Head of Data Engineering - REMOTE WORK

Our client are seeking a Head of Data Engineering to lead the strategic direction, delivery, and ongoing evolution of enterprise data engineering capabilities for a leading insurance client in London. This role blends deep technical expertise with visionary leadership, responsible for defining, building, and scaling a modern data platform aligned to business and regulatory needs. As the Head of Data Engineering, you will own the end-to-end data engineering function – overseeing architecture, platform operations, integration strategy, and team leadership. You’ll shape the roadmap for data engineering initiatives across Azure, Snowflake, Kafka, and modern Lakehouse architectures, ensuring resilience, scalability, governance, and performance. Lead the Data Engineering Function : Define and implement the data engineering strategy, architecture, and operating model across the enterprise. Platform Ownership : Own the full lifecycle of the data platform – ingestion, storage, transformation, governance, and access – with a focus on Azure, Snowflake, Kafka, and Data Lakes. Shape the vision and roadmap for the data engineering function in line with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and technological advancement. Guide the design of scalable, secure, and automated data architectures including Lakehouse, Kappa, and Lambda patterns. Establish strong data governance practices, ensuring robust access control, auditability, and compliance frameworks. DevOps & Automation : Champion automation and Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC), driving efficiency, resilience, and self-service capabilities. Cross-functional Collaboration : Work closely with data architects, DevOps, security, and analytics teams to deliver end-to-end platform capabilities. Build and lead high-performing data engineering teams, fostering a culture of innovation, ownership, and continuous improvement. Drive adoption of SDLC best practices across the data platform, ensuring reliability and high standards of software engineering. Proven experience as a Head of Data Engineering , Principal Data Engineer , or Lead Data Architect , managing large-scale data platform initiatives. Expertise in Azure , Snowflake , Kafka , and Data Lake technologies, with a strong grasp of modern architectural patterns (Lakehouse, Lambda, Kappa). Strong knowledge of data governance , security , and regulatory compliance within enterprise environments. Experience with data integration , enterprise data modeling , and real-time data streaming solutions. Deep understanding of DevOps , CI/CD , and Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) for data platforms. Strong grasp of Data Mesh and Data Fabric principles and their practical application. Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to align data engineering outcomes to business value. Comprehensive benefits package including health insurance and wellbeing/mental health support. Financial support for ongoing learning and development. Collaborative and innovative company culture. Opportunities for rapid career progression across a fast-growing consultancy.