Chief Data Officer

The Chief Data Officer is a founding executive appointment at PDA and one of the most consequential data leadership roles in Pakistan's public sector history.

About the Role

You will be responsible for building and institutionalising Pakistan's national data governance architecture — the frameworks, standards, policies, and platforms that determine how government data is collected, managed, shared, protected, and used at scale. This is a sovereign infrastructure challenge, not a corporate data management role. You will report directly to the Chairperson and work alongside the Chief AI Officer and be part of PDA's integrated technology governance team.

Responsibilities

• Design and own Pakistan's National Data Governance Framework, covering data classification, data quality standards, metadata standards, interoperability protocols, and data lifecycle management across government
• Lead the development of PDA's data policy instruments: national data strategy, open data policy, cross-border data flow frameworks, and sensitive data handling regulations
• Establish and chair the National Data Governance Council, coordinating data stewardship across federal ministries, provincial governments, and regulatory bodies
• Drive the architecture and rollout of government-wide data infrastructure: national data exchanges, shared data platforms, and interoperable data registries
• Develop the regulatory framework for data sharing between government and private sector, defining consent models, access tiers, and accountability mechanisms
• Own PDA's compliance posture on data protection working across the Personal Data Protection Act and international data governance standards
• Build and lead PDA's Data Governance Division hiring and developing a high-performing team of data architects, policy specialists, and standards engineers
• Represent Pakistan in international data governance forums and bilateral digital cooperation engagements

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive experience in data governance, data architecture, or data strategy — with significant leadership tenure
• Demonstrated experience designing and institutionalising enterprise or national-scale data governance frameworks
• Deep command of data standards, metadata management, data classification, and interoperability protocols
• Track record of leading cross-institutional data policy or data infrastructure programmes
• Experience operating at or advising C-suite / ministerial level on data strategy decisions
• Strong grasp of data protection law and regulatory compliance architecture

Required Skills

• Experience in a national data authority, central government data body, or equivalent sovereign data governance institution
• Exposure to Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) principles — open standards, federated data models, government data exchanges
• Familiarity with international data governance frameworks: GDPR, GCC data protection regimes, Singapore PDPA
• Experience building data governance functions from scratch in a high-ambition, resource-conscious environment
• Understanding of AI/ML data pipelines and the data governance implications of large-scale AI deployment in government

Preferred Skills

• Define the data governance architecture of a sovereign digital nation — a once-in-a-generation institution-building opportunity
• Direct reporting line to the Chairperson; seat at PDA's executive leadership table
• Influence national legislation, international data agreements, and cross-government digital infrastructure
• Competitive compensation benchmarked to Pakistan's senior public sector reform appointments and international GovTech norms

Pay range and compensation package

Competitive compensation benchmarked to Pakistan's senior public sector reform appointments and international GovTech norms.

Equal Opportunity Statement

PDA is committed to diversity and inclusivity in the workplace.