Enter The Chief Data Officer

Whereby organizations are beginning to evolve in terms of understanding that change is coming and that the promise of digital transformation and the use of big data in talent management is upon us. It only fits that with the advent of Category Management, IT Modernization, and a move towards the adoption of Cloud-based FedRamp compliant solutions we may very well see the creation of new roles that are proliferating in the commercial sector begin to drive demand across the public sector workforce as well. As we begin to approach emerging challenges and opportunities to utilize both marketing and talent management platforms the what or who will be the one to provide decision makers with the validation they need at both the enterprise or operating division level across commercial sector organizations and public sector agencies may seek the talent they need to stay competitive and relevant? 

The Best Data Is Your Own But Do You Have The People In Place To Interpret It ?

This new cadre of professionals in the mission space should bring the competencies, understanding, and skill sets that are possibly most needed now to help organizations drive Innovation, transformation, and change management. Your CIO should have a Chief Data Officer and given recent moves by George Mason University for rolling out a brand new program to help foster a certification program and standard that includes in its curriculum outcomes such as: 

* Understanding the insights and tools that lead to successfully creating and capturing value from innovation. 

* What conversations must be changed and how can we remove cultural barriers to performance. 

* Creating a culture of high trust that helps organizations to leverage data-centric decision making.  

I think it is time to consider how we begin to assess, classify, and recruit this new cadre into our institutions. What can Chief Human Capital Officers, Chief Learning Officers, and Chief Talent Officers do today to ensure that they are tapping into a diverse pool of candidates that may have the skills sets we may need tomorrow, today?

Let's begin with your job descriptions.  

“With this recent white paper, the authors hope to stimulate more research concerning the conditions under which targeted recruitment initiatives do or do not work for women job seekers and any other social groups that suffer lower labor market outcomes.” In the Research Paper by Lien Wille and Eva Derous When Job Ads Turn You Down: How Requirements in Job Ads May Stop Instead of Attract Highly Qualified Women Click here to access the study.

In your job descriptions and agency-wide internal communications are you using plain language that is free of unconscious bias? Try out this free online tool to see if your using male dominated terminology that is turning off female candidates. Total Jobs Gender Bias Decoder or perhaps even taking that writing sample and using new tools like this one from IBM Personality Insights from Watson can help to un-code the personality traits that you are putting forth. Similarly there more robust fee-based online services and software that can help to benchmark. For instance, Textio who's mantra is that In hiring, "every word counts" and it is essential to understand the bias that may be inherent in your job ads if your seeking to recruit from the growing market of women who are graduating at a higher rate with STEM degrees. 

Moving to customer-integrated data technology solutions and omni-channel marketing platforms.

As we begin to use data and natural language processing tools such as Visible Thread and Regendus are providing some exciting solutions that may warrant your review.

 If you need a Chief Data Officer lets begin with an understanding of the roles and responsibilities that lay ahead. EEOC hearings on Big Data and Employment garnered some attention last year, and whereas more of the focus was to allow for big data to support outreach, many eyebrows would raise if agencies were to start using this for selection.  It will require a Chief Data Officer to make sure your algorithms are sound and free from unconscious bias. The promise of analytics and the role of the Chief Data Officer will only increase as we continue to see the disruption that is happening in the Mar-Tech and HR-Tech stack change and evolve over time I would suspect.

What are some of the ways you are finding effective to assess and recruit for technical talent ?  

Related Articles of Interest

Marketing’s New Road Map: Using Data to Drive Personal, Relevant Messages

Data-driven transformations: Using data to rethink the customer journey 

Google-data-driven-marketers-strategic-playbook

Public Participation Playbook - Play #6: Design for inclusiveness 

What is a Chief Data Officer? A leader who creates business value from data

Understanding the Chief Data Officer Role

Views expressed are my own, for more information on how you can attract, recruit, and retain talent follow me @JohnBersentes or @MarComGroupDC

For more info on GMU's Executive & Professional Education Certification Program visit https://csuite.gmu.edu/data/ or send a LinkedIn invite to my friend Frank Volmer