Platform Lead (3572)

GTR are recruiting a Platform Lead based out of Monument Place. This is a great opportunity for an individual with a proven track record to work for one of the country's busiest and award-winning rail companies.

Job Purpose

As Platform Lead, you will be accountable for the day-to-day technical leadership, delivery and governance of GTR's DataHub platform mainly to the Semantic model layer. You will ensure that data engineering, reporting and platform development activities are delivered in a controlled, consistent and scalable manner. You will own the technical operating model for the platform, ensuring robust Dev/Test/Production lifecycles, documentation, training and adherence to governance standards across all users of the Fabric estate. The role requires strong professional expertise in modern data platforms and delivery practices, with the ability to apply this knowledge pragmatically across a complex enterprise environment.

Key Accountabilities:

• Lead all data engineering activity on the DataHub platform, including internally delivered engineering and third-party contributions.
• Own and enforce platform governance, including environments, access controls, deployment pipelines and release management.
• Regularly balance competing priorities across delivery speed, platform stability, cost, and governance, making informed judgements where trade-offs are required.
• Ensure Power BI reports and semantic models are developed and deployed in line with agreed standards.
• Work closely with the Data Architect to ensure architectural principles are implemented consistently.
• Ensure platform documentation, onboarding materials and training are available and maintained.
• Oversee platform performance, reliability and cost efficiency.
• Act as the main operational interface with third-party managed service providers.
• Ensure development follows agreed portfolio and change processes.

The DataHub platform is built on Microsoft Fabric and underpins analytics across GTR. Historically engineering has been delivered via a managed service provider; this role supports the transition to a blended model with increased in-house capability. While strategic ownership sits with the Head of Data & AI, the Platform Lead holds day-to-day accountability for the safe and effective operation of the DataHub platform. DataHub is a large-scale enterprise platform, serving over 2,000 users, integrating with 50+ systems and encompassing more than 40 data products. The Platform Lead is accountable for the day-to-day management and operational integrity of this end-to-end ecosystem, ensuring all components function cohesively. The role requires a strong understanding of how data models, pipelines, reporting and access controls interconnect, along with the ability to manage escalations from a wide range of stakeholders across the business. This demands a high degree of technical judgement to resolve issues quickly while maintaining platform stability, governance and long-term sustainability. The complexity of the platform will continue to increase as wider industry stakeholders, including Network Rail, DfT and GBR/GBRX initiatives, require access, introducing additional integration, governance and operational risk considerations that must be managed effectively.

Knowledge:

• Strong understanding of modern data platforms, particularly Microsoft Fabric and Power BI.
• Good understanding of data engineering patterns and CI/CD principles.

Skills:

• Strong technical leadership and delivery management skills.
• Ability to balance speed of delivery with platform stability and governance.
• Clear technical communication and documentation skills.

Experience:

• Experience owning or leading enterprise data platforms.
• Experience operating formal Dev/UAT/Prod lifecycles.
• Experience managing technical delivery with third party partners.

What we can offer you:

Final salary pension, 25 days holiday plus.