Data Architect (SFIA 5)

Zaizi is looking for a Data Architect to lead the design and evolution of data architectures for complex digital services across the UK public sector. You will work across multiple delivery teams and stakeholders to define coherent, secure and sustainable data architectures that enable analytics, operational reporting and data-driven services.

The role combines hands-on architectural design with leadership, assurance and stakeholder engagement, ensuring data solutions align with user needs, organisational strategy, and government standards.

This role suits someone operating at lead level: providing authoritative guidance, shaping data architecture decisions, and assuring that data solutions are fit for purpose, well governed and deliver long-term value without being tied to a specific cloud provider or vendor technology.

We are happy to discuss these further during the interview process and jointly agree them with the successful candidate.

Responsibilities

• Define and own data architecture designs that support digital services, analytics and operational decision-making.
• Set data architecture principles, standards and patterns that enable consistency across teams while allowing appropriate autonomy.
• Ensure data architectures address the full data lifecycle, including acquisition, storage, usage, sharing, retention and decommissioning.
• Provide technical leadership and assurance across delivery teams, reviewing designs and guiding implementation.
• Align data architecture decisions with user needs, business outcomes, security requirements and organisational risk appetite.
• Support and influence data governance, including metadata management, data quality, lineage and ownership.
• Engage with senior stakeholders and customers to explain architectural trade-offs and support informed decision-making.

Technical

• Designing end-to end data architectures for complex systems, including ingestion, processing, storage, analytics and access layers.
• Strong understanding of data modelling approaches (e.g. conceptual, logical and physical models; analytical and operational models).
• Experience designing architectures for analytics platforms, such as data warehouses, lakehouse style platforms and domain oriented data architectures.
• Knowledge of data integration patterns, including batch, event driven and API based approaches.
• Applying security by design and privacy by design principles to data architectures, including access control, classification and auditability.
• Experience working across cloud platforms, remaining vendor neutral and selecting technologies based on context.
• Familiarity with modern data engineering and analytics tooling, including open source ecosystems.

Competencies

• Operates at Lead Level (SFIA 5): provides authoritative guidance, influences decisions, and assures quality across teams.
• Strong ability to communicate architectural concepts to technical and non technical stakeholders, including senior leaders.
• Comfortable working across multiple teams and suppliers, balancing strategic direction with delivery realities.
• Demonstrates leadership in shaping standards, patterns and best practice.
• Experienced in UK Government Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT / GDAT) environments, including GDS standards, security and governance expectations.
• Maintains a strong focus on outcomes, usability and service value, avoiding technology led or vendor driven solutions.

SC Clearance

Zaizi works with UK Central Government departments on a range of projects. To be able to work on our customer projects, employees must be Security Cleared to a standard acceptable to our Government customers. Due to this restriction we can currently only recruit candidates who have the right to work in the UK without sponsorship and who have lived in the UK for the last 5+ years continuously.

Benefits

25 days paid holiday, plus bank holidays

Vitality medical insurance
Workplace Pension 5% employer contribution
Group Life Assurance
Cycle scheme
5 days a year for approved Training
WFH equipment allowance
Buy / Sell Holiday
2 days paid volunteering days

Other benefits

• Flexible working
• Work on exciting projects - make a difference
• Empowered to make decisions
• Encouraged to fail fast and learn quickly
• 1 2 1 and team coaching / training available to all our staff

For further information contact:

Nat Hinds-Head of Talent

Kayla Kirby-Talent Acquisition Specialist