Head of Data

With ambitious growth plans over the next four years, the business is now looking to evolve their brand and strategic direction to meet shifting market trends - with a particular focus on driving inclusivity. This is a rare opportunity to join a fast-paced, forward-thinking organisation at a pivotal point in its growth and work directly with the CTO and Blue team on initiatives that shape the companys future.

Overall purpose of the role

The Head of Data will be accountable for shaping and executing Blues enterprise data strategy, ensuring data is a trusted, governed and value-creating asset across the business. This hybrid role combines responsibilities of a Head of Data (strategy, governance, insight enablement) with those of a Data Architect (designing scalable, secure, modern platforms and data models).

Working closely with the CTO, data science, risk, finance and business stakeholders, this role will drive the transformation of Blues data estate into a modern, cloud-native, AI-ready data platform that underpins regulatory compliance, operational efficiency and commercial growth., Strategic Leadership

• Define and deliver Blues enterprise data strategy, aligned with business and regulatory priorities.
• Act as the senior owner of data governance, ensuring compliance with FCA, GDPR and other obligations.
• Build the vision for a modern, cloud-based data platform (e.g. Microsoft Fabric, Synapse, Databricks, Snowflake), enabling real-time analytics, AI/ML and self-serve BI.
• Establish and chair data governance forums, embedding data stewardship across the business.

Data Architecture & Design

• Own the enterprise data architecture, ensuring scalability, performance, resilience and cost efficiency.
• Design logical and physical data models that support loan origination, servicing, risk decisioning, finance and customer insights.
• Lead the migration of the legacy SQL Server data warehouse into a modernised, cloud-native architecture.
• Define integration patterns (APIs, ETL/ELT pipelines, streaming) across SaaS platforms, in-house systems and external data sources.

Delivery & Operations

• Manage a small data engineering and BI capability, balancing in-house skills with managed service partners.
• Oversee the delivery of reliable, automated pipelines for ingestion, transformation, and quality assurance of data.
• Partner with the CTO, CRO, CFO and other executives to ensure data enables credit risk, finance, compliance and customer analytics use cases.
• Introduce modern tools for metadata management, lineage, cataloguing and access controls (e.g. Purview).

Governance & Risk

• Ensure data platforms and processes adhere to best-practice security models (Entra, IAM, conditional access).
• Embed robust processes for data quality, lineage, auditability and model governance (critical in lending and regulated environments).
• Support the CTO in board-level reporting on data risks, opportunities, and investment roadmaps.

Compliance and Regulation

• Develop and maintain a full understanding of the Companys compliance requirements (including the Financial Conduct Authoritys Conduct Rules) and act in accordance with the standards, instructions in, and the spirit of those requirements.
• Take responsibility for ensuring that personal data within your remit is handled lawfully, fairly, and in line with the companys data protection policies and procedures. Collaborate with the Data Protection Officer to ensure compliance with data protection standards, guidelines, and principles, acting in a manner that upholds these requirements while supporting the DPOs overall oversight responsibilities.
• For customer data, ensure it is processed securely and in accordance with data privacy obligations to protect the rights of individuals.
• For employee personal data, handle it with strict confidentiality and in compliance with employment and data protection legislation.
• Act to deliver good outcomes for our customers and understand how this requirement specifically applies to your role at Blue.
• This role has been identified under the senior managers and certification regime as one which can cause significant harm to the firm or its customers (i.e., a Senior Manager or certified role). As a result, the firm will need to certify on an annual basis the job holder as being fit and proper to perform the role.

Do you have experience in SQL?, * Proven experience in a senior data leadership role (Head of Data, Data Architect, Data Engineering Manager) within a regulated financial services or lending environment.

• Deep expertise in enterprise data architecture, cloud platforms (Azure preferred), and modern data warehousing/lakehouse technologies.
• Strong knowledge of data governance, GDPR, and FCA regulatory requirements.
• Hands-on technical ability across SQL, Python, ETL/ELT, APIs and cloud-native data services.
• Experience introducing AI/ML and advanced analytics capabilities into operational and decisioning contexts.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, able to translate technical concepts into business value for executives and non-technical teams.
• Track record of leading small, high-performing data teams and managing external partners., * Commercial mindset balances technical excellence with business value.
• Innovative & pragmatic introduces modern solutions without over-engineering.
• Collaborative builds strong relationships with risk, finance, operations and technology peers.
• Resilient & adaptable thrives in a fast-growing, private equity-backed business.
• Data evangelist passionate about using data to simplify processes and deliver better outcomes for customers and stakeholders

* This document is neither contractual nor exhaustive and may be amended to meet the needs of the business. Where possible this will be done in consultation with the job holder. * From time to time, and within reason, you may be required to carry out tasks that fall outside of your positions remit. * From time to time, and within reason, you may be required to work outside of your standard contracted hours. * As part of your on-going development, you may be required to undertake training to meet the requirements of your role. * Due to our remote location and lack of public transport it is suggested that you are a driver and can get to our offices in Sundridge, Sevenoaks.