Lead / Senior Data Engineer
£70,000 + bonus (5–10%)
Hybrid working - 3 days a week in central Manchester
A growing professional services organisation is seeking a Lead / Senior Data Engineer to take technical ownership of its modern data platform and play a pivotal role in shaping its Microsoft Fabric‑driven data strategy. This is a fantastic opportunity for a highly capable engineer who wants to remain deeply hands‑on while providing light leadership and guidance within a small, collaborative data team.
If you’re passionate about building scalable cloud data solutions, championing modern architectures, and influencing technical direction, this role offers both autonomy and impact.
The Opportunity
As the senior technical figure within the data function, you will drive the evolution of a cloud‑first data estate, lead on Microsoft Fabric adoption, and ensure engineering best practice across pipelines, modelling, governance, and integration. This is a 90% hands‑on role, ideal for someone who wants to stay close to the technology while offering mentorship and light line management.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Leadership
* Lead the design and ongoing development of a Microsoft Fabric and Azure‑centric data platform.
* Champion Medallion Architecture (Bronze/Silver/Gold) and ensure consistent implementation.
* Define engineering standards covering data modelling, pipelines, naming conventions, and code quality.
* Act as the technical authority for data governance, master data management, and platform best practice.
* Evaluate new tools, patterns, and capabilities to support continuous improvement.
Data Engineering & Platform Delivery
* Architect and deliver scalable ETL/ELT pipelines using Azure Data Factory and Fabric.
* Manage ingestion from APIs, databases, flat files, and event‑driven sources.
* Oversee Azure services including ADLS, Azure SQL, Delta Lake/OneLake, Key Vault, and Event Hubs.
* Drive platform reliability, observability, and operational excellence.
Data Quality & Master Data
* Lead the implementation and governance of master data management frameworks.
* Define data quality rules, validation processes, and deduplication strategies.
* Work with business stakeholders to establish canonical entities and golden records.
Integrations & APIs
* Own integration architecture across internal systems and third‑party platforms.
* Design secure, scalable REST and event‑driven integration patterns.
* Collaborate with software engineers to ensure reliability and governance.
Leadership & Team Development
* Provide light line management including 1:1s, appraisals, and pastoral support.
* Mentor engineers, lead code reviews, and support career development.
* Contribute to sprint planning and roadmap delivery (without heavy project management).
* Foster a culture of engineering excellence, learning, and collaboration.
Required Skills & Experience
* Strong background in data engineering with hands‑on experience across pipelines, ETL/ELT, modelling, and orchestration.
* Deep expertise in the Microsoft data stack, especially:
* Microsoft Fabric (critical)
* Azure Data Factory
* SQL Server / Azure SQL
* Proven experience implementing Medallion Architecture in a cloud environment.
* Strong understanding of MDM, data governance, and data quality principles.
* Proficiency in SQL and/or Python.
* Experience mentoring or leading engineers in a technical capacity.
* Ability to communicate clearly with both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
Desirable
* Experience with Fabric Lakehouses, Warehouses, Real‑Time Analytics, or Data Activator.
* Exposure to Microsoft Purview or similar governance/cataloguing tools.
* Familiarity with AI/ML data patterns (feature stores, model pipelines, RAG, etc.).
* Background in DevOps, CI/CD, or IaC within Azure DevOps.
* Experience in high‑volume operational or analytical environments