Data Domain Architect in Suffolk

At Places for People, we hire People, not numbers! We are more interested in hiring someone that embodies our People Promises. That's someone that does the right thing, is enthusiastic and motivated to grow, believes in Community spirit, is respectful and enjoys their work. As the UK's leading Social Enterprise, we're dedicated to creating inclusive and thriving Communities for both our Customers and Employees.

More about the team: The Data and Platform Engineering team are the foundation for the Data Office function. Responsible for designing, building, and maintaining PfP's data platform, we extract data from source, transform it into a usable format, load it into consumer models and marts, and build and manage the infrastructure to do all this work. Data Engineering are transforming the way PfP consumes data. Having transitioned from On Premise to Google Cloud, we are in the process of building a leading-edge Data Mesh platform.

This is an exciting time to join a growing business function, with the opportunity to make your mark defining the architecture of the data platform and the continued development of the data engineering function.

The Role of the Data Architect

The Data Architect occupies a pivotal position within our data engineering team, driving both strategic and enabling initiatives. This individual is instrumental in ensuring that our data platform supports decentralisation, in line with data mesh principles. Furthermore, the Data Architect guarantees that our data products are interoperable, well-governed, and consistently aligned with both enterprise standards and the overarching data platform.

Key Responsibilities

• Data Platform Architecture Design: Overseeing the comprehensive design of the data platform's architecture, ensuring it meets current and future needs.
• Architectural Documentation: Producing clear, detailed architectural documentation and diagrams to facilitate understanding and implementation.
• Domain-Oriented Ownership: Embedding a domain-oriented ownership model and fostering a Data as a Product (DaP) mindset across all development efforts.
• Tool and Service Evaluation: Assessing and recommending the most suitable tools, infrastructure, and services to enhance the platform.
• Architectural Standards: Establishing and maintaining architectural standards, reference architectures, and best practices throughout the team.
• Governance: Designing solutions that uphold governance, security, and quality requirements.
• Data Product Design Standards: Ensuring that data products are discoverable, interoperable, and trustworthy, adhering to high standards.
• Data Pipeline Design: Designing robust data pipelines, including batch, event-driven, and streaming architectures.
• Operational Considerations: Addressing operational concerns such as security, scalability, performance, observability, and user experience.

Collaboration and Advisory Functions

The Data Architect works closely and collaboratively with the Principal Data Platform Engineer and the Principal Data Engineer to architect and develop the data platform. In this capacity, the Data Architect acts as a trusted advisor on data strategy and platform direction, providing valuable input on data capabilities and trade-offs, and making significant contributions to the development of the data roadmap. In addition, the Data Architect partners with domain squads, assisting them in designing robust data products and providing architectural designs and technical guidance. The role also encompasses the mentorship of engineers and analysts in areas such as data modelling, integration, and design best practices, thus strengthening the overall technical capability of the team.

At Places for People, we are committed to a safe working environment so a basic DBS check is mandatory.

Profile Overview

As an experienced and talented Data Solutions Architect, you possess a proven track record alongside hands-on cloud platform expertise spanning Google Cloud Platform, Azure, or AWS. Your innovative approach is characterised by a commitment to researching emerging technologies, ensuring the most effective solutions are identified for any given challenge. When faced with problems, you demonstrate logical thinking, systematically breaking them down into actionable outcomes and documenting your proposals comprehensively.

Ownership and Leadership

You are recognised for taking ownership and responsibility, proactively advancing the data platform while maintaining a vigilant stance to minimise risks consistent with business appetite. Your strong understanding of building robust data mesh architectures is complemented by thorough knowledge of data security and GDPR requirements.

Collaboration and Communication

Your engagement with the broader data community enables you to gain valuable insights into their needs, fostering trusted relationships across IT and throughout the business. Your ability to communicate clearly and concisely with non-technical stakeholders ensures they fully understand the objectives, rationale, and methodology behind proposed solutions.

Drive and Mentorship

Self-motivated and equipped with excellent leadership skills, you consistently drive innovation and actively mentor team members, further enhancing the capabilities and cohesion of your team.