Lead Data Architect - Secure environment

In this role you will shape secure, large-scale data solutions for mission-critical programmes. You will define data strategy, design resilient cloud architectures, and lead cross-functional teams delivering complex data platforms. You’ll work with senior stakeholders to translate requirements into scalable, compliant data designs and real-time pipelines. This is a hands-on leadership position that blends architecture, governance, and delivery to enable high-stakes decision-making. You’ll engage with policy, security, and cloud domains to drive impactful data initiatives.

• Engage with senior stakeholders to provide strategic data architecture guidance
• Design and deliver secure, scalable data platforms aligned to performance and regulatory requirements
• Architect cloud-native batch and real-time data solutions across AWS and other public clouds
• Provide technical leadership and set best-practice standards across cross-functional teams
• Design data models, ETL pipelines, warehousing solutions and distributed systems
• Build and support real-time streaming platforms using Apache Flink and related tech
• Ensure compliance with industry standards and government regulations
• Track delivery against designs and manage deviations
• Support pre-sales and bids with technical input and solution design
• Advise on data standard breaches and remediation approaches
• Stay current with emerging data, cloud and security technologies

• 6+ years in data architecture on complex, secure programmes
• Strong hands-on AWS experience (EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda, Redshift); Azure or GCP a bonus
• Proven experience using Apache Flink for real-time, high-throughput processing
• Experience leading, mentoring and developing technical teams
• Confident engaging with senior technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Knowledge of recognised data modelling patterns and standards
• Experience working in sensitive or regulated data environments
• Exposure to cyber security teams and secure-by-design principles
• Desirable: Scala, Spark and wider big data ecosystems
• Strong understanding of cloud operating models, DevOps and modern delivery practices

• stakeholder communication
• leadership and mentoring
• collaboration across cross-functional teams
• AWS (EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda, Redshift)
• Azure or GCP familiarity
• Apache Flink