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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Data Platform Lead - **Company:** Sf Technology - **Location:** Warrington, UK - **Experience:** Expert - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, Data Analysis, Computing Platforms, Microsoft Azure, Continuous Integration, Information Engineering, Data Governance, Data Infrastructure, Dataspaces, DevOps, High-Level Architecture, Python (Programming Language), SQL Databases, Enterprise Data Management, Technical Debt, Microsoft Fabric, Pyspark, Data Management, Software Coding, Data Pipelines, Databricks - **Published:** September 9, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.collegerecruiter.com/job/2842869467-data-platform-lead ## About the Role We're not interested in somebody simply matching a long list of technologies. We want someone who has already taken meaningful ownership of a modern data platform and can demonstrate the decisions and recommendations they've made along the way., * Significant experience across Data Platform Architecture and/or Data Engineering leadership. * Experience owning or significantly influencing the architecture and technical direction of an enterprise data platform. * Strong knowledge of the Microsoft Azure data ecosystem. * Experience with Microsoft Fabric and an understanding of how its wider capabilities fit together. * Strong understanding of modern Lakehouse / Medallion architecture and Data Engineering principles. * Experience establishing engineering standards across CI/CD, DevOps, testing, data quality and monitoring. * Enough technical depth across areas such as SQL, Python/PySpark and data pipelines to challenge and guide experienced engineers. * Experience leading, mentoring or developing Data Engineering teams. * Good understanding of data governance, security and lineage. * The confidence to hold your own with senior stakeholders, challenge thinking and explain why architectural decisions matter to the wider business. We're also open to senior Data Platform leaders coming from broader Azure / Databricks environments where the architecture, engineering leadership and platform ownership experience is strong. ## Description Reporting directly to the Head of Data, you'll become the technical authority for the data platform, owning its architecture and technical direction while leading a small Data Engineering team. This isn't a role centred around writing code all day. Equally, it isn't a high-level architecture position that is disconnected from engineering. You need to understand modern Data Engineering properly, be able to challenge technical decisions and guide experienced engineers, but your real value will come from architecture, recommendations, technical leadership and your ability to determine how the platform should evolve. You'll be responsible for: * Owning the architecture and technical roadmap for the enterprise data platform. * Taking technical ownership of an established Microsoft Fabric estate and shaping its continued evolution. * Making architectural decisions across Lakehouse, ingestion, transformation, modelling, integration, security and platform design. * Ensuring the platform is scalable, resilient, secure and maintainable as adoption grows. * Establishing strong engineering standards across CI/CD, testing, deployment, monitoring, observability and data quality. * Developing reusable engineering patterns and avoiding solutions that create unnecessary technical debt. * Leading and developing a small Data Engineering team, providing technical direction and challenging designs where required. * Working closely with Data Management and Governance colleagues around lineage, quality, ownership and controls. * Working directly with senior business and technology stakeholders, explaining complex technical decisions and making clear recommendations. * Ensuring the platform provides the foundations for the organisation's wider Analytics, AI and automation strategy. ## Related Videos - [From DevOps to Scaled DevOps: How We’re Rebuilding Continuous Delivery as a Platform](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100018-from-devops-to-scaled-devops-how-we-re-rebuilding-continuous-delivery-as-a-platform) - [From Messy Queries to Scalable Systems - How Data Engineering actually works](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100203-from-messy-queries-to-scalable-systems-how-data-engineering-actually-works) - [PySpark - Combining Machine Learning & Big Data](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/44-pyspark-combining-machine-learning-big-data) - [Cutting LLM Costs Without Cutting Quality: How to Beat Proprietary LLMs with Fine-Tuned Open Source](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100151-cutting-llm-costs-without-cutting-quality-how-to-beat-proprietary-llms-with-fine-tuned-open-source) - [OLTP in the Lakehouse: Redefining Data for AI Workloads](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/2038-oltp-in-the-lakehouse-redefining-data-for-ai-workloads) - [Modern Data Architectures need Software Engineering](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1030-modern-data-architectures-need-software-engineering) ## Related Articles - [What Are The Top Skills Required For Azure Developers?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/77-what-are-the-top-skills-required-for-azure-developers) - [Data Engineer Salary UK](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/253-data-engineer-salary-uk) - [Making Data Warehouses Fast: A Developer’s Story](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/107-making-data-warehouses-fast-a-developer-s-story) - [Navigating the AI Shift](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/629-navigating-the-ai-shift) - [Where To Find Software Engineering Jobs](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/396-where-to-find-software-engineering-jobs) - [Coffee with Developers - Maria Apazoglou - Making AI understandable for all in production](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/475-coffee-with-developers-maria-apazoglou-making-ai-understandable-for-all-in-production)