Sr Director, Data Science

Join Our Team at Duncan Solutions, LLC

Duncan Solutions, LLC, is a full-service transportation management company that focuses on connecting people, technology, and data to make cities more livable and efficient. As a leading provider of parking and tolling management solutions, we support municipal and commercial clients with citation processing, debt collection, DMV registered owner identification, back-office transaction processing, image review, customer service center and customer experience (CX) operations, integrated on-street parking management, and more.

WORK LOCATION

This is a remote position with eligibility in the following states: AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MD, MA, MI, MO, MN, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, WV, VT, D.C. Candidates must reside in one of the following locations for consideration.

Please note: Duncan Solutions, LLC, does not provide visa sponsorship now or in the future. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship requirements. 

PAY TRANSPARANCY

This role will offer $160k - $200k, depending on experience, skills, and location.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Sr. Director, Data Science is Duncan Solutions' enterprise leader for artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced analytics — responsible for transforming data from a reporting asset into a strategic one. This role defines how data-driven intelligence is applied across the business: in client outcomes, operational performance, pricing, workforce planning, and the decisions that determine where Duncan grows next. Reporting to the CTO, this role operates at the intersection of technology and enterprise strategy. The Director does not simply manage a data science function — this role sets the vision for what AI-enabled decision-making looks like at Duncan, builds the capability to execute it, and holds the organization accountable for realizing measurable financial and operational returns on every analytics investment. This role is accountable for the full data science lifecycle: from model development and production deployment through governance, explainability, and ethical AI practice. It is also accountable for talent — recruiting, developing, and retaining the analytics professionals who will power this capability at scale.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

AI & Data Science Strategy

• Define and lead the enterprise AI and data science strategy — aligned to Duncan's Enterprise Goals, corporate growth objectives, and the imperative to deliver client value through our products and services

• Advise the CTO and executive leadership team on opportunities to leverage artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive analytics to drive competitive advantage, margin improvement, and operational scale
• Translate strategic business priorities into high-impact data science programs with clearly defined financial and operational outcomes — not exploration for its own sake, but applied innovation with measurable returns
• Evaluate emerging technologies and industry trends to inform long-term digital strategy and investment decisions, bringing forward evidence-based recommendations rather than reactive responses to market noise

Advanced Analytics & Solution Delivery

• Oversee the design, deployment, and scaling of advanced analytics solutions within AWS-native environments — supporting revenue optimization, compliance oversight, customer experience enhancement, and operational efficiency
• Champion automation and intelligent workflow transformation, including natural language processing, anomaly detection, and AI-driven operational optimization across Duncan's core service lines

• Partner with Finance, Operations, Technology, Sales, and Business Intelligence leaders to integrate predictive insights into forecasting, workforce planning, pricing strategy, and client performance management
• Ensure analytics solutions are production-ready, scalable, and maintained with the operational rigor expected of enterprise systems — not prototype-quality deliverables deployed into live environments

Governance, Ethics & Risk

• Establish and maintain governance frameworks for model development, validation, monitoring, explainability, and ethical AI use — ensuring regulatory alignment and enterprise risk management at every stage of the analytics lifecycle
• Ensure responsible AI practices are embedded in team culture and delivery methodology — not treated as compliance overhead, but as a professional standard that protects both Duncan and the clients it serves
• Identify and surface emerging data science risks — model drift, data quality degradation, bias exposure, or governance gaps — before they become material issues for the enterprise or its clients
• Partner with Legal, Compliance, and the CTO on AI-related regulatory developments, ensuring Duncan's practices remain defensible, auditable, and ahead of evolving requirements

Data Intelligence & Executive Enablement

• Build and maintain executive-level dashboards and reporting frameworks that convert data science outputs into decision-enabling intelligence — giving the CTO, CEO, and enterprise leadership a clear, timely view of operational performance and AI-driven opportunity
• Ensure data science insights are communicated in plain, accessible language that enables non-technical leaders to act with confidence — translating model outputs into business narratives, not statistical summaries
• Support board-level reporting on AI strategy, innovation initiatives, and enterprise performance impact as directed by the CTO
• Partner with the HR Analyst and Talent Development Lead to ensure workforce analytics and people data are applied with precision and integrity across enterprise planning cycles

