on career progression.
• The skills required for data leaders aiming to influence at the top table.
• How some CDAOs have transitioned into broader business roles and why.
• Aligning your background with a company’s data maturity level to increase your fit and success.
• How GenAI is reviving focus on foundational capabilities like data governance, quality, and data management.
• Why leadership, change management, and stakeholder influence now outweigh technical depth alone in senior data roles.
• How the evolving data landscape is opening up new career paths across operations, product analytics, and AI strategy.
• How to position your CV and LinkedIn profile as strategic assets in your job search.
• Why tailoring your CV with exact job description keywords boosts visibility in AI-powered hiring tools.
• The importance of clean, simple formatting to ensure your CV is readable by applicant tracking systems.
• How to craft a strong headline and summary that align with the role you’re targeting.
• Creating a compelling, results-driven CV by quantifying your achievements.
• How LinkedIn and CV alignment improves discoverability and impact when being headhunted.
• Why developing a concise personal pitch helps you stand out and stay memorable to recruiters.
• The importance of testing your CV’s narrative using tools like NotebookLM to ensure it communicates your value.
• How intentional communication and storytelling can elevate your positioning and lead to more interviews.

Thanks to our sponsor, Data Literacy Academy.

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