At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design and optimisation of customer data pipelines for advanced analytics.
- Company: Iglu.com is the UK's top online cruise retailer, blending travel with technology.
- Benefits: Enjoy travel perks, paid training, and a supportive team culture.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a flat structure while growing your skills in a fun environment.
- Qualifications: Expertise in data engineering, SQL, cloud platforms, and CRM systems required.
- Other info: Opportunity to mentor junior engineers and shape the future of data at Iglu.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
About Iglu
Why You'll Love Working Here
At Iglu.com, we're more than just a travel company — we’re the UK’s leading online cruise retailer, and we’re redefining what it means to book a cruise in the digital age. Working at Iglu means:
- Flat structure, real impact – Your ideas matter. Everyone contributes, and you’ll see the results of your work fast.
- Cruise perks & travel love – We’re in the business of adventure, and you’ll feel it.
- Smart, supportive people – Join a talented, close-knit team that genuinely enjoys solving hard problems together.
- Room to grow – We’re on a transformation journey, and there’s huge opportunity to shape the future with us.
- Training and development - Paid for training, conferences and certification e.g. AWS Certs.
We combine a passion for travel with a love for technology, delivering smart, seamless customer experiences and building platforms that handle the complexity of modern cruising — all while keeping things collaborative and fun.
Your Mission:
Are you passionate about unlocking the power of customer data? We're looking for a talented Lead Data Engineer to spearhead the design, development, and optimisation of our critical CRM and customer data transformation. You'll play a pivotal role in building the data foundations for advanced analytics, personalised customer experiences, and effective marketing activation. As a senior member of the team, you will lead data engineers and champion best practices within our data environment.
What You'll Do:
- Design & Build: Architect, build, test, and deploy robust, scalable, and reliable data pipelines, focusing on ingesting and transforming CRM and customer data from various sources.
- Lead & Innovate: Take technical ownership of customer data integration solutions within our data platform (AWS/ SQL Server). Drive improvements and implement best-in-class data engineering practices.
- Ensure Quality: Champion data quality and governance for customer datasets. Implement robust monitoring, validation checks, and data lineage processes.
- Collaborate: Work closely with a CRM team, data analysts and marketing teams to understand their data needs and deliver effective solutions.
- Enable Marketing Analytics: Design and provide the necessary data structures and transformations required by marketing teams to measure the efficacy of campaigns, particularly tracking customer engagement and conversion through integrated communication and data platforms.
- Mentor & Guide: Provide technical leadership to data engineers, fostering their growth and ensuring high standards in coding, testing, and documentation.
- Optimise: Continuously monitor and improve data pipeline performance, reliability, and cost-efficiency.
- Document: Create and maintain clear, comprehensive documentation for data models, pipeline architecture, and processes.
What You'll Be Responsible For:
- The end-to-end lifecycle of customer data pipelines, from ingestion to activation-ready datasets.
- The technical quality, scalability, and reliability of the customer data platform components you build and manage.
- Setting standards and promoting data engineering best practices within the customer data domain.
- Translating complex business requirements related to customer data into effective technical data solutions.
- Guiding and developing the technical skills of junior members of the data engineering team.
What You'll Bring (Essential Skills & Experience):
- Proven Data Engineering Expertise: Demonstrable experience designing, building, and maintaining complex data pipelines in a production environment.
- Strong Technical Foundation: Expert-level SQL and proficiency in ETL principals. We currently use SQLSvr/ SSIS, but are on a transformation journey of our data platform (AWS).
- Cloud Proficiency: Hands-on experience with at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and its core data services (e.g., S3, Redshift, Lambda/Functions, Glue).
- Data Modelling: Deep understanding of ELT/ETL patterns, and data modelling techniques.
- CRM/Customer Data Focus: Experience working directly with data from CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Dynamics 365, Hubspot) and understanding customer data structures.
- Leadership Potential: Experience leading projects or mentoring junior engineers.
- Collaboration & Communication: Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate technical concepts to diverse audiences and collaborate effectively across teams.
Bonus Points For:
- Familiarity with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Looker).
- Experience with specific orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow, dbt).
- Experience working in Agile/Scrum development methodologies.
- Experience with Big Data Technologies & Frameworks.
Join Us!
Lead Data Engineer (Havant) employer: Placed
Contact Detail:
Placed Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Data Engineer (Havant)
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific technologies mentioned in the job description, such as AWS and SQL Server. Having hands-on experience with these platforms will not only boost your confidence but also demonstrate your readiness to tackle the challenges at Iglu.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your leadership skills by preparing examples of how you've successfully led projects or mentored junior engineers in the past. This will highlight your potential to take on a senior role and contribute positively to the team dynamic.
✨Tip Number 3
Network with current or former employees of Iglu to gain insights into their work culture and expectations. This can provide you with valuable information that you can use to tailor your approach during interviews.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss your experience with CRM systems and customer data structures. Being able to articulate your understanding of how to manage and optimise customer data will be crucial in demonstrating your fit for this role.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Data Engineer (Havant)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience in data engineering, particularly with CRM systems and cloud platforms like AWS. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to design and build data pipelines.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for data and how it can enhance customer experiences. Mention your leadership skills and how you can contribute to Iglu's mission of transforming customer data into actionable insights.
Showcase Relevant Projects: Include details about any relevant projects you've worked on, especially those involving data integration, ETL processes, or cloud services. Highlight your role and the impact of your contributions.
Prepare for Technical Questions: Be ready to discuss your technical expertise in SQL, data modelling, and cloud services during the interview process. Prepare examples of challenges you've faced and how you overcame them in your previous roles.
How to prepare for a job interview at Placed
✨Showcase Your Data Engineering Expertise
Be prepared to discuss your experience in designing and maintaining complex data pipelines. Highlight specific projects where you've successfully implemented ETL processes, especially in production environments.
✨Demonstrate Cloud Proficiency
Since the role involves working with cloud platforms like AWS, make sure to share your hands-on experience with relevant services. Discuss how you've utilised tools like S3 or Redshift in past projects.
✨Emphasise Collaboration Skills
Iglu values teamwork, so be ready to talk about how you've collaborated with cross-functional teams. Share examples of how you’ve communicated technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
✨Prepare for Leadership Questions
As a Lead Data Engineer, you'll need to demonstrate leadership potential. Think of instances where you've mentored junior engineers or led projects, and be ready to discuss your approach to fostering growth within a team.