Technical Data Programme Lead/Manager in Swindon

Are you an experienced Technical Data Programme Lead who could take the reins of a critical data transformation programme for a financial services firm?

Why You’ll Want This Role

• You’ll have genuine influence. You’re not joining a project where everything’s already decided. You’re stepping into an early‑maturity data environment where your expertise will directly shape the strategy.
• You’ll report to the COO and work directly with Board and Executive level stakeholders who actually want to hear what you think.
• You’ll build something meaningful. You’ll lead a 12‑18 month Data transformation programme, design the roadmap, make the critical technology decisions, and define how value is delivered.
• You’ll transition from chaos to capability. Right now, delivery is largely outsourced to a third‑party consultancy. Your job? Take control, build internal capability, transfer knowledge, and move from fully outsourced to a hybrid or insourced model.

The Challenge (And The Fun Bit)

• You’ll be leading the Databricks Lakehouse migration and managing the build of an architecture that actually works for the business. But here’s the interesting part – you get to figure out the best approach.
• There’s a conceptual model with around 60 Key Data Entities, and you’ll review the delivery approach, align implementation with real business use cases, and make it happen.
• You’ll identify value‑driven use cases that matter in 2026, develop the business cases, and prioritise delivery. No vanity projects – just clear business value.
• You’ll work across data engineering, architecture, governance, and quality, ensuring what gets built can actually be exploited by data scientists to produce models that meet business needs.
• And yes, you’ll manage vendors. But you’ll also have the authority to improve their performance, resolve teaming issues, and ensure quality delivery.
• You’re not just a PM shuffling papers – you’re providing technical leadership and hands‑on expertise.

What You’ll Bring – Essential Requirements

• You’ve done this before. You’ve delivered complex data transformation programmes in financial services as a technical delivery manager for an end‑user client, not through a consultancy.
• You have a deep understanding of cloud data architecture, data engineering, ETL/ELT processes, and modern tooling.
• You can talk architecture with engineers in the morning and translate it into business benefits for the Board in the afternoon.
• It’s essential that you have delivered a major migration that involved Databricks and the Medallion Architecture.
• You’re comfortable with ambiguity and early‑maturity environments. You don’t need someone holding your hand – you’re a self‑starter who sees problems and solves them.
• You’ve got the gravitas to operate at Executive level, but you’re pragmatic enough to roll up your sleeves when needed.

The Practical Stuff

• You must already be resident in the UK to be considered.
• 3 days per week onsite in Swindon (2 days remote flexibility).
• High visibility, strategic role with real career impact.
• Working with a firm genuinely committed to transformation, not just talking about it.

Hit apply now if you meet the criteria listed above.