Senior Manager - AI & Data, Databricks, Financial Services, Belfast

The EY Financial Services AI & Data Consulting practice is investing in a new, scaled Belfast team to develop unique advisory propositions aligned to fast evolving market needs and demand. We are currently looking for an exceptional Senior Manager to lead on developing our Data Engineering solutions for this team with an initial focus on Databricks. This senior role requires an individual with an exceptional track record of delivering data transformation programs and building high‑performing teams in Financial Services. Joining the Belfast EY AI & Data team in this exciting period of growth offers a huge variety of opportunities to make a tangible impact on clients’ businesses, develop junior colleagues, and advance your own career.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to data engineers and analysts across Financial Services domains such as Risk, Trading, and Compliance.
• Lead the design and implementation of scalable data architecture solutions using Databricks on Azure.
• Architect and optimise data pipelines for structured and unstructured financial data, ensuring performance, reliability, and compliance.
• Stand up and operationalise Databricks platforms, including workspace setup, cluster configuration, and CI/CD integration.
• Lead and execute large‑scale lift‑and‑shift data migrations from legacy platforms to Databricks, ensuring minimal disruption and high data fidelity.
• Drive adoption of Delta Lake, Apache Spark, and MLflow for advanced analytics and machine learning use cases.
• Lead performance tuning, cost optimisation, and security hardening of Databricks on Azure.
• Establish best practices for data governance, lineage, and metadata management within the Databricks environment.
• Translate business needs into robust data products that support real‑time decision‑making and predictive modelling.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to align data architecture with financial regulations (e.g., GDPR, Basel III, MiFID II).
• Business development, including development of long‑term trusted advisor relationships with clients, support for RFP responses, and issuance of thought leadership to the market.

Qualifications

• A track record of delivering large Databricks data transformations and appropriate Databricks industry certifications.
• Deep understanding of Financial Services to develop the right AI, Data and Analytics solutions to meet their needs.
• Experience building high‑performing teams and exceptional leadership and interpersonal skills.
• Deep understanding of emerging technology trends, including cloud‑based and next‑generation data technologies, with a clear perspective on market direction.
• Ability to successfully deliver across multiple engagements, exceed client expectations, manage commercial aspects, and deliver high quality and risk‑managed outcomes.
• Ability to engage with senior stakeholders and manage large cross‑functional projects.
• Intellectual strength and flexibility to rapidly understand complex problems and rationalise them into workable solutions that can then be delivered.
• Exceptional storytelling, communication, presentation, business writing and professional skills, including liaising with both technical and business contacts at clients.
• Previous consulting experience will be greatly valued.
• A university degree, 2:1 (or equivalent) or above is usually preferred, although outstanding candidates following an alternative academic path may also be considered.

What we look for

We are looking for highly motivated individuals who are passionate about AI, Data, and Analytics and want to help clients become truly data‑driven organisations. If you can meet the challenges of a focused consulting organisation, understand how to build, grow and lead in a large practice, and work in the most complex of sectors, the EY AI & Data team is looking forward to hearing from you.

Benefits

• Support, coaching and feedback from some of the most engaging colleagues around.
• Opportunities to develop new skills and progress your career.
• The freedom and flexibility to handle your role in a way that’s right for you.

EEO Statement

EY is committed to being an inclusive employer and we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. We strive to achieve the right balance for our people, enabling us to deliver excellent client service while allowing you to build your career without sacrificing your personal priorities. While our client‑facing professionals may be required to travel regularly and sometimes be based at client sites, our flexible working arrangements can help you achieve a lifestyle balance.

Prior to finalising your application, we will ask you to provide personal information across several dimensions of diversity and inclusiveness. The information you provide is kept entirely confidential and will not be used to evaluate your candidacy. We collect this data to analyze our recruitment process holistically and implement actions that promote diversity and inclusiveness. While optional, we encourage you to provide this information to hold us accountable towards our goal of building a better working world.