Lead Data Architect in London

We are seeking a pragmatic, detail oriented and experienced Lead Enterprise Data Architect to join our growing Data practice. The ideal person for this role will have extensive Data expertise gained from working at senior management and C-level suite levels and will be responsible for leading client engagements, defining architectural frameworks, as well as defining high level operating models and governance frameworks for managing the Data Architecture. You will also love to collaborate with other Data professionals, engineers, and business or operations experts to understand and address their data needs.

As an 'Enterprise' Data Architect, you will be a trusted client advisor providing high-value data architecture strategy & TOM services, responsible for defining how Data fits into the wider Business and Technology Architectures which exist. Although technology agnostic, you will have experience in shaping vendor assessments for the various components of the architecture and will work with Data Solution Architects who are responsible for defining, elaborating, and designing the physical layers of the architecture and data models. You will share a passion for Data and how it can be used to develop Data Driven Businesses, innovative ideas and thrive in an environment that embraces collaboration with clients and internal teams to scope, plan and execute projects on time and within budget.

The role is a hybrid role maintaining a utilization target of 50% with the remaining 50% of your time focused on pre-sales activity. You will be expected to shape propositions and services, support sales activities, deliver client engagements, lead teams (on/near/far shore) and manage cross-functional client staff and stakeholders in a variety of contexts. We are looking for someone with a strong background in Data Architecture and demonstrable experience of delivering Data Architecture Projects utilising a broad range of methods and frameworks incorporating on-prem, cloud and hybrid models. This role is London based but may involve travel within the UK and Europe and will require flexibility.

What you'll be doing:

• Input into and drive the creation of go-to-market propositions and services in Data Architecture.
• Support client partners and practice leads in pre-sales activities.
• Act as a go-to practitioner in delivering projects in the Data Architecture field.
• Defining end-to-end Data Architectures.
• Leading and developing architecture teams.
• Joining the dots between Business, Technology and Data architectures.
• Input into the shaping of Data Architecture engagements.
• Deliver Data Architecture engagements with/ for our clients.
• Remain up to date with the continuous evolution in the Data Architectures and ensure that this knowledge is made available to the wider Data & Intelligence practice.

Business Relationships:

• Sector sales partners and Account Leads.
• Practice leaders and members.
• Peer level relationships within client organisations up to Chief Data Architect, CIO, CDO level.

What experience you'll bring:

• 8+ years data architecture experience - Enterprise-scale solutions across multiple sectors with proven delivery track record.
• Cloud-native architecture expertise - Hands-on experience with AWS/Azure/GCP, data lakes, real-time streaming, and infrastructure-as-code.
• Full data lifecycle mastery - End-to-end expertise from ingestion to consumption, including governance, security, and both batch/real-time processing.
• Business-technology translation - Ability to align data strategy with business objectives and communicate across all stakeholder levels.
• Presales & business development experience - Track record supporting opportunity qualification, bid reviews, proposal development, and client-facing sales activities.

Nice to have:

• Multi-platform technology stack - Experience with Snowflake, Databricks, modern ETL/ELT tools, and relevant certifications (SnowPro, AWS/Azure Data).
• Data governance & compliance - Strong background in security frameworks, regulatory compliance (GDPR), data lineage, and quality management.
• AI/ML integration capabilities - Experience with MLOps, analytics platforms, and integrating AI/ML into data architectures.
• Technical leadership at scale - Leading 15+ person cross-functional teams and serving as technical escalation point for C-level stakeholders.
• Agile delivery & thought leadership - Proven agile/hybrid delivery experience with contribution to practice growth through proposition development and knowledge sharing.

Who we are:

At NTT DATA, you have endless opportunities to think big, act bold and take ownership. As a $30+ billion business and technology services, AI and digital infrastructure leader, we co-innovate solutions with clients and partners globally for business and societal impact. Serving 75% of the Fortune Global 100, with experts in over 70 countries, we encourage experimentation and recognize great work. Proudly a Global Top Employer, NTT DATA is part of NTT Group, which invests over $3 billion annually in R&D. Make this the place where you belong, learn, and build your network. Make this the place where you grow.

What we’ll offer you:

We offer a range of tailored benefits that support your physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing. Our Learning and Development team ensure that there are continuous growth and development opportunities for our people. We also offer the opportunity to have flexible work options.

We are an equal opportunities employer. We believe in the fair treatment of all our employees and commit to promoting equity and diversity in our employment practices. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce.