Senior Data Architect

Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng (Preferred)
Contract Type: Initial 12-Month Contract (with a strong possibility of extension based on project delivery and performance)
Start Date: As soon as possible

Are you an experienced Senior Data Architect with a passion for designing enterprise-scale data platforms and driving cloud-based data transformation initiatives?

Our client is seeking an experienced Senior Data Architect to lead the design, governance, and implementation of enterprise-scale data architecture initiatives.

This role will play a strategic role in defining data architecture standards, designing scalable cloud-based data platforms, and enabling business value through effective data management and analytics capabilities.

The successful candidate will possess deep expertise in Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and a strong background in modern data architectures, data integration, governance, and analytics solutions. Exposure to AWS will be advantageous.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the enterprise data architecture strategy, standards, and best practices.
• Design scalable, secure, and high-performing data architectures aligned to business and technology objectives.
• Lead the architecture and implementation of cloud-based data platforms, primarily within Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Collaborate with business stakeholders, product owners, data engineers, analysts, and solution architects to understand requirements and translate them into technical solutions.
• Develop data models, data flow diagrams, integration frameworks, and architecture blueprints.
• Establish and enforce data governance, data quality, metadata management, and master data management standards.
• Guide the design and implementation of data lakes, data warehouses, lakehouse architectures, and real-time data processing solutions.
• Ensure compliance with security, privacy, regulatory, and risk management requirements.
• Provide architectural leadership across data-focused projects and programmes.
• Conduct architecture reviews and recommend technology improvements and optimisation opportunities.
• Mentor and support data engineering and analytics teams on architecture best practices.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend innovative solutions that support organisational objectives.

Minimum Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• Relevant cloud certifications preferred, including:
  • Google Professional Data Engineer.
  • Google Professional Cloud Architect.
  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Advantageous).

Experience

Essential

• 8+ years of experience in Data Architecture, Data Engineering, or related data-focused roles.
• Proven experience designing and implementing enterprise-scale data solutions.
• Strong hands-on experience with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) services and architecture.
• Extensive experience handling, analysing, interpreting, and managing data within large-scale data projects.
• Strong understanding of:
  • Data Warehousing.
  • Data Lakes.
  • Lakehouse Architecture.
  • ETL/ELT Frameworks.
  • Data Modelling (Conceptual, Logical, and Physical).
  • Data Governance.
  • Data Quality Management.
  • Metadata Management.
  • Master Data Management (MDM).
• Experience integrating data from multiple source systems and platforms.
• Strong knowledge of SQL and modern data processing technologies.
• Experience working with structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data.
• Ability to engage with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

GCP Technologies (Essential)

Experience with several of the following:

• BigQuery.
• Cloud Storage.
• Dataflow.
• Dataproc.
• Pub/Sub.
• Cloud Composer.
• Looker.
• Cloud Functions.
• IAM and Security Frameworks.

Highly Advantageous

• AWS architecture and data platform experience.
• Experience with multi-cloud environments.
• Exposure to AI/ML-enabled data platforms.
• Financial services, telecommunications, retail, or large enterprise experience.
• Relevant cloud certifications.

Key Competencies

• Strategic Thinking
• Stakeholder Management
• Solution Design
• Data Governance Leadership
• Technical Architecture Expertise
• Problem Solving
• Communication & Presentation Skills
• Leadership & Mentoring
• Business Acumen
• Continuous Improvement Mindset

What's on Offer

• Initial 12-month contract with a strong possibility of extension based on project delivery and performance.
• Hybrid work model (subject to client requirements).
• Opportunity to lead enterprise-wide cloud and data transformation initiatives.
• Work with modern cloud-native data technologies within Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Collaborate with high-performing architecture, engineering, and analytics teams.
• Immediate start available.

If you are an experienced Senior Data Architect with a passion for enterprise data architecture, cloud technologies, and delivering scalable data solutions, we'd love to hear from you.