Overview
The post-holder will provide technical expertise and leadership in data engineering, ensuring that data solutions are designed, developed, and deployed in line with NHS and organisational best practices. They will work within the Business Intelligence team to support the delivery of scalable, efficient, and innovative data solutions. The Lead Data & Systems Architect will oversee the development and implementation of cloud-based data pipelines, ensuring data quality, accessibility, and security. They will also support the Head of Data Engineering in defining best practices, supporting team development, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. The post-holder will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to align data engineering solutions with national and local data strategies, ensuring that data solutions support operational and analytical needs, contributing to effective decision-making and service improvements across the organisation.
Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including NHS partners, suppliers, and technical teams. Provide expert technical guidance to colleagues, ensuring clear communication of complex data engineering concepts. Present technical recommendations and project updates to senior leadership and stakeholders. Support the Head of Data Engineering in promoting best practices across data engineering and analytics teams. Contribute to documentation, reports, and formal papers on data engineering projects and initiatives.
Analyse and operate in a highly political and sensitive environment to deliver data solutions that meet business needs while adhering to governance and security standards.
Responsibilities
* Design, develop, and maintain scalable and secure data pipelines in cloud environments.
* Analyse complex datasets to ensure data integrity, accuracy, and reliability.
* Support the evaluation and implementation of new data technologies and tools.
* Apply data engineering best practices to improve the efficiency of data processing and storage.
* Identify risks and mitigation strategies related to data engineering initiatives.
* Demonstrate effective stakeholder management across different departments and levels.
* Ensure projects maintain business focus, have clear authority, and that context and risks are actively managed in alignment with NHS priorities.
* Support cost-effective data engineering solutions within allocated budgets and contribute to procurement decisions for data platforms, tools, and services.
* Ensure optimal use of cloud resources to maintain budgetary efficiency.
* Adhere to Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions in budget management; manage the Data Engineering budget with regular monitoring and documentation.
* Directly manages the Data Engineering team, including recruitment, appraisals, development, and disciplinary matters.
* Provide mentorship and technical guidance to data engineers; support training and development initiatives; participate in performance reviews and team development.
* Foster an inclusive and collaborative working environment.
* Manage third parties (consultants/interims) to ensure timely and budget-compliant deliverables.
* Ensure adherence to NHS data governance and security policies; support cloud-based infrastructure maintenance; develop standard operating procedures and maintain technical documentation.
* Draft progress reports, compile qualitative and quantitative information, and contribute to robust business cases and project outputs.
* Analyse, interpret, and present data to highlight issues and support decision-making.
* Promote automation and modern data engineering practices; propose policy and process improvements related to data management.
* Contribute to strategic planning for the data engineering function and alignment with organisational goals.
* Plan and prioritise workloads to meet project deadlines and service delivery requirements.
Requirements / Qualifications
* Experience designing, developing, and maintaining cloud-based data pipelines; strong data quality, security, and governance focus.
* Ability to communicate complex data engineering concepts clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
* Proven track record of delivering data engineering projects within budget and on time.
* Experience leading teams, mentoring engineers, and managing performance.
* Knowledge of NHS data governance and security policies is desirable.
* Strategic thinking with the ability to work in political and sensitive environments.
Benefits
* A competitive salary with annual pay reviews
* A generous annual leave entitlement starting at 27 days
* Membership of the NHS Pension Scheme
* Flexible working and family friendly policies, including enhanced parental leave and pay
* A wide range of in-house and external learning and development opportunities
* Access to salary sacrifice and discount schemes
* Access to employee assistance and occupational health services
Additional information: Not all roles are eligible for skilled worker sponsorship. If you apply for this post and require sponsorship, please ensure you have checked your eligibility. Please submit your application form without delay to avoid disappointment; the vacancy may close early if a sufficient number of applications are received. All new entrants to the CSU for a permanent position will be subject to a 6-month probationary period (or 1–6 months for fixed-term appointments).
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