Principal Data Architect

Description & Requirements

WHAT MAKES US A GREAT PLACE TO WORK

We are proud to be consistently recognized as one of the world's best places to work. We are currently the top ranked consulting firm on Glassdoor's Best Places to Work list and have earned the #1 overall spot a record seven times. Extraordinary teams are at the heart of our business strategy, but these don't happen by chance. They require intentional focus on bringing together a broad set of backgrounds, cultures, experiences, perspectives, and skills in a supportive and inclusive work environment.

We hire people with exceptional talent and create an environment in which every individual can thrive professionally and personally.

WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH:

You will join the Architect experts within the Enterprise Technology team, part of Bain's digital capabilities practice. In this multidisciplinary group, you'll help clients modernize their tech strategy, architecture, and systems -- aligning technology with business goals to drive efficiency, agility, and innovation. You'll develop enterprise-wide solutions, optimize cloud and data architectures, and integrate AI to enable scalable end-to-end digital transformations.

WHAT YOU'LL DO (Essential Functions):

Shape Architecture and Technology Strategy

• Lead the definition of enterprise data architecture strategies, target states, and roadmaps aligned with client business priorities and transformation outcomes.
• Architect scalable, resilient, and secure enterprise data platforms and solutions across cloud, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments.
• Define organizational strategies and operating models for a modern Data Office, including governance, ownership, platform, and delivery capabilities.
• Develop as-is and to-be architectures, reference models, migration options, and transition roadmaps for complex data transformations.
• Define enterprise integration and data-sharing standards across APIs, event streaming, data pipelines, and microservices-aligned architectures.
• Shape the data foundations required for analytics and AI, including data engineering, feature engineering, model data pipelines, and MLOps enablement.
• Assess, select, and integrate modern data platforms, vendor solutions, and hyperscaler services, including Databricks, Snowflake, Microsoft Fabric, AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.
• Translate complex business and technical requirements into clear architecture decisions, investment priorities, and executable plans.

Advise and Influence Senior Leaders

• Serve as a trusted advisor to CISOs, CIOs, CTOs, Chief Architects, and senior executives on cyber security strategy, architecture decisions, and technology trade-offs.
• Establish executive-level credibility and communicate effectively with senior business and technology stakeholders as part of client project leadership teams.
• Act as an independent design authority by reviewing and validating data architecture proposals, evaluating options, and providing delivery assurance.
• Influence, coach, and mentor client data and technology leaders and Bain teams to build sustainable architecture and Data Office capabilities.

Enable Transformation at Scale

• Lead high-impact data architecture work streams within large-scale, multi-year transformation programs.
• Set direction and lead internal and external teams across complex, multi-million-dollar client engagements.
• Guide Bain consulting and client teams in executing architecture roadmaps, managing dependencies and risks, and embedding effective governance.
• Ensure architectures evolve through agile and MVP delivery while maintaining security, resilience, interoperability, scalability, and coherence.
• Partner with Bain consulting teams to integrate data architecture into broader business, technology, cloud, and AI transformations.
• Lead and mentor teams of architects and consultants to deliver secure, scalable, and high-performing enterprise data platforms aligned with client outcomes.
• Collaborate with leaders across Vector guilds to bring the optimal combination of expertise to clients.
• Support recruiting, onboarding, and people development, and help create an environment that attracts and develops great architects.

Advance…