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

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.

Data Literacy Academy is leading the way in transforming enterprise workforces with data literacy across the organisation, through a combination of change management and education. In today's data-centric world, being data literate is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity.

If you want successful data product adoption, and to keep driving innovation within your business, you need to start with data literacy first.

At Data Literacy Academy, we don't just teach data skills. We empower individuals and teams to think critically, analyse effectively, and make decisions confidently based on data. We're bridging the gap between business and data teams, so they can all work towards aligned outcomes.

From those taking their first steps in data literacy to seasoned experts looking to fine-tune their skills, our data experts provide tailored classes for every stage. But it's not just learning tracks that we offer. We embed a deep data culture shift through a transformative change management programme.

We take a people-first approach, working closely with your executive team to win the hearts and minds. We know this will drive the company-wide impact that data teams want to achieve.

Get in touch and find out how you can unlock the full potential of data in your organisation. Learn more at www.dl-academy.com.