For data managers and first-time heads of data
A thinking partner for the decisions that now belong to you.
The job changes when you become accountable for the function: priorities, people, trust, and investment join the technical work. I’m opening up advisory and mentoring around that transition, drawing on fifteen-plus years in data.
Bring the problem you are facing
Building the function
You need to agree the remit, sequence the first hires, or bring scattered analysts together without losing their connection to the business.
Read how I approach itEarning influence
Your team produces good analysis, but you are brought into decisions too late. You need to change the relationship and develop others to hold those conversations.
Read how I approach itMaking a platform decision
A migration, ownership change, or AI pilot needs a clearer account of the alternatives, operating cost, and evidence required to proceed.
Read how I approach itTwo ways to work together
A bounded problem
Decision review
Bring a recommendation, a plan, or a decision that is stuck. We examine the constraints, alternatives, and assumptions together, including what would change the recommendation.
Proposed output: a short decision note covering the options, accepted tradeoffs, open questions, and the next step. Scope and timing are agreed before starting.
Read how I approach a stuck decisionDeveloping as a leader
Leadership mentoring
Bring a recurring challenge: delegation, competing priorities, building the team, or making your recommendations useful to executives. Use real situations to develop your own judgment, with experience and a second perspective to draw on.
Proposed rhythm: choose one development goal, agree an action to try between conversations, and review what changed. Cadence and a point to assess progress are agreed together.
Read how I approach developing judgmentHow I would work with you
Start with your context: the decision, the people affected, what you have already tried, and the constraints you cannot change. I will ask questions before offering an approach, explain which experience I am drawing on, and make the tradeoff clear.
For a decision review, useful progress means you can explain the recommendation and its limits. For mentoring, it means you can handle a recurring situation with better judgment and less unnecessary dependence on someone else. We would agree what to observe at the start.
Where my experience fits
I have built data functions, worked through competing definitions and ownership, and learned to connect technical work to executive decisions. The work pieces describe that reasoning, including its costs and limits. Experienced leaders facing a specific decision in those areas are welcome too.
This is a developing independent practice alongside a full-time role. Availability and fit need to be agreed. The first conversation is a chance to establish both, with anonymized context enough to begin.
Start with the situation
Email a short description of your role, the decision or leadership challenge, and any deadline. I’ll respond about fit and a possible next step.
hello@anilthapa.com