Azure Data Platform Manager

Azure Data Platform Manager
Putney, London | Hybrid
£85,000+ Bonus + Excellent Benefits | Permanent
Azure Data Platform | Azure Architecture | Data Platform Design | Databricks | Data Factory | Data Lake | Synapse
Are you an experienced Azure Data Platform Manager, Azure Data Architect or Data Platform Lead with a strong background designing and delivering enterprise-scale Azure data platforms?
We're looking for an experienced Azure Data Platform Manager to lead the design, development and optimisation of a modern Azure Data Platform within a complex, multi-market technology environment.
Azure Data Platform design experience is critical for this position. We're looking for someone who can do more than manage an existing platform or delivery team. You'll need strong experience designing scalable Azure data solutions, defining data architecture and making technical design decisions across Azure Data Factory, Azure Databricks, Azure Data Lake, Azure SQL and Azure Synapse.
You'll combine deep Azure Data Platform knowledge with leadership, stakeholder management and project delivery experience, helping shape the organisation's data strategy and ensuring its data platforms provide secure, reliable and scalable foundations for Business Intelligence, analytics and data-driven decision-making.
What You'll Be Doing
As the Azure Data Platform Manager, you'll take ownership of the Azure Data Platform strategy, technical design, roadmap and ongoing development. You'll work closely with Data, Architecture, Security, Technology and business stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into robust enterprise data solutions.
A major part of the role will involve Azure Data Platform architecture and solution design, including data ingestion, integration, transformation, storage and consumption. You'll drive enhancements across Azure Data Factory, Databricks, Data Lake, Azure SQL and Synapse while ensuring solutions are scalable, secure, supportable and cost-effective.
You'll also oversee platform performance, monitoring and incident management, lead migrations and platform upgrades, and promote best practice across Data Architecture, Azure Dev Ops, CI/CD, Data Governance, Data Quality and Cloud Security.
The Azure Data Platform Manager will additionally manage third-party technology partners and delivery providers while contributing to technology investment, budgeting and future platform planning.
Azure Data Platform Design Experience
This is an important distinction for the role.
We're particularly interested in candidates who have personally designed Azure Data Platforms and Azure data solutions, rather than candidates whose experience has been predominantly project management, service management or team leadership.
You'll ideally have strong experience across:

* Azure Data Architecture & Design: designing scalable enterprise Azure Data Platforms, data architectures, integration patterns, data pipelines and cloud-based data solutions.

* Azure Data Technologies:
Azure Data Factory (ADF), Azure Databricks, Azure Data Lake (ADLS), Azure SQL, Azure Synapse Analytics and Azure PaaS.

* Data Engineering: data ingestion, ETL/ELT, transformation, integration, SQL, Python and/or PySpark.

* Platform Engineering:
Azure Dev Ops, CI/CD, monitoring, performance optimisation, security, governance and cost optimisation.

* Data Management: data governance, data quality, security, resilience and enterprise data standards.
You'll understand how these technologies fit together architecturally and be comfortable making and challenging technical design decisions.
The Experience We're Looking For
You'll have proven experience designing, delivering and managing Azure Data Platforms within a complex enterprise environment, ideally supporting multiple business areas, markets or geographies.
We're open to candidates currently working as an Azure Data Platform Manager, Data Platform Manager, Data and Analytics Manager, Azure Data Architect, Data Platform Architect, Azure Data Engineering Manager, Data Engineering Manager, Data Platform Lead, Azure Data Lead or Lead Data Engineer where your role includes significant Azure architecture and platform design responsibility.
Alongside your technical expertise, you'll need strong stakeholder management and communication skills. You'll be comfortable engaging with senior business stakeholders, understanding data requirements and translating those requirements into appropriate Azure data solutions.
Experience managing major data projects, migrations, system rollouts, third-party suppliers and multiple concurrent priorities will also be important.
Exposure to Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, Power Platform, advanced analytics or AI/ML data solutions would be advantageous, as would Microsoft Azure certifications and experience within FMCG, Retail or a multinational organisation.
Why Consider This Azure Data Platform Manager Role?
This isn't simply a BAU platform management position.
You'll have the opportunity to influence the…