Data Platform Lead (Director Level)

Purpose of JobWe are seeking an experienced and skilled Data Platform Delivery Lead to join our EMEA Data & Analytics Technology team. They will be responsible for leading a team of talented professionals in the successful delivery of and long-term viability of the Data Platform for SMBC EMEA. The ideal candidate should have a strong background in data platform delivery, data engineering, project management, and leadership skills to drive the team towards achieving strategic objectives. They should be curious about the technology and design of the platform as well as how the delivery team operate.The role will include the following.Understanding of business requirements and translation to flexible and robust designs for delivery. Determining the scope of projects.Ensure timely and high-quality delivery of solutions.Aligning the implementation of the Data Platform to the agreed strategy of the platform.Collaborating with stakeholders in EMEA Data & Analytics Tech and outside. Especially the rest of IT, the Data Office, colleagues in the US, and the rest of the EMEA business stakeholders.Put in place long term solutions for the ongoing maintenance and support of the Data Platform.Line management of the team including objective setting.BackgroundThe newly created EMEA Data & Analytics Technology team has been put in place to deliver data integration, reporting, and analytics services to the SMBC EMEA business. It exists within the wider ITSD department that is responsible for all IT delivery to the SMBC EMEA enterprise.The team deliver data and analytics solutions to FO P&L business lines, cross business line departments (eg Finance, Risk, Operations, etc), and the Data Office as a key client. This is within a complex systems environment which has been built over several years and is looking to be re-architected for the next phase of SMBC EMEA growth.Facts / ScaleWill be working in a growing team of 30-40 IT staff within a department of 250+Will be defining the detailed design of the Data Platform and its implementation using Azure PaaS services in a hybrid cloud environment, working with other stakeholders eg Data Solutions Architect.Will deliver robust, reliable, performant, and maintainable components of the Data Platform for use across the SMBC EMEA entity covering capital markets and corporate banking activities.Accountabilities & ResponsibilitiesProvide leadership, guidance, and mentorship to a team of analyst data engineers.Foster a collaborative and inclusive team culture that encourages innovation, learning, and continuous improvement.Set clear expectations, goals, and objectives for the team and ensure alignment with wider and team and organisational priorities.Collaborate with stakeholders to understand project requirements, define deliverables, and develop project plans with an agile mindset and methodology.Allocate resources effectively, manage project timelines, and track progress to ensure on-time delivery of data platform initiatives.Identify risks and issues proactively and implement mitigation strategies to minimise project disruptions.Oversee the design, development, and implementation of data platforms, data pipelines, and data integration solutions.Ensure adherence to best practices, coding standards, and data governance policies throughout the development lifecycle.Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Data Solution Architect, data scientists, business analysts, and IT operations to ensure seamless integration of data platform solutions.Facilitate communication and alignment between technical and non-technical stakeholders to achieve project objectives.Implement quality assurance processes to validate data integrity, accuracy, and completeness within the data platform.Monitor system performance, identify bottlenecks, and optimize data processing workflows for improved efficiency and scalability.Create and maintain documentation including data flows, technical specifications, design documents, and operational procedures.Promote knowledge sharing within the team through regular meetings, training sessions, and collaborative discussions.Collaborate with Data Solution Architect, Business stakeholders, Data Office and others to provide input to the development of plans and estimation of costs for the delivery of projects.Managing, coaching, and mentoring technical staff to create a high performing delivery capability.Knowledge, Skills, Experience & QualificationsEssential:Deep and broad experience of developing technical data solutions in large or medium sized enterprises in a similar role.Minimum of 5 years of experience leading delivery teams.Proven experience in leading and managing teams in the delivery of complex data platform projects.Strong experience with Azure data PaaS services and application delivery on the Azure platform.Many years experience delivering data platforms with C#, JSON, XML, APIs, and message bus technology.Strong knowledge of database systems, data modelling, and data integration technologies and design patterns.Excellent problem-solving and communication skills. Strong experience of different data architectures including hub and spoke, data lakes, data fabrics, lakehouses.Experience in database management systems (e.g., SQL, NoSQL).Exceptional communication skills to explain and gain buy in for standards and designs from other analyst developers in the team and other stakeholders.Collaborative and curious practices to develop strong well thought through solutions.Curiosity to learn new ways of delivering solutions and openness to new designs or other people’s ideas. A focus on continuous improvement.Desirable:Knowledge of complex systems estates with diverse data needs. Preferably in capital markets, corporate banking or asset management.Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.Familiarity with data governance and compliance regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA).Strong experience of Agile practises and especially scrum of scrums and Atlassian tooling.Data warehouse virtualisation technologies such as Denodo, Snowflake, etc.Experience of data visualisation tools such as Tableau, Power BI, etc.Proficiency in data engineering technologies such as SQL, Python, Apache Spark, Hadoop, and data warehousing concepts.Familiarity with data modelling, ETL/ELT processes, data governance, and data security principles.