Data Architect

We are seeking an experienced Data Architect to provide strategic data leadership and help establish the governance, standards, and architectural foundations for a major data transformation programme at one of our global banking clients. This role is intended to bring senior data expertise into the team, reducing pressure on existing leadership while ensuring data solutions are designed, governed, and approved correctly through the bank's governance processes.

This role is heavily focused on data strategy, governance, architecture, standards, and quality assurance rather than hands-on development.

• Lead the definition and review of enterprise data architecture, data models, and data patterns.
• Establish and embed data governance frameworks, standards, and best practices.
• Review proposed data solutions and ensure alignment with organisational governance requirements.
• Assess tactical and strategic data solutions before presentation to architecture and governance boards.
• Identify existing approved patterns and accelerators that can be leveraged to reduce delivery timelines.
• Support governance approval processes, including engagement with architecture boards, EHC, Data Visas, and other relevant forums.
• Provide QA and oversight across the wider data team, ensuring consistency and adherence to standards.
• Define what “good” looks like from a data management and governance perspective.
• Develop data quality measures, controls, and compliance frameworks.
• Analyse existing data estates and identify gaps against enterprise standards.
• Produce governance assessments, gap analyses, and remediation/treatment plans.
• Guide data extraction and organisation initiatives from legacy platforms into future-state architecture.
• Work closely with business, architecture, engineering, and governance stakeholders to obtain approval and ratification of strategic solutions.

• Extensive experience in Data Governance, Data Management, or Data Architecture leadership roles.
• Strong understanding of enterprise data architecture and modelling practices, including ERDs and conceptual/logical data models.
• Proven experience designing and implementing governance frameworks, standards, and controls.
• Experience presenting solutions to architecture, design, risk, or governance boards.
• Strong stakeholder management skills across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience defining data quality standards and governance operating models.
• Ability to evaluate existing data patterns and determine reuse opportunities versus creation of new patterns.
• Experience developing strategic roadmaps and governance-led treatment plans.

Knowledge of environments including:

• Oracle
• SQL-based platforms
• MongoDB
• API-driven architectures
• ETL and data integration tooling
• Legacy-to-modern platform migrations
• Exposure to AI and data readiness initiatives.
• Understanding of how structured, governed data enables AI and automation capabilities.
• Experience preparing data estates for future AI-driven solutions.
• Financial Services or Banking experience highly desirable.