Job Description
Lead Data Engineer
Client: Leading UK Bank
Contract Type: 6-month contract – Inside IR35
Location: UK (Hybrid – London / Regional offices)
Start: ASAP
Role Overview Lead a squad of Data Engineers delivering strategic data products for one of the UK’s largest banks. You will combine deep technical expertise with people leadership, architecture decisions and stakeholder management.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead and mentor a team of 6–10 Data Engineers (onshore + offshore)
* Own the technical roadmap for the data platform (AWS + Databricks + dbt + Airflow)
* Architect scalable, cost-efficient and governed data solutions
* Drive best practices in engineering, testing, observability and documentation
* Act as senior technical point of contact for Data Science, Analytics and Business teams
* Champion cloud cost optimisation and platform modernisation
* Ensure delivery within strict regulatory timelines
Essential Skills & Experience
* 8+ years total experience with at least 3 years in a Lead/Principal Data Engineer role
* Expert-level AWS, Databricks, dbt and Apache Airflow
* Proven experience leading teams in a regulated financial services environment
* Strong stakeholder management and ability to translate business needs into technical solutions
* Deep knowledge of data governance, lineage and quality frameworks
Nice to Have
* Terraform, CloudFormation or CDK
* Real-time data platforms (Kafka/Kinesis)
* Previous UK banking experience