Lead Data Engineer
Role details
Job location
Tech stack
Job description
As the Data Engineering Lead, you'll be responsible for leading and developing a small, high-performing data engineering team to deliver trusted, high-quality data across the business. This role combines hands-on technical work with leadership responsibilities, ensuring the smooth operation, reliability and scalability of our modern data platform built on AWS, Snowflake and DBT.
Working closely with colleagues in Architecture, Analytics and Salesforce, the Data Engineering Lead will drive the migration of all remaining processes from legacy systems to the new data stack, maintain and enhance data pipelines that power critical business reporting, and ensure governance and architectural standards are upheld.
This is a pragmatic and delivery-focused leadership role, suited to someone who thrives in a fast-moving environment, balances hands-on problem-solving with strategic thinking, and can translate business needs into reliable and efficient data solutions.
Key responsibilities
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Lead and develop a team of four data engineers, providing technical guidance, mentoring and support to ensure consistent delivery and growth.
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Oversee the design, build and maintenance of reliable batch data pipelines across AWS, Snowflake and DBT, ensuring data is accurate, timely and trusted
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Drive the migration of any remaining data processes from legacy SQL Server systems to the modern Snowflake/DBT stack.
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Collaborate with the Architecture, Analytics and Salesforce teams to design scalable data models, integrations and workflows that serve both operational and analytical needs.
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Ensure platform stability and performance, including managing job orchestration, monitoring data quality and maintaining high system uptime.
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Implement and uphold data governance and architectural standards, ensuring solutions are secure, maintainable and well-documented.
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Work closely with stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical solutions that deliver measurable value.
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Champion best practice in data engineering, including CI/CD, testing, code review and efficient use of compute and storage resources.
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Support the adoption of AI and machine learning workloads, enabling seamless collaboration with the Analytics team using SageMaker and Snowflake AI.
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Continuously improve the data engineering processes, tooling and team delivery cadence to increase speed, quality and reliability.
Requirements
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Proven experience leading or mentoring a small data or analytics engineering team.
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Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to balance hands-on delivery and strategic oversight.
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Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, able to translate technical detail into clear business insight.
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Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and deliver in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
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Advanced SQL skills, including performance optimisation and complex data transformations.
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Proficiency in Python for data engineering and automation tasks.
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Strong working knowledge of Snowflake (warehouses, roles, zero-copy clones, cost management).
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Experience developing and maintaining data models and transformations in DBT.
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Familiarity with AWS data services (e.g. S3, Lambda, Glue, ECS, IAM, CloudWatch).
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Experience with data orchestration and workflow tools (e.g. Airflow, DBT Cloud jobs, or equivalent).
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Sound understanding of data modelling, ETL best practices, and data quality management.
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Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, version control, and modern development practices (e.g. Git, automated testing, environment promotion).
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Pragmatic, delivery-focused mindset with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
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Collaborative working style with the ability to build strong relationships across technical and non-technical teams.
Benefits & conditions
We know that our employees are what sets us aside from our competitors, our benefits are just part of the way we say thanks.
Enhance your health & wellbeing
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Private healthcare cover
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Employee Assistance Programme, including a virtual GP service, priority physio & talking therapies
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Eyecare scheme
Taking time away from work ️
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25 days annual leave plus the 8 UK bank holidays, increasing with tenure
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1 paid family/religious day of leave per year - following successful probation period
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1 paid charity volunteering day per year
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Option to buy/sell up to an additional 3 days leave per year
Family matters: for the special moments
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Enhanced maternity, paternity or shared parental leave
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2 days off for your wedding upon joining, and up to 5 days after 2 years' service
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Flexible working options & a hybrid work approach
Financial wellbeing
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Auto-enrolled salary sacrifice pension scheme
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Life assurance
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Season ticket Loans, salary advances & loans to buy/rent a home - based on tenure
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Cycle to work scheme
Recognition
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Highflyers incentive, a VIP experience for our high performers across Bionic group to celebrate success
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Company summer & Christmas party celebrations, business and local zonely & annual awards and recognition
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Long service awards