VP, Analytics, Data Science & AI Data Enablement

VP, Analytics, Data Science & AI Data Enablement

We are Walker & Dunlop. We are one of the largest providers of capital to the commercial real estate industry, enabling real estate owners and operators to bring their visions of communities — where people live, work, shop, and play — to life. We are committed to creating meaningful social, environmental, and economic change in our communities.

Department Overview

WDTech is Walker & Dunlop’s technology organization, bringing together product, design, engineering, data, infrastructure, information security, and operations to build, operate, and protect the technology that powers our business.

You will have the opportunity to apply modern technology and AI within one of the nation’s leading commercial real estate finance and advisory services firms. W&D’s market position, deep industry expertise, client relationships, and proprietary data provide a strong foundation for solving meaningful business problems, improving how we work and serve our clients, and creating new sources of competitive advantage.

Across WDTech, we combine business context with disciplined technology practices and a high standard for security, resilience, and quality. Teams have ownership of meaningful problems and collaborate across disciplines, make thoughtful decisions, and continuously improve the products, platforms, and capabilities that move W&D forward.

The Impact You Will Have

As the VP, Analytics, Data Science & AI Data Enablement at Walker & Dunlop (W&D), you will lead the company's Business Intelligence, Analytics, and Data Science functions while advancing how AI is used to analyze data and inform business decisions.

In this role, you will set the strategy for how W&D turns data into actionable insights, accelerates delivery, and expands access to trusted information across the organization. You will lead the development of modern analytics capabilities, establish consistent data definitions and governance standards, and enable business users and AI tools to access and interpret data reliably. By connecting analytics strategy with business priorities, you will help ensure that data-driven insights are timely, consistent, and accessible to the people and systems that depend on them.

Primary Responsibilities

• Set the vision and develop a phased roadmap for business intelligence, analytics, data science, and AI-assisted analysis aligned with W&D's strategic priorities.
• Establish an operating model for partnering with business lines to identify needs, prioritize initiatives, allocate resources, and deliver high-value analytics solutions.
• Define and maintain standards for analytical quality, key performance indicators (KPIs), business metrics, and reporting consistency across the organization.
• Improve the speed and quality of analytics delivery by establishing performance targets, measuring results, and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Oversee the development and delivery of business intelligence solutions, advanced analytics, and predictive models that support decision-making across capital markets, credit risk, servicing, sales, and other business functions.
• Lead the modernization of reporting and analytics capabilities, transitioning legacy reporting to scalable, governed business intelligence solutions.
• Enable business users to conduct AI-assisted analysis using governed data, with clear standards for accuracy, reliability, and appropriate use.
• Partner with Product, Engineering, and AI Enablement teams to integrate data and analytics into business workflows, providing the datasets, metrics, and analytical capabilities needed to support implementation and measure results.
• Establish practices for testing, validating, and monitoring analytical and machine learning models, while maintaining standards for data quality, governance, and access.
• Lead the development and maintenance of shared business definitions, metrics, and semantic frameworks to ensure consistent interpretation of data across reporting, analytics, and AI applications.
• Make trusted business context and data definitions accessible to analysts, business users, and AI tools to support consistent and reliable analytical results.
• Partner with AI Enablement, Data Engineering, and Product leaders to maintain the data structures, knowledge resources, and retrieval approaches needed to support AI-assisted analysis.
• Expand shared data definitions and analytical capabilities based on business priorities, established reporting needs, and evolving demand.
• Lead, coach, and develop analytics and data science leaders and their teams, establishing hiring and development plans aligned with organizational priorities.
• Provide technical direction and oversight by reviewing analytical models, queries, dashboards, and methodologies to ensure quality and effectiveness.
• Collaborate with Data Engineering and Product leaders to maintain reliable shared datasets, establish service expectations, and support the data infrastructure required for analytics and AI applications.
• Communicate analytics strategy, progress, performance, and business outcomes to executive leadership and key stakeholders in clear, actionable business terms.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related quantitative field required; master's degree preferred.
• 12+ years of experience in data analytics, business intelligence, applied data science, or a related field, including at least 7 years of experience leading multiple teams.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing analytics strategies aligned with business priorities and measurable organizational outcomes.
• Proven ability to improve analytics delivery, operational efficiency, and analytical quality.
• Experience implementing machine learning models, predictive analytics, and AI-assisted analysis in production environments.
• Demonstrated success recruiting, developing, and retaining high-performing analytics and data science teams.
• Experience with cloud data platforms, preferably AWS, and cloud analytical databases such as Amazon Redshift or Snowflake.
• Experience in commercial real estate, financial services, or capital markets preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of statistical analysis, machine learning, and data modeling, with the ability to evaluate analytical quality and provide technical direction.
• Working knowledge of business intelligence tools such as Power BI or Tableau, as well as SQL and Python.
• Practical understanding of modern AI analysis tools, their applications, and responsible practices for implementation and use.
• Strong knowledge of data governance, data quality, access controls, and analytical standards.
• Understanding of semantic layers, metric definitions, and business context required to support consistent reporting and AI-assisted analysis.
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate business priorities into actionable analytics initiatives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex analytical concepts and technical trade-offs to executive leadership, business stakeholders, and technical teams.
• Strong leadership and relationship management skills, with the ability to influence decisions, build partnerships, and collaborate across business functions.
• Ability to balance long-term strategic planning with technical oversight, operational priorities, and timely execution.
• Strong sense of ownership and accountability, with a results-oriented approach and commitment to delivering measurable business value.
• Ability to show ownership of your work, take on challenges and acknowledge growth opportunities, and demonstrate patience when learning new processes
• Courtesy, respect, and thoughtfulness in teaming with colleagues and other stakeholders

This position has an estimated base salary of $220,000 - $260,000 plus a discretionary bonus and stock compensation. An employment offer is based on the applicant’s relevant work experience, appl