Lead Data Architect

Key Responsibilities

• 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 detailed solutions and implementation through design reviews, guidance, and targeted hands‑on contribution where needed.
• Specify data solutions that meet non‑functional requirements 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.

• ~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.

• 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.

• With support from the team, a typical candidate ramps to a high degree of independence within the first six months.

US Work Authorization required. Markel does not provide visa sponsorship for this position, now or in the future.

• Competitive health, dental, vision, and life insurance plan options.
• Optional disability and AD&D insurance.
• 401(k) with employer match contributions and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
• Paid time off, corporate holidays, floating holidays, and parental leave.

Markel is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis of any protected characteristic. This includes race; color; sex; religion; creed; national origin or place of birth; ancestry; age; disability; affectional or sexual orientation; gender expression or identity; genetic information, sickle cell trait, or atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait; refusal to submit to genetic tests or make genetic test results available;

medical condition; citizenship status; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, familial status, or family responsibilities; military or veteran status, including unfavorable discharge from military service; personal appearance, height, or weight; matriculation or political affiliation; expunged juvenile records; arrest and court records where prohibited by applicable law; status as a victim of domestic or sexual violence;

public assistance status; order of protection status; status as a smoker or nonsmoker; membership or activity in local commissions; the use or nonuse of lawful products off employer premises during non‑work hours; declining to attend meetings or participate in communications about religious or political matters; or any other classification protected by applicable law.