Lead Data Strategist at Thoughtworks in Manchester

Lead Data Strategists at Thoughtworks are experienced consultants who partner with clients to design and deliver data solutions that solve real-world business problems. While a Principal sets the overarching vision, the Lead ensures that the data strategy is actionable, technically sound, and successfully implemented. You will play a key role in developing modern data architectures and roadmaps that directly address our clients' objectives.

This role entails a mix of advisory responsibilities in data strategy and governance, coupled with a hands-on delivery leadership role. You will bridge the gap between business goals and technical execution, ensuring that the "what" and "why" of a strategy are successfully turned into the "how."

Hybrid Model: This role offers flexibility with no mandatory daily office requirement. However, candidates should expect an on-site presence of 20-40% (at client or office locations), depending on project needs.

Job responsibilities

Collaborative Strategy: You will work with clients to understand their business goals and help co-create data and technology strategies that are practical and impactful.

Operationalizing Vision: You will help translate a client's enterprise vision into clear, data-driven roadmaps and delivery workstreams.

Technical Leadership: You will lead complex data projects, providing day-to-day guidance to delivery teams and acting as the primary data subject matter expert on the ground.

Client Management: You will interact with domain-level stakeholders and collaborate with sales teams to support the technical scoping of new opportunities.

Strategic Translation: You will act as a translator between business, data, and IT teams, ensuring that the data strategy is understood by both technical teams and senior management.

Delivery Oversight: You will oversee project inceptions for new products, ensuring that end-to-end solutions are viable and account for long-term scalability.

Governance Execution: You will implement data governance frameworks that address security, privacy, and compliance requirements within the project lifecycle.

Mentorship: You will coach and mentor junior data consultants, fostering a culture of technical excellence and growth.

Job qualifications

Technical Skills

Proven experience as a data strategist consultant, with a track record of implementing data strategies that drive measurable business value.

Experience in delivery leadership, managing cross-functional teams to bring data products to life.

Experience engaging with senior stakeholders (VP/Director level) to influence the adoption of data-driven practices.

Familiarity with AI/ML landscapes and how to build the right data foundations to support these use cases.

Familiarity with cloud platforms (Azure, GCP, or AWS), modern data architectures and data platforms like Snowflake or Databricks.

Ability to apply modern paradigms such as Data Mesh, Data-as-a-Product, and Federated Governance in practical client settings.

Understanding of data governance, quality checks, and data lineage within a delivery context.

Professional Skills

Sales Support: Experience supporting pre-sales activities, including contributing to proposals and defining technical work-packages.

Stakeholder Management: Ability to build trust and manage expectations between clients and internal delivery teams throughout the project lifecycle.

Resilience: Comfort working in ambiguous environments and the ability to pivot approach as project requirements evolve.

Conflict Resolution: Ability to identify risks early and proactively manage technical or interpersonal conflicts within a team.

Coaching: A passion for mentoring others and a desire to influence teammates to take ownership and accountability for their work.

Relationship Building: A natural ability to cultivate partnerships that lead to successful project outcomes and future opportunities.

Other things to know

Learning & Development

There is no one-size-fits-all career path at Thoughtworks: however you want to develop your career is entirely up to you. But we also balance autonomy with the strength of our cultivation culture. This means your career is supported by interactive tools, numerous development programs and teammates who want to help you grow. We see value in helping each other be our best and that extends to empowering our employees in their career journeys.

About Thoughtworks

Thoughtworks is a global technology consultancy that integrates strategy, design and engineering to drive digital innovation. For 30+ years, our clients have trusted our autonomous teams to build solutions that look past the obvious. Here, computer science grads come together with seasoned technologists, self-taught developers, midlife career changers and more to learn from and challenge each other. Career journeys flourish with the strength of our cultivation culture, which has won numerous awards around the world.

Join Thoughtworks and thrive. Together, our extra curiosity, innovation, passion and dedication overcomes ordinary.

Lead Data Strategist

Job Description - Lead Data Strategist