At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design of secure data architectures for digital services and analytics.
- Company: Leading digital consultancy focused on innovative data solutions.
- Benefits: Hybrid working, competitive pension, life assurance, and generous annual leave.
- Other info: Opportunity to influence across teams and grow in a dynamic environment.
- Why this job: Shape strategic data decisions and make a real impact in the public sector.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in data architecture and strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 ÂŁ per year.
Meraki Talent are working on behalf of a leading digital consultancy delivering complex, secure data platforms across the UK public sector. We’re seeking an experienced Data Architect to lead the design and evolution of enterprise‑scale data architectures supporting digital services, analytics and operational decision‑making. This is a lead‑level position combining hands‑on architecture with technical leadership, assurance and stakeholder engagement. You’ll shape strategic data decisions across multiple delivery teams — ensuring solutions are secure, sustainable, user‑focused and aligned with government standards.
The Role
- Define and own end‑to‑end data architecture designs across digital services and analytics platforms
- Establish architecture principles, standards and reusable patterns across teams
- Ensure architectures address the full data lifecycle (acquisition through to decommissioning)
- Provide technical leadership and architectural assurance across delivery teams
- Align data decisions with user needs, business outcomes, risk appetite and security requirements
- Influence and support data governance including metadata, lineage, ownership and data quality
- Engage senior stakeholders to explain trade‑offs and support informed decision‑making
Technical Experience
You’ll bring extensive commercial experience across several of the following:
- Designing end‑to‑end data architectures (ingestion, processing, storage, analytics, access layers)
- Strong data modelling expertise (conceptual, logical, physical, operational and analytical models)
- Architecting modern analytics platforms (data warehouses, lakehouse architectures, domain‑oriented data platforms)
- Data integration patterns (batch, event‑driven, API‑led approaches)
- Applying security‑by‑design and privacy‑by‑design principles
- Working across cloud environments in a vendor‑neutral capacity
- Familiarity with modern data engineering tooling and open‑source ecosystems
What We’re Looking For
- Operates confidently at Lead level (SFIA 5)
- Provides authoritative architectural guidance across teams
- Strong communicator — able to engage both technical teams and senior leadership
- Balances strategic direction with delivery pragmatism
- Comfortable influencing across multiple teams and suppliers
- Experienced within UK Government Digital, Data & Technology environments
- Outcome‑focused, avoiding vendor‑led or technology‑first thinking
Security Clearance
Due to the nature of the work, candidates must:
- Be eligible for SC Clearance
- Have lived continuously in the UK for the past 5+ years
- Have the right to work in the UK without sponsorship
What’s on Offer
- Employer pension starting at 5%, increasing with tenure
- Group life assurance
- Genuine hybrid working + home setup allowance
- 25 days annual leave
Data Architect in London employer: Virtual Hire Staffing
Contact Detail:
Virtual Hire Staffing Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Data Architect in London
✨Network Like a Pro
Get out there and connect with people in the industry! Attend meetups, webinars, or even just grab a coffee with someone who’s already in a data architect role. Building relationships can open doors that a CV just can’t.
✨Show Off Your Skills
Don’t just talk about your experience; demonstrate it! Create a portfolio showcasing your data architecture projects or contribute to open-source initiatives. This gives potential employers a tangible sense of what you can do.
✨Tailor Your Approach
When you’re reaching out to companies, make sure to tailor your message to each one. Highlight how your skills align with their needs, especially in areas like security and user-focused design. It shows you’ve done your homework!
✨Apply Through Our Website
We’ve got some fantastic opportunities waiting for you! Make sure to apply through our website for the best chance at landing that dream job. We’re here to help you every step of the way!
We think you need these skills to ace Data Architect in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Data Architect role. Highlight your experience in designing end-to-end data architectures and any relevant projects you've worked on. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of your technical leadership and how you've influenced architectural decisions in the past. Let us know what makes you tick!
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t hold back on showcasing your technical expertise! Mention your experience with data modelling, analytics platforms, and security principles. We’re keen to see how you can bring value to our team with your knowledge.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep everything organised and ensures your application gets the attention it deserves. We can't wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Virtual Hire Staffing
✨Know Your Data Architecture Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the end-to-end data architecture processes. Brush up on your knowledge of data ingestion, processing, storage, and analytics. Be ready to discuss how you've applied these principles in past projects.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Data Architect, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to lead technical teams. Prepare examples of how you've influenced architectural decisions and provided guidance to ensure project success. Highlight your experience in engaging with senior stakeholders.
✨Understand Security and Compliance
Given the nature of the role, it’s crucial to be familiar with security-by-design and privacy-by-design principles. Be prepared to discuss how you’ve implemented these in previous roles, especially in relation to UK Government standards.
✨Communicate Clearly and Effectively
Strong communication is key for this position. Practice explaining complex technical concepts in simple terms. Think about how you can engage both technical teams and non-technical stakeholders during the interview.