Principal Data Engineer (P-3712680449)

The role

The Principal Data Engineer reports to the Head of Data and Analytics. The role is aligned to the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework and represents the most senior technical leadership role within the data engineering function.

Key accountabilities

Data Platform Strategy and Engineering Leadership

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Data Platform Ownership

Own the strategic direction, roadmap and overall technical architecture of the MaPS data platform, ensuring it supports current and future organisational needs.

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Engineering Standards

Establish and maintain engineering standards, patterns, frameworks and best practices across all data engineering activities.

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Technology Leadership

Evaluate and guide the adoption of new technologies, tools and approaches that improve scalability, reliability, efficiency and value.

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Technical Assurance

Provide technical oversight and assurance across all significant data engineering initiatives, ensuring consistency, quality and alignment with enterprise architecture.

Data Engineering Capability

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Capability Leadership

Lead and develop the data engineering function, ensuring the right skills, operating model and ways of working are in place to meet organisational needs.

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People Leadership

Provide leadership, coaching and mentoring to Lead Data Engineers and the wider data engineering community, supporting professional growth and capability development.

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Resource Planning

Work with delivery and technology leaders to ensure appropriate engineering capacity, capability and prioritisation across the portfolio.

Data Platform and Architecture

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Platform Strategy

Define and maintain the target state architecture for data platforms, pipelines and supporting services.

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Technical Governance

Ensure data engineering solutions are designed and implemented in accordance with organisational standards, security requirements and architectural principles.

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Platform Reliability

Provide overall accountability for the resilience, scalability, performance and operational effectiveness of the data platform.

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Engineering Patterns

Promote reusable, metadata-driven and automated engineering approaches to reduce complexity and improve delivery efficiency.

Azure Services and Cloud Data Engineering

• Provide strategic oversight of cloud-based data platforms, storage technologies, data integration services and analytics infrastructure.
• Ensure effective use of Azure services including Microsoft Fabric, Azure Data Factory, Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Lake Storage and related technologies.
• Drive platform optimisation and cost-effective use of cloud technologies.

Collaboration and Stakeholder Leadership

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Strategic Partnership

Act as the senior technical advisor for data engineering, working with senior stakeholders across Technology & Change and the wider organisation.

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Cross-Functional Leadership

Collaborate with Data Product Managers, Data Scientists, Analysts, Enterprise Architecture, Security and Delivery teams to ensure successful outcomes.

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Supplier Engagement

Provide technical leadership in engagements with third-party suppliers and partners where required.

Data Governance and Quality

• Ensure engineering practices support organisational data governance, security and compliance requirements.
• Work closely with data governance colleagues to embed governance controls within engineering processes and platforms.
• Champion the adoption of engineering practices that support secure, reliable and well-managed data products.

Skills & experience

• Extensive experience in senior data engineering leadership roles, with significant experience delivering cloud-based data platforms.
• Strong understanding of modern data architecture principles including data lakes, lakehouses, medallion architecture, data products and distributed data platforms.
• Significant experience with Azure data technologies including Microsoft Fabric, Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Factory and Azure Data Lake Storage.
• Experience defining technical strategy, architecture standards and engineering roadmaps.
• Proven track record of leading and developing high-performing engineering teams.
• Strong understanding of data governance, security, resilience and operational best practice.
• Experience providing technical leadership across complex change and transformation programmes.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills.
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to balance technical decisions with organisational priorities and value.

Other

Other