Head of Data Architecture

Head of Data Architecture Permanent | Hybrid - 2 days | Senior Individual Contributor  Small Team Leadership We're working with a large, complex, UK-based organisation that is partway through a significant data transformation. The organisation runs a core SAP estate and is now modernising how data is structured, accessed and used across analytics and reporting. The scope has been refined and clarified, with a much sharper focus on data architecture rather than engineering or governance ownership.

The Opportunity This is a hands-on Head of Data Architecture role with genuine influence. The organisation has a clear data strategy in motion and now needs someone to own the architectural layer that sits between SAP and the modern analytics stack. SAP remains the system of record, but the organisation is actively assessing how best to sit a cloud analytics platform on top Databricks or Microsoft Fabric, with Power BI as the reporting layer.

That decision is not yet locked down, and this role will play a key part in shaping it. What You'll Be Doing Owning and formalising the enterprise data architecture, with SAP at the core Defining how data is modelled, integrated and exposed from SAP into modern analytics platforms Helping shape the target-state architecture for Databricks or Fabric (rather than just implementing a pre-chosen tool) Setting data modelling standards (conceptual, logical, physical) and ensuring consistency across domains Working closely with data engineering, governance, security and solutions architecture teams Providing architectural oversight to ensure analytics, BI and self-service reporting are built on solid foundations Line managing / guiding a small number of data modellers Acting as a senior architectural voice across a fast-moving transformation programme What They're Looking For Strong experience in data architecture within complex, enterprise environments Confidence working with SAP data models and SAP-led landscapes Experience designing data architectures that support modern analytics platforms (Databricks, Fabric, cloud data platforms) Deep understanding of data modelling, lineage and integration patterns Comfortable operating in ambiguity and helping shape direction, not just deliver against a fixed brief Collaborative, pragmatic, and delivery-oriented not a “theoretical” architect Why This Role Is Interesting The data strategy is already underway this is about making it real Genuine influence over platform and architectural direction Senior role without needing to run a large team Long-term, visible impact in a complex organisation