Lead Data Architect

The work we do at Markel gives people the confidence to move forward and seize opportunities, and you’ll find your fit amongst our global community of optimists and problem-solvers. We’re always pushing each other to go further because we believe that when we realize our potential, we can help others reach theirs.

Join us and play your part in something special!

The Lead Data Architect provides strategic and hands-on leadership across divisional data initiatives, guiding delivery teams in building scalable data solutions within a modern cloud-based data ecosystem. This role balances high-level architecture with practical execution, ensuring data solutions align with business needs, performance requirements, and long-term architecture goals.
** Key Responsibilities
*** As part of a data architecture organization, provide architectural guidance to two or three concurrent data delivery teams (typically 4–5 engineers per team) across data initiatives
* Design and evolve data architecture across a Databricks-first lakehouse in a broader Azure ecosystem, understanding both target state and appropriate trade-offs
* Partner with engineering teams to support their detailed solutions and implementation through design reviews, guidance, and targeted hands-on contribution where needed
* Specify data solutions that meet non-functional requirements (NFRs) such as scalability, performance, and reliability
* Perform technology evaluations in support of the teams, with appropriate recommendations and reasoning
* Assess technical challenges and problems, provide options, and make recommendations
* Guide ingestion and integration strategies, including API-based data exchange
* Lead without direct reporting authority, influencing teams through expertise and collaboration
** Required Experience & Qualifications*** **~7–10
** years of progressive experience in data engineering, pipeline development, and data architecture roles developing Data Lakes and Data Warehouses
* Background progressing from developer through at least team lead
* Strong experience designing and working with the full lifecycle of data-centric architectures
* Hands-on experience with cloud development in Databricks
* Experience with structured and unstructured data (e.g., JSON, files, media)
* Understanding of both relational and non-relational solutions
* Understanding of APIs and data integration patterns
* Strong communication and stakeholder influence skills (written + verbal)
* Know when to make independent decisions and when to circle back to the broader team with appropriate questions
* Work within a new domain by identifying gaps in knowledge and actively seeking answers
** Preferred Qualifications
*** Experience with Guidewire Insurance Suite data
* Azure Solutions Architect certification (nice-to-have)
* Experience working in Property & Casualty insurance data domains
* An understanding of London and international markets would be a plus
** Role Expectations
*** With support from the team, a typical candidate ramps to a high degree of independence within the first six months
** US Work Authorization
** US Work Authorization required. Markel does not provide visa sponsorship for this position, now or in the future.
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* Who we are:

** Markel Group (NYSE – MKL) a fortune 500 company with over 60 offices in 20+ countries, is a holding company for insurance, reinsurance, specialist advisory and investment operations around the world.
** We’re all about people | We win together | We strive for better
**** We enjoy the everyday | We think further
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* What’s in it for you:

** In keeping with the values of the Markel Style, we strive to support our employees in living their lives to the fullest at home and at work.
* We offer competitive benefit programs that help meet our diverse and changing environment as well as support our employees’ needs at all stages of life.
* All full-time employees have the option to select from multiple health, dental and vision insurance plan options and optional life, disability, and AD&D insurance.
* We also offer a 401(k) with employer match contributions, an Employee Stock Purchase Plan, PTO, corporate holidays and floating holidays, parental…