At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the technical direction for our enterprise data platform and enhance data quality across Skipton.
- Company: Join the fourth largest building society in the UK, owned by its members.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and a commitment to your professional development.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with excellent career growth opportunities and a focus on wellbeing.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on data engineering while shaping the future of our organisation.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in data engineering leadership and modern data architectures.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
We’re recruiting a Principal Data Engineer to set the technical direction for our enterprise data platform and raise the bar for modern, trusted, high-quality data across Skipton.
Who Are We?
Not just another building society. Not just another job. We're the fourth biggest building society in the UK and what makes us a bit different is that we're a mutual organisation. We don't have shareholders; we're owned by our members. Our colleagues say Skipton's a great place to work, and you could be one of them, bringing with you new ideas on how we can keep customers at the heart of what we do. Whatever your background, and whatever your goals, we'll help you take the next step towards a better future.
You’ll be joining our Data Capability function, working at enterprise scale across product, platform, analytics, governance, cyber, and delivery teams. As a Principal Data Engineer, you’ll operate with company wide scope, shaping how data is ingested, modelled, governed, and consumed across Skipton. You’ll collaborate closely with Data Platform, Architecture, Data Governance, BI & Analytics, Cyber Security, DevSecOps, Quality Engineering, and Risk teams to ensure data is secure, trusted, observable, and fit for purpose. This is a senior leadership role where your impact is multiplied through standards, Golden Path patterns, and the development of talented Data Engineers across the organisation.
What’s In It For You?
Skipton values work/life balance and we are proud to support hybrid and flexible working, where possible. We have a newly refurbished head office which offers a vibrant and collaborative working space. We have a range of other benefits available to you including:
- Annual discretionary bonus scheme
- 25 days standard annual leave + bank holidays + rising 1 day per year of service to a maximum of 30 days
- Holiday trading scheme allowing the ability to buy and sell additional annual leave days
- Matching employer pension contribution (up to 10% per annum)
- Colleague mortgage (conditions apply)
- Salary sacrifice scheme for hybrid & electric car
- A commitment to training and development
- Private medical insurance for all our colleagues
- 3 paid volunteering days per annum
- Diverse and inclusive colleague networks available for you to join including our Carers and Pride Alliance groups
- We care about your health and wellbeing – we provide a range of benefits that support this including cycle to work initiative and discounted gym membership
What Will You Be Doing?
As our Principal Data Engineer, you’ll provide both technical and people leadership, acting as a bar raiser for modern data engineering across Skipton. Key deliverables include:
- Defining enterprise wide data engineering standards, principles, and Golden Path patterns
- Leading hands‐on greenfield data platform implementations where no existing pattern exists, establishing reference architectures and engineering standards through delivery
- Setting the technical direction for cloud native, secure‐by‐design data platforms
- Improving data quality, freshness, lineage, observability, and operational resilience
- Shaping and delivering multiyear data platform and modernisation roadmaps
- Line managing, coaching, and developing Data Engineers and future technical leaders
- Evaluating data initiatives across data science, analytics, and reporting to determine the most appropriate platform strategy
What Do We Need From You?
We’re looking for an experienced data engineering leader with technical depth and credibility to influence at enterprise scale. You’ll bring:
- Deep, hands-on expertise in modern data engineering, such as lakehouse platforms, cloud data architectures, ingestion frameworks, and data modelling with a clear understanding of architectural trade-offs
- Proven experience establishing reusable data standards, patterns, and frameworks through greenfield implementations, with adoption driven through delivery rather than documentation alone
- Strong knowledge of data governance, security, lineage, metadata, and observability, including how to embed these concerns into platform design rather than layering them on afterwards
- Experience improving data quality, reliability, or delivery speed at enterprise scale
- Demonstrated people leadership experience, including coaching and developing engineers into senior-level technical leaders
- The confidence to provide technical direction, challenge ambiguous problems, and make high‐impact decisions
Principal Data Engineer in Skipton employer: Skipton International Ltd
Skipton Building Society is an exceptional employer that prioritises work/life balance and offers a vibrant, collaborative working environment in its newly refurbished head office. With a strong commitment to employee development, generous benefits including a discretionary bonus scheme, extensive annual leave, and private medical insurance, Skipton fosters a culture of inclusivity and support, making it an ideal place for professionals seeking meaningful and rewarding careers in data engineering.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Data Engineer in Skipton
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at Skipton on LinkedIn or through mutual connections. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for landing the Principal Data Engineer role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your technical skills and understanding of data engineering principles. Be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with cloud data architectures and how you've tackled complex data challenges in the past.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills! Think of examples where you've coached or developed other engineers. Highlight how you can raise the bar for data engineering at Skipton and contribute to their collaborative culture.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in being part of the Skipton team.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Data Engineer in Skipton
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Principal Data Engineer role. Highlight your relevant experience and skills that align with our job description. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about data engineering and how your vision aligns with our goals at Skipton. Keep it engaging and personal!
Showcase Your Projects:If you've worked on any impressive data projects, don’t hold back! Include links or descriptions of your work that demonstrate your expertise in modern data engineering practices. We love seeing real-world applications!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Skipton International Ltd
✨Know Your Data Engineering Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of modern data engineering practices, especially around lakehouse platforms and cloud architectures. Be ready to discuss specific projects where you've implemented these technologies and how they improved data quality or delivery speed.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Principal Data Engineer, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to lead and develop teams. Prepare examples of how you've coached engineers in the past and the impact it had on their careers and the projects you worked on together.
✨Understand the Company’s Values
Skipton is all about putting customers at the heart of what they do. Familiarise yourself with their mutual organisation model and think about how your experience aligns with their values. Be ready to share how you can contribute to their mission.
✨Prepare for Technical Challenges
Expect to face some technical questions or challenges during the interview. Practice explaining complex concepts clearly and concisely, as well as discussing architectural trade-offs you've made in previous roles. This will show your depth of knowledge and problem-solving skills.
