Data Engineering Lead - 12 Month FTC in London

The Data Engineering Lead plays a key role in delivering Chaucer’s data transformation by owning the design, build, and implementation of scalable data engineering solutions on the Snowflake platform. Reporting to the Data Platforms Delivery Manager, the role is accountable for leading engineering activity across data products, establishing standards, and ensuring high‑quality, governed, and performant data pipelines. The role provides hands‑on technical leadership and ensures engineering delivery aligns to agreed priorities, working closely with delivery, architecture, and business teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the design, build, and implementation of data engineering solutions on the Snowflake platform, ensuring delivery meets defined scope, quality, and engineering standards.
• Lead the development of scalable data pipelines, data models, and ingestion frameworks aligned to business use cases.
• Drive engineering execution across multiple workstreams, ensuring clarity of tasks, priorities, and dependencies.
• Define and enforce standards across data modelling, transformation, orchestration, and deployment.
• Oversee implementation of ingestion and transformation patterns (e.g. ADF, Fivetran, SQL/dbt or equivalent).
• Ensure the Snowflake platform is scalable, performant, and cost‑efficient through effective design and optimisation.
• Provide hands‑on technical leadership, coaching, and guidance to data engineers.
• Identify and manage technical risks, issues, and dependencies, working with the Data Platforms Delivery Manager to support resolution.

Data Integration & Architecture

• Design and oversee integration of data from core insurance systems, finance platforms, and external sources.
• Ensure consistent application of data architecture principles, including layered models and reusable data assets.
• Collaborate with data architects to align engineering solutions with target architecture and platform strategy.

Governance, Quality & Assurance

• Embed data quality, lineage, and governance controls within engineering solutions.
• Ensure adherence to Chaucer’s data governance frameworks, regulatory requirements, and audit standards.
• Define and support monitoring of data quality metrics, SLAs, and operational controls.
• Ensure engineering artefacts, documentation, and standards are maintained consistently.

Stakeholder & Cross‑Team Coordination

• Act as the primary engineering lead across data platform initiatives, working closely with business and technology stakeholders.
• Translate business requirements into clear technical designs and implementation approaches.
• Provide clear input into delivery planning, highlighting dependencies, constraints, and technical considerations.
• Support alignment across engineering, analytics, and business teams.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong experience in data engineering leadership roles within cloud‑based data platforms.
• Deep expertise in Snowflake, including data architecture, optimisation, and performance tuning.
• Strong technical skills in SQL, data modelling, and ETL/ELT frameworks (e.g. ADF, Fivetran, dbt or similar).
• Experience working within Azure data ecosystems (preferred).
• Understanding of data governance, data quality, and control frameworks.
• Ability to lead engineers, set standards, and drive technical accountability.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills within complex environments.
• Experience working within Insurance or Financial Services (preferred).

Education

• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related discipline desirable.
• Professional certifications in cloud platforms (e.g. Azure), data engineering, or Snowflake desirable.
• Industry certifications in insurance domain desirable.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Chaucer is committed to diversity, actively values difference and respects people regardless of the protected characteristics which are outlined in the Equality Act 2010 (UK legislation) as a result of the Equal Treatment Directive 2006 (EU legislation). A diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace are core to our success as a business and integral to our winning strategy and culture. We recruit from the widest available pool of talent, and we are committed to promoting a culture that actively values difference, and recognises that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect throughout their employment.