Hours:
35 hours per week, Hybrid (3 days in office)Closing Date:
Mon, 29 Jun 2026We’rerecruiting a Principal Data Engineer to set the technical direction for our enterprise data platform and raise the bar for modern, trusted,high-qualitydata across Skipton.
WhoAreWe?
Not just another building society. Not just another job.
We'rethe fourth biggest building society in the UK and what makes us a bit different is thatwe'rea mutual organisation. Wedon'thaveshareholders;we'reowned by our members.
Our colleagues say Skipton'sa great placetowork,and you could be one of them, bringing with younew ideason how we can keep customers at the heart of what we do.
Whatever your background, and whatever your goals,we'llhelp you take the next step towards a better future.
You’llbe joining our Data Capability function, working at enterprise scale across product, platform, analytics, governance, cyber, and delivery teams.
As a Principal Data Engineer,you’lloperatewithcompany widescope, shaping how data is ingested, modelled, governed, and consumed across Skipton.You’llcollaborate closely with Data Platform, Architecture, Data Governance, BI & Analytics, Cyber Security,DevSecOps, Quality Engineering, and Risk teams to ensure data is secure, trusted, observable, and fit for purpose.
This is a senior leadership role where your impact is multiplied through standards, Golden Path patterns, and the development of talented Data Engineers across the organisation.
What’sInItForYou?
Skipton values work/life balance and we are proud to support hybrid and flexible working, where possible. We have a newly refurbished head office which offers a vibrant and collaborative working space.
We have a range of other benefitsavailable to youincluding;
Annual discretionary bonus scheme
25 days standard annual leave + bank holidays + rising 1 day per year of service to a maximum of 30 days
Holiday trading scheme allowing the ability to buy and selladditionalannual leave days
Matching employerpensioncontribution(up to 10% per annum)
Colleague mortgage (conditions apply)
Salary sacrifice scheme for hybrid & electric car
A commitment to training and development
Privatemedicalinsurance for all our colleagues
3paid volunteering daysper annum
Diverseand inclusivecolleague networksavailable for you to joinincludingour Carers and Pride Alliance groups
We care about yourhealth and wellbeing– weprovidea range of benefits that support this including cycle to work initiative anddiscounted gym membership
WhatWill YouBeDoing?
As our Principal Data Engineer,you’llprovide both technical and people leadership, acting as abar raiserfor modern data engineering across Skipton. Key deliverables include:
Definingenterprise widedata engineering standards, principles, and Golden Path patterns
Leadinghands‑ongreenfield data platform implementations where no existing pattern exists,establishingreference architectures and engineering standards through delivery
Setting the technical direction forcloud native,secure‑by‑designdata platforms
Improving data quality, freshness, lineage, observability, and operational resilience
Shaping and deliveringmultiyeardata platform and modernisation roadmaps
Line managing, coaching, and developing Data Engineers and future technical leaders
Evaluating data initiatives across data science, analytics, and reporting todeterminethe mostappropriate platformstrategy
WhatDoWeNeedFromYou?
We’relooking for an experienced data engineering leaderwith technical depth and credibilitytoinfluenceatenterprisescale.You’llbring:
Deep,hands-onexpertisein modern data engineering, such aslakehouseplatforms, cloud data architectures, ingestion frameworks,anddata modellingwith aclear understanding of architectural trade-offs
Proven experienceestablishingreusable data standards, patterns, and frameworksthroughgreenfield implementations, with adoption driven through delivery rather than documentation alone
Strong knowledge of data governance, security, lineage, metadata, and observability,including how to embed these concerns into platform design rather than layering them on afterwards
Experience improving data quality, reliability, or delivery speed at enterprise scale
Demonstrated people leadership experience, including coaching and developing engineersinto senior-level technical leaders
The confidence to provide technical direction, challenge ambiguous problems, and makehigh‑impactdecisions