Job Description
Data Architect
3 days a week onsite in Sunderland
35hr working week with flexible working hours
We're looking for an experienced Data Architect to join a well-established company who are going through an enterprise-wide modernisation programme. This is a brand-new role within the business and you'll be responsible for defining and evolving the data architecture that underpins enterprise-scale BI and self-service analytics across a large, complex organisation operating across the UK and Europe.
This is a strategic and hands-on role where you will set the technical vision, standards, and frameworks for modern data platforms, ensuring they are scalable, secure, cost-effective, and aligned with business priorities. You will act as a technical authority for data architecture, working closely with BI Engineers, Developers, Product, and senior stakeholders to enable high-quality analytics and data products today and in the future.
What you'll be doing
Architecture & Strategy
* Assess existing data architectures, documenting current-state models, pipelines, tools, and standards
* Define and maintain the enterprise data architecture vision and roadmap aligned to BI strategy and business goals
* Design logical and physical data models optimised for reporting, analytics, and self-service BI
* Establish and govern architectural patterns (eg medallion architecture, dimensional modelling, data vault)
* Design cloud-based data platform architectures (AWS preferred), including data storage, processing, and consumption layers
Technology Leadership
* Evaluate and recommend modern data technologies and tooling
* Stay current with industry trends such as open table formats (Apache Iceberg, Delta Lake), data observability, and cloud-native services
* Lead proofs-of-concept and technical assessments for new technologies
* Ensure the data architecture remains modern, performant, and future-proof
Data Modelling & Governance
* Define standard business entities, metrics, and KPIs for consistent reporting
* Review and approve complex data models created by BI Engineers
* Design and embed data governance frameworks covering ownership, quality, security, and compliance
Collaboration & Influence
* Partner with BI leadership to shape data and analytics strategy
* Provide architectural guidance and mentorship to BI Engineers and Developers
* Work closely with Front End BI Developers to ensure data structures support performant dashboards
* Translate business requirements into clear, practical architectural solutions
* Facilitate architecture workshops and discussions with technical and non-technical stakeholders
What we're looking for
Essential experience
* Extensive experience in data architecture, designing and delivering enterprise-scale data solutions
* Strong expertise in data modelling with excellent SQL skills
* Deep knowledge of modern data engineering patterns (ETL/ELT, data lakes, lakehouse, warehousing)
* Hands-on experience with cloud data platforms (AWS preferred: Redshift, Athena, S3, Glue; Azure or GCP beneficial)
* Experience with data governance, data quality, metadata management, and regulatory considerations
Personal attributes
* Strong business acumen and ability to link data architecture to real business outcomes
* Pragmatic mindset: balancing architectural best practice with delivery and cost constraints
* Curious, continuous learner with an interest in emerging technologies
* Confident communicator who can influence and build trust across technical and business teams
This is a great opportunity where you'll get the opportunity to shape the data architecture for a large, multi-country organisation and work with modern cloud and analytics technologies at scale. You'll play a strategic role with real influence over how data enables the business and will collaborate with experienced BI and data professionals in a growing, evolving environment.
If you're passionate about building robust, scalable data architectures and want to have a meaningful impact on how data is used across an organisation, please send your CV.