Team Leadership & Capability Building

• Recruit, develop, and retain high-performing data science and analytics professionals — building a team culture defined by accountability, intellectual rigor, and continuous improvement
• Establish clear performance expectations, development pathways, and capability-building investments aligned to Duncan's Job Group Family Architecture and the career development framework being built enterprise-wide
• Ensure the data science team operates as a trusted enterprise partner — responsive to business needs, disciplined in delivery, and consistent in the quality of its work
• Model the leadership behaviors Duncan expects at the senior leader level: operating with independence, developing the people around you, and connecting your team's daily work to the organization's long-term direction

What You’ll Need to Succeed

• Proven ability to translate complex technical solutions into measurable operational and financial outcomes — communicated clearly to executive and non-technical audiences
• Demonstrated experience building executive-level dashboards and data visualizations that enable informed decision-making across an organization
• Strong executive presence with demonstrated ability to influence strategy and decision-making at the C-suite level and, where appropriate, with board audiences
• Proven experience establishing AI governance frameworks — including model validation, explainability, monitoring, and ethical AI standards
• Strong financial and business acumen; demonstrated ability to align innovation investments to enterprise value creation with documented ROI discipline
• Experience leading, developing, and retaining high-performing technical teams in a multi-functional, matrixed environment
• Exceptional written and verbal communication — clear, direct, and credible with both technical and non-technical audiences

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE / SKILLS

• High school diploma or GED equivalent
• Minimum 8+ years of progressive experience in data science, analytics, or machine learning, including a minimum of 3+ years in a leadership role
• Demonstrated success deploying machine learning models in production within AWS-native environments (SageMaker, Redshift, QuickSight, Databricks, Lambda, or equivalent)
• Strong programming proficiency in Python, R, and SQL; experience with machine learning frameworks and model development tools

Preferred

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or related quantitative field; PhD is a plus
• 8–12 years of progressive data science and analytics leadership experience within a technology-enabled, services-based, or PE-backed organization
• Experience building or scaling analytics capabilities within a growth-oriented or carve-out environment where infrastructure and team capability are being established concurrently
• Demonstrated understanding of how data science investments translate into client value — particularly within transportation management, parking and tolling, citation processing, or related service verticals
• Proven ability to facilitate high-stakes analytics and technology campaigns designed and optimized for strategic growth
• Demonstrated sound judgment for handling sensitive data, model outputs, and organizational risk findings with the ability to navigate ambiguity responsibly
• Track record of holding high standards while protecting the conditions that make sustained technical performance possible — not treating rigor and pace as competing priorities
• Experience closing the loop — from problem identification and model development, through deployment, to documented business impact

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

• This role is primarily computer-based and may be performed in an office or remote work environment. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WHAT WE OFFER

Duncan Solutions, LLC, offers a professional environment, stability, upward mobility, and a wide breadth of benefits. We offer our full-time regular employees who meet eligibility criteria the following which include:

Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance

• Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance
• Healthcare & Dependent Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with Employer Contribution
• Company Paid Life and AD&D Insurance
• Company Paid Short- & Long-Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 401(k) with Employer Match (Traditional/Roth/Safe Harbor)

Paid Time Off

• 10 Company Holidays
• PTO Accrual
• Sick Time Accrual
• Parental Leave
• Jury Duty
• Military Leave
• Bereavement

Other Voluntary Benefits

• Life and AD&D Insurance for Employees/Spouse/Child(ren)
• Critical Illness
• Accident Insurance
• Identity Theft Insurance
• Pre-paid Legal Insurance
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA)

Duncan Solutions, LLC is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We actively encourage applications from everybody. All qualified job applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, aboriginality, genetic information, ancestry, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, veteran status, age, political affiliation or any other non-merit characteristic.

Please visit our website to learn more about us https://www.duncansolutions.com/

To view all of our current job opportunities, please visit
 https://businessprocessingsolutions.bamboohr.com/careers