Senior Data Architect

Senior Data Architect at Co-operators

Join our experienced team to lead data architecture initiatives across the organization.

Company: Co-operators

Department: IT

Employment Type: Regular Full-Time

Work Model: Hybrid

Language: English

Additional Information: Role currently vacant

We are a leading Canadian financial services co-operative committed to sustainability and resilience. Our Information Technology team is seeking a senior technical leader to design and maintain the overall structure of data systems, ensuring scalability, resilience, and alignment with target state architecture.

• Lead, define and maintain the enterprise data architecture framework and patterns, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and the technology stack.
• Establish and promote data modeling, integration, and system performance standards to ensure consistency and scalability across the organization.
• Accountability to ensure solutions are sustainable, secure, and aligned with enterprise data governance, quality, and access standards.
• Design scalable, governed data solutions that align with data strategy, target state architecture standards, and data governance tools.
• Leverage experience to provide solutions requiring complexity in support of strategic outcomes.
• Lead the development of end-to-end data solutions, either with the hybrid or target state approach, ensuring proper data quality and integration with existing systems.
• Translate business (functional and non-functional) requirements into clear, workable designs that guide development and ensure data flows and system integrations are thoughtfully planned and documented.
• Ensure that technology choices (Azure-first) and data application design align with long-term business goals and architecture principles.
• Provide data architectural leadership and guidance aligning with the target state architecture to data architects and data engineers.
• Lead data architecture for legal entity domains and corresponding initiatives, ensuring solutions are viable and sustainable.
• Lead and facilitate discussions, make decisions, and influence senior stakeholders to ensure alignment with corporate data strategies and promote the adoption of target state architecture and solution design artifacts.

• 10+ years of experience in data architecture with experience in building modern data platforms and data products.
• 10+ years of experience designing and implementing scalable, cloud-based data solutions (Azure preferred).
• Deep understanding of data modeling, ETL processes, data warehousing concepts, and best practices in data engineering and analytics.
• Knowledge of cloud security and networking is an asset.
• Hands‑on experience with the following Azure services is an asset: ADLS, Azure Databricks, Microsoft Fabric, Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse, Event Hub, API Management, Azure Key Vault, Azure SQL, and Purview. Have a good understanding of the backup, disaster recovery, and data recovery strategy and execution with the above services.
• Hands‑on experience with machine learning / Gen AI architecture patterns is an asset.
• Excellent project management knowledge with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with experience presenting to large and small audiences.

• You build trusting relationships and provide feedback to enable the successful development of your team and colleagues.
• You foster innovation and continuous improvement with a focus on client experience.
• You facilitate the adoption of change and create a high-performance culture through alignment of your team’s work with organizational goals.
• You successfully convey messages and demonstrate openness to exploring alternative points of view.
• You use critical thinking to guide decision making and apply a strategic mindset to adjust business plans based on shifting priorities.

• You will be subject to a background check as a condition of employment.

Mid‑Senior level

Full‑time

Engineering and Information Technology

Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Salary: CA $69,000.00 – CA$