Head of Data Platform

This role offers the chance to make a visible impact: shaping a modern data platform, enabling responsible AI adoption, improving how teams access and use trusted data, and influencing the future of technology across an international insurance business.

What you'll be responsible for:

• Set the strategy, roadmap and operating model for Arch's enterprise data platform.
• Lead the design, build and operation of a scalable, secure and resilient modern data platform.
• Drive modern engineering practices across DataOps, CI/CD, observability, service management, data quality and production support.
• Create AI-ready data foundations by ensuring data is governed, well modelled, permission-aware and suitable for advanced analytics and AI use cases.
• Develop platform capabilities that support AI workloads, including retrieval patterns, feature and vector stores, MLOps, model deployment, monitoring and cost control.
• Ensure the platform meets security, privacy, regulatory, data governance and responsible-AI expectations.
• Lead strategic data programmes and platform change, managing scope, cost, risk, quality, dependencies and stakeholder expectations.
• Partner with senior business, technology, architecture, governance and change stakeholders to prioritise outcomes that support business strategy.
• Define engineering, testing, integration, data management and continuous improvement standards across the platform.
• Manage consumption, budgets, business cases, suppliers, contracts and commercial performance.
• Build, coach and develop a high-performing data engineering and platform team.

What we're looking for:

• Experience leading modern enterprise data platforms, ideally including technologies such as Snowflake, orchestration tools, ELT, BI and analytics platforms.
• A strong understanding of platform engineering, DataOps, CI/CD, observability, reliability, resilience, data quality, security and production support.
• Practical knowledge of AI, machine learning and Generative AI workloads, including the data, governance, retrieval, MLOps and cost considerations needed to support them.
• Awareness of responsible AI, data privacy, regulatory obligations and security considerations, particularly in insurance, reinsurance or financial services.
• The ability to set direction, define roadmaps, make sound technology decisions and translate business priorities into scalable platform outcomes.
• Confident leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead multi-disciplinary teams.
• Strong commercial and financial management skills, including budgeting, consumption management, business cases and supplier performance management.
• Good business acumen and a clear focus on applying technology to improve data management, business processes and decision-making.
• Experience with insurance or reinsurance systems and data is advantageous, as is knowledge of Python and Power BI.

Experience:

• You will have a proven track record of leading enterprise data platforms and delivering large-scale data transformation programmes, ideally within insurance, reinsurance or financial services.
• You are likely to bring 10-15 years' experience across data engineering, software engineering, architecture, platform operations or technology delivery, together with significant leadership experience.
• A bachelor's degree or equivalent experience is expected.

Do you like solving complex business problems, working with talented colleagues and have an innovative mindset? Arch may be a great fit for you.

If this job isn't the right fit but you're interested in working for Arch, create a job alert! Simply create an account and opt in to receive emails when we have job openings that meet your criteria. Join our talent community to share your preferences directly with Arch's Talent Acquisition team.

Summary

• Location: London, United Kingdom
• Type: Full time

With a company culture rooted in collaboration, expertise and innovation, we aim to promote progress and inspire our clients, employees, investors and communities to achieve their greatest potential. Our work is the catalyst that helps others achieve their goals. In short, We Enable Possibility.

This is an opportunity to lead one of Arch's most important technology capabilities at a pivotal point in our data and AI journey. As Head of Data Platform, you will set the direction for the enterprise data platform, shape how data is engineered and operated, and help create the trusted foundations needed for analytics, AI and smarter business decision-making. You will work with senior leaders across technology, data and the business to modernise the platform, strengthen governance and resilience, and turn high-quality data into real business value.

Why join us:

You will join a business that recognises data as a strategic asset and is investing in the platforms, capabilities and leadership needed.