Data Architect

We have a new opportunity for an experienced Data Architect to join our Technology team here at Penguin. This role is offered on a permanent basis with hybrid working from our office in Embassy Gardens, London.

This role will play a key part in the continued development of our new end-to-end cloud data platform, helping us to ensure that our data architecture and platform strategy remain closely aligned with the needs of the business and the value we want to create.

Working closely with the Product Manager, Data Platform and Lead Data Engineer, you’ll use your data management and architecture expertise to design robust, scalable data foundations and structures that support clearly defined business outcomes. You’ll help to translate product priorities, epics and user stories into practical architectural designs that can be delivered by our Data Engineering team, whilst supporting our broader move towards a Dev/DataOps culture and a more product-led approach to data.

About the team

The Technology team provides expertise and effective solutions to Penguin Random House. We integrate flexibility and agility which supports our consistent way of working. We set ourselves up for success by holding ourselves accountable and welcoming change. Each member of the Technology team brings skill and initiative to their role; we take personal ownership within a one team culture, working collaboratively to meet expectations from our stakeholders who trust us to deliver.

The role

• Design robust, scalable data pipelines and architecture to bring together internal and external data sources within our cloud data platform.
• Develop the architecture and migration approach for moving legacy data into Snowflake, whilst supporting appropriate data lake and transformed data layers.
• Embed security, quality, performance and scalability into the design of our data environments, ensuring they can be used confidently by analysts and decision makers.
• Ensure the data architecture supports our Power BI reporting and analytics capability, as well as wider analytical and business intelligence needs.
• Set the technical direction for data architecture, ensuring it remains aligned with our wider data strategy, platform roadmap and business priorities.
• Support strong data governance by ensuring data structures align with agreed policies, are appropriately catalogued and enable secure and compliant use of first and third-party data.
• Partner with data science and analytics teams to design environments and structures that support advanced analytics, machine learning and AI use cases.
• Stay connected to developments across the data industry, identifying opportunities to improve the platform, increase efficiency and support new business outcomes.

What you’ll bring

• Extensive experience architecting cloud-based data engineering, BI and data science solutions.
• Experience with dbt for transforming, modelling, testing and documenting data within a modern data platform.
• Strong experience designing scalable data models and schemas for a range of structured and unstructured data, including transactional, web analytics, CRM and marketing data.
• Expert knowledge of data modelling and data structures, with the ability to select the right approach for different business and technical use cases.
• Very strong SQL skills, alongside technical experience of database technologies including PostgreSQL, SQL Server and Data Vault.
• Experience designing both code-based and tool-based solutions for data ingestion and storage, with the judgement to understand when each approach offers the greatest benefit.
• Experience migrating and refactoring legacy data solutions and physical environments into cloud-based platforms, including identifying and managing the challenges and opportunities involved.
• Experience designing data structures that enable the appropriate use of first and third-party data whilst supporting GDPR requirements.
• The ability to work closely with engineering teams to design and build complex data environments, proactively addressing data issues as they arise.
• Strong influencing and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with technical colleagues, peers and business stakeholders.
• An inclusive and collaborative approach, with an appreciation of diverse perspectives and ways of working.
• Experience working within the media sector or a similarly complex organisation.
• Experience with AWS Functions and related cloud technologies.

Here at Penguin, we believe in the power of authenticity and human creativity. When you apply for a position, we want to encourage you to showcase your unique voice. Throughout our recruitment process, please share your own thoughts, experiences, and skills. This helps us get a true sense of who you are and what you might bring to our team.

We celebrate creativity and diverse perspectives, so please be yourself! While we recognise AI tools can be helpful, we recommend using them thoughtfully to ensure your responses reflect you.

Disability Confident

As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we offer interviews to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role, and opt-in on their application form. The essential criteria for this role are listed as part of the ‘What you’ll bring’ section.

There may be times when the volume of applications means we cannot take all eligible candidates to interview. We encourage you to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you may need by emailing PRHCareersUK@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable with, for us to support your request.

The salary for this opportunity is up to £65,000 depending on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus a generous bonus scheme and benefits.

While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. For this role we expect that you will work from our head office in Embassy Gardens, London a minimum of 2 days per week (Tuesday & Thursday) with additional days for team meetings, townhalls etc as required. There may also be occasional travel to our warehouse site in Frating, Colchester.