Data Architect - Databricks / Azure
Salary: up to £85,000
Location: Manchester (2 days per week)
About the Opportunity
Our client is a global insurance firm, and one of the leading insurers in the Lloyd's of London market. Their data strategy is built around a single enterprise Lakehouse platform on Databricks - a deliberate move away from the fragmented, ungoverned silos on legacy technology that hamper creativity and scalability across most of the market.
The Role
As a Data Architect, you will own the end-to-end design and evolution of the enterprise data architecture - defining how data is stored, integrated, secured and managed across every solution in the estate. That includes full ownership of the Databricks Lakehouse platform architecture: data modelling, storage patterns, processing and integration approaches, data sharing patterns and governance guardrails.
This is a practical, delivery-focused architecture role, not a governance-only one. You will be producing conceptual, logical and physical models, writing the source-to-target mappings and interface specifications that delivery teams build from, and working inside squads alongside business analysts, data analysts, developers and solution architects. Alongside shaping the future-state architecture and transition roadmap, you will drive real simplification - rationalising legacy data assets, duplicated capabilities and technical debt.
Key Responsibilities
Own the end-to-end architecture of the enterprise Lakehouse platform on Databricks - data modelling, storage layers, processing patterns, integration approaches and data sharing standards.
Define conceptual, logical and physical data models, information models and associated data dictionaries across enterprise and delivery-specific requirements.
Define and evolve the future-state data architecture and transition roadmaps, simplifying the landscape through rationalisation of legacy assets, duplicated capabilities and technical debt.
Set data architecture principles, guardrails, standards and reusable patterns, aligned to canonical business definitions and domain boundaries.
Define and evolve insurance data models across underwriting, policy, claims, finance, actuarial and regulatory use cases.
Define security, privacy and regulatory requirements - data classification, access control, retention, lineage, metadata and information quality controls.
Own integration and data sharing standards, including source-to-target mappings and interface specifications such as JSON and REST APIs.
Skills & Experience
Databricks is essential. Strong, hands-on experience designing data architectures on Databricks - Lakehouse modelling, storage layers, processing patterns and data sharing - is a firm requirement for this role.
Strong enterprise data modelling across conceptual, logical and physical layers, for both analytical and operational use cases, with real examples of the artefacts produced.
Strong knowledge of SQL, relational modelling and JSON, alongside broader Azure data platform experience.
Experience defining architecture principles, reusable patterns and guardrails, rather than relying solely on tool-specific approaches.
Experience defining metadata, lineage and data quality monitoring requirements within enterprise data platforms.
Data architecture in a regulated environment: security, privacy, access control and the regulatory demands that come with insurance data.
Proven stakeholder management at all levels - able to influence senior business and technology stakeholders and get people into a room and come out with agreed definitions.
Key Technologies
Databricks Lakehouse - storage layers, processing patterns, integration and data sharing
Azure cloud data platform services
SQL, relational modelling and JSON
REST APIs and interface specification
Erwin and Sparx EA
Desirable
Prior data model and data management design within delivery projects for underwriting, policy administration or claims applications.
Understanding of London or Lloyd's Market insurance conceptual data models and associated business data standards.
Experience using enterprise architecture tooling such as Bizzdesign Horizzon.
Benefits
15% Bonus
10% Non-contributory pension
Health (family) and dental cover
Hybrid working
Lots more!
Apply now, or contact for more information.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.
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