Senior Data Architect

We are seeking an experienced Data Architect with deep expertise in the Microsoft data ecosystem, particularly Microsoft Fabric, to lead the architectural design of our modern data platform. This strategic role will be pivotal in defining the blueprint for scalable, secure, and cost-effective data solutions that enable enterprise reporting, advanced analytics, and self-service BI.

You will collaborate across engineering, governance, and business functions to set standards, guide solution design, and ensure alignment with our data strategy and maturity roadmap.

WHAT WILL I BE DOING?

• Define and own the end-to-end architecture for our Microsoft Fabric-based data platform.

• Develop reference architectures and design patterns for data ingestion, processing, storage, and access.

• Guide the implementation of lakehouse architectures using Fabric’s Lakehouse, DirectLake, and OneLake components.

• Set architectural standards for data modelling, semantic layers, and integration with Power BI.

• Champion metadata-driven architectures to automate and standardise data pipelines, model generation, and governance workflows.

• Ensure secure, governed, and high-performing data solutions through integration with Microsoft Purview.

• Lead capacity planning and performance tuning strategies across Fabric and related Azure components.

• Align architecture with enterprise data governance, metadata management, and lineage tracking requirements.

• Establish best practices for scalability, cost optimisation, and maintainability of the platform.

• Advise delivery teams on architectural trade-offs and solution design.

• Champion architectural documentation, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement.

WHAT SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES DO I NEED?

• Proven experience as a Data Architect in enterprise-scale environments, ideally within the Microsoft data stack.

• Deep understanding of data architecture principles, including data lakehouse, warehousing, and dimensional modelling.

• Expertise in Microsoft Fabric, Azure Data Factory, Synapse, and Power BI.

• Strong T-SQL skills and knowledge of data transformation patterns (ETL/ELT).

• Experience with metadata-driven data frameworks and automation approaches.

• Familiarity with data governance tools (e.g., Microsoft Purview) and concepts like data lineage and classification.

• Solid understanding of cloud cost management and platform performance optimisation.

• Preferred Qualifications:

  • Microsoft Data Platform and/or Azure Architecture certifications.

  • Familiarity with CI/CD practices for data infrastructure (e.g., Azure DevOps, GitHub).

  • Exposure to Spark, Python, or notebooks for prototyping and orchestration is a plus.