How data leadership is changing

The State of Data report shows that poor management is now the number one reason data professionals consider leaving their roles, above salary, workload and flexibility. To address issues around leadership skills here are some predictions that may help the best leaders take competitive advantage.

Prediction 1: “Translator” roles will become more formal

The most effective data leaders today are those who bridge the gap between technical and business teams and advocate for data at board level. On that note whilst they are there, the best ones also protect teams from unrealistic expectations.

Next year, there could be more formalised translator roles like Data Product Managers, Analytics Leads, Head of Data Value, etc.

These roles will be ideal for senior analysts and engineers who are strong communicators, people who enjoy stakeholder engagement as much as technical problem-solving or individuals ready to influence strategy.

Prediction 2: Leadership capability will be a hiring criterion, not an afterthought

Because leadership quality is such a strong driver of retention and performance, we expect 2026 hiring to place more emphasis on coaching and mentoring capability. Experience of building psychologically safe environments will help with this as will evidence of enabling, rather than micromanaging, technical teams.

Takeaway for data professionals:
Start thinking about which path excites you most whether that’s deep expertise, people leadership, or translation, and make conscious moves in that direction now.

Download the full report here.