Systems Data Architect

At Convergence Group, we’ve spent over 20 years quietly powering some of the UK’s most complex networks - and now we’re growing fast. We’re looking for a Systems Data Architect to take ownership of how data and systems should work together across the business. You’ll reverse-engineer existing and legacy systems, establish the true current state, and design practical future-state data architecture, data flows and integrations that Development can implement.

The pace and intensity are higher than most environments in our sector. The workload is typically around 30% greater than many people will have experienced elsewhere - not because we are chaotic, but because we are ambitious and constantly building. We grow organically and through acquisition, continuously integrating, improving and raising the bar. The landscape evolves, priorities shift, and expectations rise.

If you prefer a predictable, static environment, this probably won’t feel comfortable. If you are energised by growth, movement and high standards, it can be deeply rewarding.

Your strengths will have a bigger platform here – and you will be stretched behaviourally more than in most environments. We value respectful honesty: anyone can challenge an idea; hierarchy doesn’t protect thinking and getting it right matters more than being right. Ego doesn’t perform well here; curiosity, learning and ownership do. We hire people who are already strong at their craft – the stretch at Convergence Group is navigating pace, complexity and constant evolution.

This environment isn’t for everyone, but for the right person it offers an exceptional opportunity for impact, growth and accelerated development.

• Understand how our systems really work - reverse-engineer existing and legacy systems using SQL, databases, stored procedures, APIs, interfaces, integrations and application code. You’ll establish how the system actually behaves - including how data is created, validated, transformed, stored and moved - where documentation is incomplete, outdated or wrong. You’ll need to be comfortable reading and interpreting application code sufficiently to uncover data processing, business rules and system behaviour that may not be documented elsewhere.
• Trace data from end to end
  - Map where data is created, transformed, stored, transferred and used. You’ll identify embedded business rules, systems of record, ownership, dependencies and duplication and the relationships between applications and data.
• Design the future state
  - Create practical future-state systems data architecture, data flows and conceptual and logical data models that support the required business outcomes.
• Define how systems should interact
  - Set out data structures, relationships, interfaces and integration approaches, making it clear how systems should create, consume, transform and exchange data , and what changes are required across the affected applications.
• Give Development clear direction
  - Translate the agreed architecture into technical and data designs developers can implement. You’ll provide the design detail needed to build the solution, explain architectural decisions, resolve technical ambiguity, answer development questions and review proposed implementations against the intended design.
• Work between Process and Development
  - Work directly between Process and Development, translating process and business change into clear data, system and integration requirements. You’ll resolve ambiguity, identify technical implications and explain constraints and options to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Own design decisions within your remit
  - Propose solutions when the outcome is clear but the…