Data Architect with Data Governance
About the Position
We are looking for a Senior Data Architect with a strong focus on Data Governance to design, implement, and scale governance solutions across modern data platforms. You will work hands on with delivery teams and client stakeholders, shaping governance from early discovery through production rollout while contributing to reusable architectural assets and practice level standards.
About the Project
The project focuses on building and operationalising data governance capabilities across modern cloud data platforms, enabling trusted, secure, and compliant data usage at scale. The work spans cataloging, lineage, data quality, access control, and stewardship models integrated into real delivery pipelines.
About the Team
You will collaborate with a cross functional team of data architects, data engineers, analytics engineers, and delivery leads. The team works in close partnership with client data owners, stewards, and engineering leaders, using collaborative workshops and iterative delivery to validate architectural decisions in production.
Responsibilities
- Design end to end data governance architectures covering data catalog, lineage, data quality, data contracts, access and policy management, and stewardship operating models.
- Map governance requirements to platform native capabilities in Snowflake and Databricks and integrate third party governance tools where required.
- Lead governance discovery workshops with client data owners, stewards, and engineering leads and translate findings into target state architectures and migration paths.
- Define and implement operating models that support governance adoption, including stewardship roles, change management policies, data product contracts, quality SLAs, and adoption metrics.
- Own architectural decisions during delivery and present and defend them in client review and design forums.
- Support presales activities by scoping governance workstreams, contributing to proposals, and participating in technical deep dives with prospective clients.
- Create reference architectures, decision frameworks, and delivery accelerators that can be reused across engagements.
- Contribute to internal enablement through training sessions, mentoring, and governance focused design and code reviews.
- Track governance roadmap updates across major data platforms and assess their impact on delivery patterns and architectural standards.
Requirements
- Eight or more years of hands on experience in data architecture, including at least three years working on governance focused initiatives such as catalog rollouts, regulatory remediation, or data product enablement.
- Production experience with at least one platform native governance capability such as Databricks Unity Catalog, Snowflake Horizon Catalog, or an equivalent service.
- Hands on experience with at least one third party governance tool such as Collibra, Atlan, Alation, Informatica EDC or CDGC, or Microsoft Purview.
- Strong understanding of modern data platforms on Snowflake or Databricks, including ingestion, transformation, orchestration, and analytics consumption layers.
- Working knowledge of data governance principles and frameworks, including data quality dimensions, data contracts, and access control models such as RBAC and ABAC.
- Experience defining and operating a data stewardship model from role definition through to measurable adoption.
- Proven ability to work directly with senior client stakeholders and translate governance concepts into concrete technical and operating decisions.
- Experience contributing to presales activities, including effort sizing, proposal writing, and technical presentations.
Nice to Have
- Hands on experience with both Snowflake Horizon Catalog and Databricks Unity Catalog at scale.
- Background in privacy or regulatory driven programs such as GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, or industry specific equivalents.
- Exposure to Master Data Management initiatives connected to a broader governance program.
- Authorship of reference architectures, public presentations, or open source contributions related to data governance.
- Relevant vendor certifications such as SnowPro Advanced, Databricks Data Engineer Professional, Collibra Ranger, or Atlan Champion.
- Experience helping establish a data governance practice or center of excellence within a consultancy or systems integrator.
Technologies
Snowflake, Snowflake Horizon Catalog, Databricks, Databricks Unity Catalog, dbt, SQL, Python, cloud object storage, orchestration tools, BI semantic layers, Collibra, Atlan, Alation, Informatica EDC or CDGC, Microsoft Purview.
