Hiring Your First Data Person
Don't go chasing unicorns
Finding the perfect Head of Data & Analytics for your brand isn't easy. That's because the ideal candidate often seems like a mythical unicorn; someone who can seamlessly juggle engineering, analytics, business strategy, and stakeholder communication. The truth is, that kind of person is incredibly rare. Rather than chasing unicorns, here's how you can better structure your first data hire.
Understanding the challenge
When brands decide to bring on a data person, they're typically trying to cover several overlapping skills:
Data Engineering: Building reliable data pipelines from multiple data sources.
Data Warehousing: Setting up and managing structured storage solutions.
Data Modelling: Turning raw data into meaningful, usable datasets.
Data Visualisation: Presenting insights clearly to stakeholders.
Business Analysis & Stakeholder Engagement: Interpreting data and collaborating dynamically with different teams.
Each of these roles demands specialised skills, and it's uncommon to find one person who excels across all areas.
Prioritise Based on Your Needs
To make the right hire, first clarify which skills are most crucial for your business:
Engineering-Focused Candidates:
They excel at setting up your infrastructure, creating robust data pipelines, and managing your data warehouse.
These roles require technical depth, experience with tools and platforms, and attention to detail.
Data Modelling and Business Analysis Specialists:
These candidates understand your business deeply, especially critical if you're in fashion or retail. Familiarity with specific models, like drop-shipping or combined wholesale and direct-to-consumer (DTC), is invaluable.
They transform complex data into actionable insights and are effective in communicating these insights clearly across the business.
The Most Valuable Skill: Data Modelling
Of all the skills listed, effective data modelling stands out as especially valuable. Why?
It bridges the technical side of data management and the practical, strategic use of data.
Good data modellers don't just structure data, they structure it around your business objectives, creating datasets tailored specifically to your operational needs.
These datasets become the foundation for accurate, useful visualisations and informed decision-making.
Two Hires Instead of One?
If finding one candidate with the perfect blend of technical skills and strategic insight is proving difficult, consider hiring two complementary roles instead:
A technical data engineer who builds and maintains your data systems.
A business-focused analyst or business intelligence (BI) expert who ensures data is modelled effectively and insights are communicated clearly.
Alternatively, prioritise candidates who have excelled in one of these areas and demonstrate an openness to developing or hiring complementary skills.
What to Look for First
For your first data hire, look for someone who:
Has specialised deeply in either data engineering or data analytics/business analysis.
Can clearly articulate the value of the skills they don’t yet have and show a strategic plan for filling those gaps.
Has experience in dynamic collaboration with stakeholders, especially in roles that involved bridging technical teams and business users.
Your Next Step
Instead of endlessly searching for that elusive unicorn, clearly define your most pressing data needs and consider hiring strategically across two roles or a candidate who understands and can build out their complementary skill set. This approach sets a solid foundation for data-driven growth without overstretching one person's capabilities.