Job Description
Head of Data Platforms - Financial Services
Melbourne | Hybrid Working
We’re seeking a Head of Digital Platform Engineering—a senior leadership role within the Platform Engineering function of our Financial Services client.
You’ll be accountable for delivering world-class digital platforms, integration services, and scalable solutions, ensuring seamless service delivery across the organisation. This includes shaping the operating model, defining strategy, and driving best-practice engineering outcomes.
As a proven digital leader, you’ll oversee a large and diverse Product Engineering team (100+ FTE), spanning platform development, integration, operations, and support. You’ll play a pivotal role in guiding architecture, contributing to the technology roadmap, and embedding innovation across the organisation.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Strategy
* Define and execute the enterprise data platform, analytics, and AI strategy aligned to organisational priorities.
* Own and evolve the data platform roadmap, including real-time data, self-service analytics, advanced reporting, and data science enablement.
* Champion data as a product, ensuring platforms and pipelines are designed for quality, usability, and business impact.
* Partner with senior technology and business leaders to prioritise initiatives and investment.
* Monitor and adopt emerging data and analytics trends (e.g. lakehouse architectures, streaming platforms, AI-driven analytics).
* Represent the organisation in strategic vendor and technology partner engagements.
Platform Engineering & Delivery
* Provide end-to-end accountability for the design, build, and operation of enterprise data platforms.
* Lead modern, cloud-native data architectures (data lakes, warehouses, lakehouses).
* Ensure reliable batch, real-time, and streaming data pipelines.
* Embed DataOps, DevSecOps, and MLOps practices including CI/CD, observability, and automated quality controls.
* Enable scalable BI, self-service analytics, and advanced data science use cases.
* Balance delivery velocity with platform stability, scalability, and cost efficiency.
Financial Management
* Own the financial management of the data platform portfolio, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost optimisation.
* Ensure data platform investments deliver clear ROI aligned with business priorities.
* Manage Opex and Capex, balancing short-term delivery with long-term sustainability.
* Negotiate and manage commercial arrangements with cloud providers and technology vendors.
* Drive transparency and accountability across platform-related spend.
Experience & Capability Required
* Extensive experience leading enterprise-scale data platforms or data engineering functions in complex, large organisations.
* Strong background in cloud data platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and modern data architectures (data lakes, warehouses, lakehouses).
* Proven experience designing and operating batch, real-time, and streaming data pipelines.
* Demonstrated success delivering large-scale platform modernisation programs.
* Experience embedding DataOps, DevSecOps, and MLOps practices in enterprise environments.
* Strong understanding of data governance, privacy, security, and regulatory requirements.
* Proven track record managing large teams, building leadership capability, and developing high-performing technical functions.
* Experience managing significant technology budgets, including vendor, cloud, and platform cost optimisation.
* Strong executive stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence at CIO/CTO and business leadership level.
* Commercial mindset with experience balancing innovation, risk, and financial sustainability.
* Typically 10+ years’ experience in senior data, platform, or technology leadership roles.
Qualifications
* Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, IT, Engineering, Data Science, or related discipline.
* Postgraduate qualifications (Master’s or MBA) highly regarded.
* Relevant certifications (Cloud, Data Engineering, Analytics, BI) advantageous.
Benefits & Package
* Salary: $240,000~$260,000 + superannuation + performance bonus
* Hybrid working model
* Melbourne-based role
* Senior leadership position with enterprise-wide impact
* Opportunity to shape and modernise large-scale data platforms
* Supportive, progressive technology environment