Head of Data Engineering in London

Head of Data Engineering in London

London Full-Time 100000 - 128000 € / year (est.) Home office (partial)
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead the creation of a cutting-edge data platform and manage a team of engineers.
  • Company: Join a leading global blue-chip company with a focus on data monetisation.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, generous bonuses, healthcare, and flexible holiday options.
  • Other info: Opportunity to innovate with one of the UK's largest datasets.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of data engineering and drive real business impact.
  • Qualifications: Proven leadership in data engineering and full-stack data experience.

The predicted salary is between 100000 - 128000 € per year.

This isn't a data engineering job where you maintain someone else's mess. You're building the platform. Our client sits on one of the most valuable datasets in the UK. Millions of customers. Rich behavioural signals. A complex, multi-source data ecosystem that most companies could only dream of. The problem? That value doesn't unlock itself. Right now, they're building the infrastructure to turn raw data into high-value customer signals and commercial data products, and they need the right person to lead it.

As Head of Data Engineering, you'll own the architectural strategy, lead a team of four Product Data Engineers, and sit at the intersection of technical delivery and business outcomes. You'll report into the Director of Data Monetisation and work with stakeholders from engineers up to C-suite.

What You'll Own

  • Define the architecture - Own the technical strategy for a data product platform that's extensible, reusable, and built to last β€” not patched together as requirements evolve.
  • Lead the team - Manage the agile process, run standups, own the backlog and roadmap, and mentor four Product Data Engineers to grow technically and professionally.
  • Drive quality and governance - Set high standards across accuracy, platform SLAs, privacy, and data lineage β€” and make sure they hold throughout the entire data lifecycle.
  • Push innovation - Evaluate and prototype new technologies and tooling. You'll have room to shape how the team works, not just what it builds.
  • Deliver commercial value - Stay close to data consumers and paying customers to keep product development tied to outcomes that actually matter to the business.

What They're Looking For

  • Proven technical leadership: You've led a team of engineers remotely, challenged architectural decisions, and driven the right practices for the team.
  • Full-stack data experience at scale: Ingestion, ML/AI modelling, analytics. You've designed complex end-to-end solutions, not just one layer of the stack.
  • Google Cloud hands-on experience: BigQuery, Analytics Hub (BQ Sharing), Cloud Functions and DBT Cloud specifically. Comparable cloud experience considered for strong candidates.
  • Commercial mindset: You can demonstrate data product adoption and articulate the time and cost value of what you've built.
  • External data product experience: You've built SaaS or data products for external partners, including data contracts, integrations, and privacy constraints.
  • Agile fluency: Jira and Confluence are part of your daily life. You handle ambiguity well and thrive in fast-moving environments.
  • Python and SQL coaching ability: You can develop engineers, not just write clean code yourself.

Bonus Experience

  • Nice to have, but not required: Experience building new products from scratch rather than inheriting legacy systems.
  • Sensitive datasets in regulated industries, especially telco Data cleanrooms - Google, Snowflake or equivalent.

Why This Opportunity Is Worth Your Time

  • Real architectural scope: Own the direction of a strategic data platform at one of the UK's largest telcos β€” not just execute someone else's vision.
  • Interesting data at scale: UK-scale telco data. Complex signals. The kind of dataset that takes years to build.
  • Commercial backing: Data monetisation is a growth priority. This team has real business support behind it.
  • Strong benefits: 40% bonus long-term incentive plan after 3 years service, Bupa healthcare from day one, income protection, life assurance, birthday day off, and the option to buy or sell up to 5 days holiday.

Most data engineering roles ask you to maintain what's already there. This one asks you to build what comes next. If that's the kind of problem you want to spend your time on, apply now to find out more!

Head of Data Engineering in London employer: Edge Tech

As a leading global blue chip company based in London, we offer an exceptional work environment for the Head of Data Engineering role, where innovation and technical leadership are at the forefront. Our culture promotes professional growth through mentorship and collaboration, while our competitive benefits package, including a generous bonus structure and comprehensive health support, ensures that our employees feel valued and supported. Join us to shape the future of data monetisation and work with one of the most valuable datasets in the UK, all while enjoying a flexible work-life balance.

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Contact Detail:

Edge Tech Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🀫

We think this is how you could land Head of Data Engineering in London

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend meetups, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.

✨Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your past projects, especially those that highlight your experience with data engineering and cloud technologies. This will give you an edge when discussing your capabilities during interviews.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare for the interview by researching the company and its data products. Understand their challenges and think about how you can contribute to their goals. Tailor your answers to show how your experience aligns with their needs.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we’re always looking for passionate individuals who want to make a real impact in the data engineering space.

We think you need these skills to ace Head of Data Engineering in London

Technical Leadership
Architectural Strategy
Agile Methodologies
Data Product Development
Full-stack Data Experience
Google Cloud (BigQuery, Analytics Hub, Cloud Functions, DBT Cloud)
Commercial Mindset

Some tips for your application 🫑

Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Head of Data Engineering role. Highlight your technical leadership, full-stack data experience, and any relevant cloud technologies you've worked with. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share your passion for building data platforms and how your previous experiences have prepared you for this challenge. Don't forget to mention your commercial mindset and how you’ve driven product adoption in the past!

Showcase Your Achievements:When detailing your past roles, focus on specific achievements rather than just responsibilities. Use metrics where possible to demonstrate the impact of your work, especially in areas like data product development and team leadership. We love seeing tangible results!

Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it reaches the right people. Plus, we can't wait to hear from you!

How to prepare for a job interview at Edge Tech

✨Know Your Data Inside Out

Before the interview, dive deep into the company's data ecosystem. Understand their datasets, how they might be monetised, and think about innovative ways to unlock value from them. This will show your genuine interest and expertise in data engineering.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills

Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past. Highlight your experience with agile processes, mentoring engineers, and driving architectural decisions. Be ready to discuss how you can inspire and manage a team of Product Data Engineers effectively.

✨Demonstrate Technical Proficiency

Brush up on your full-stack data experience, especially with Google Cloud tools like BigQuery and DBT Cloud. Be prepared to discuss specific projects where you've designed complex end-to-end solutions and how you tackled challenges along the way.

✨Align with Business Outcomes

Think about how your technical decisions have driven commercial value in previous roles. Be ready to articulate how you've ensured product development aligns with business needs and customer outcomes, showcasing your commercial mindset.