Data Architect

About the Job

The Data Architect (Hybrid – Delivery Focused) is a senior technical leadership role responsible for designing, governing, and evolving the data architecture across the ALEx/MIS project. Acting as the central technical authority and primary delivery focal point between business stakeholders, technical teams, and programme leadership, this role ensures architectural coherence, data governance excellence, and delivery quality across all data initiatives.

This is a hybrid role that elevates Data Delivery to co-primary status alongside Data Architecture. The ideal candidate brings equal mastery of data architecture and delivery governance, combined with strategic thinking and outstanding interpersonal skills to drive alignment, resolve technical and delivery challenges, and unlock sustained value through data.

What you do

1.  Delivery Focal Point

Serve as the primary point of contact and escalation path for all delivery challenges across the data programme.

• Act as the single focal point for any delivery impediments, risks, or blockers, ensuring swift resolution and transparent communication to all relevant parties.
• Proactively identify delivery risks and dependencies, escalating critical issues to programme leadership with recommended mitigation strategies.
• Facilitate cross-team coordination to unblock delivery streams and maintain momentum across concurrent workstreams.
• Maintain a clear and up-to-date view of overall delivery health, providing regular status updates to senior stakeholders.

2.  Delivery Process Design, Implementation & Governance

Design, implement, and continuously improve the delivery frameworks and governance structures that underpin the data programme.

• Design end-to-end delivery processes tailored to the complexity and scale of data initiatives, ensuring they are fit-for-purpose and scalable.
• Implement standardised delivery methodologies, tooling, and reporting cadences across all data delivery streams.
• Govern adherence to defined processes, conducting regular reviews and audits to ensure consistency, quality, and compliance.
• Establish and maintain delivery governance forums, including steering committees, delivery reviews, and retrospectives.
• Define and track key delivery metrics and KPIs, using data-driven insights to drive continuous improvement.

3.  Data Architecture & Design

Design, evolve, and govern the data architecture across the ALEx/MIS programme, ensuring scalability, coherence, and alignment with strategic objectives.

• Design and evolve modern data architecture patterns including data lakes, data mesh, data warehousing, and real-time streaming architectures.
• Ensure architectural coherence and alignment with the broader data strategy across all delivery streams.
• Review and challenge technical designs, solution approaches, and delivery plans to ensure robustness, feasibility, and architectural integrity.
• Facilitate technical decision-making forums and ensure that key architectural and design decisions are documented and communicated.
• Collaborate with data engineers, analysts, and business stakeholders to translate requirements into scalable, future-proof architecture solutions.
• Evaluate and recommend data platforms and technologies (e.g., cloud data platforms, ETL/ELT tooling, data catalogues, BI/analytics tools).
• Define and maintain data architecture principles, standards, and guidelines across the programme.

4.  Data Governance & Strategy

Design and implement data governance frameworks that ensure data quality, compliance, and strategic alignment.

• Design and implement data governance frameworks including data quality management, metadata management, data lineage, and master data management.
• Align data architecture decisions with the organisation’s broader data strategy, ensuring tactical decisions support long-term strategic objectives.
• Ensure compliance with data standards and regulatory requirements relevant to the industry (e.g., GDPR, BCBS 239).
• Drive data contract frameworks and DataOps practices to industrialise data delivery.
• Ensure technical standards, data quality frameworks, and governance policies are embedded within delivery practices.

5.  Synergy Identification & Collaboration

Proactively identify and capitalise on opportunities for architectural reuse, collaboration, and efficiency across the data programme.

• Continuously scan across delivery streams to identify synergies in data assets, tooling, platforms, and team capabilities.
• Drive the reuse of common data components, shared services, and architectural patterns to reduce duplication and accelerate delivery.
• Foster a culture of knowledge-sharing and cross-team collaboration, creating forums and channels for teams to exchange insights and solutions.
• Translate identified synergies into concrete delivery efficiencies, tracking the realised benefits over time.
• Align delivery roadmaps across streams to maximise interdependencies and minimise conflicts.

What you bring

Data Architecture, Governance & Strategy  —  Core Competency

The ideal candidate will possess a holistic and deep knowledge of the data landscape, spanning architecture, governance, and strategy.

• Data Architecture:  Strong understanding of modern data architecture patterns including data lakes, data mesh, data warehousing, and real-time streaming architectures.
• Data Governance:  Proven experience in designing and implementing data governance frameworks, including data quality management, metadata management, data lineage, and master data management.
• Data Strategy:  Ability to align data architecture and delivery activities with the organisation’s broader data strategy, ensuring that tactical decisions support long-term strategic objectives.
• Familiarity with leading data platforms and technologies (e.g., cloud data platforms, ETL/ELT tooling, data catalogues, BI/analytics tools).
• Experience working with data standards and regulatory requirements relevant to the industry (e.g., GDPR, BCBS 239).
• Experience with data contract frameworks and DataOps practices.

Agile Development & SAFe  —  Core Competency

The Data Architect must be well-versed in Agile delivery methodologies to effectively govern delivery streams.

• Agile Fundamentals:  Deep understanding of Agile principles and practices, including Scrum, Kanban, and iterative delivery.
• SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework):  Preferably certified in SAFe (e.g., SAFe Program Consultant, SAFe Agilist), with hands-on experience coordinating Agile Release Trains (ARTs) and managing Programme Increments (PIs).
• Experience facilitating PI Planning events, System Demos, and Inspect & Adapt workshops.
• Ability to coach and guide delivery teams on Agile best practices, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Skilled in using Agile delivery tools such as Jira, Azure DevOps, or similar platforms for backlog management, sprint tracking, and reporting.

Stakeholder Management

Exceptional stakeholder management is a core competency for this role, given the breadth and seniority of stakeholders involved in data programmes.

• Communication:  Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, business-friendly language.
• Influencing & Negotiation:  Proven ability to influence without authority, build consensus across diverse stakeholder groups, and negotiate effectively to resolve competing priorities.
• Relationship Building:  Strong interpersonal skills with a track record of building trusted relationships with senior executives, business leaders, and technical teams alike.
• Experience managing stakeholder expectations in complex, multi-workstream programmes with competing demands.
• Ability to navigate organisational complexity and ambiguity, maintaining clarity and direction for delivery teams.

Additional Qualifications

While not mandatory, the following qualifications and experiences are considered advantageous for this role.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Management, Data Science, or a related field.
• Professional certifications in enterprise or data architecture (e.g., TOGAF, CDMP, or equivalent).
• Professional certifications in project or programme management (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2, MSP).
• SAFe certification (e.g., SAFe Program Consultant, SAFe Agilist).
• Experience in a regulated industry (e.g., financial services, insurance, healthcare).
• Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform.
• Experience with data contract frameworks and DataOps practices.

What we offer

• We offer a hybrid work model which recognizes the value of striking a balance between in-person collaboration and remote working incl. up to 25 days per year working from abroad.
• We believe in rewarding performance and our compensation and benefits package includes a company bonus scheme, pension, employee shares program and multiple employee discounts (details vary by location).
• From career development and digital learning programs to international career mobility, we offer lifelong learning for our employees worldwide and an environment where innovation, delivery and empowerment are fostered.
• Flexible working, health and wellbeing offers (including healthcare and parental leave benefits) support to balance family and career and help our people return from career breaks with experience that nothing else can teach.

About Allianz Technology

With its headquarters in Munich, Germany, Allianz Technology is Allianz's global IT service provider and delivers IT solutions that drive the group's digitalization. With more than 11,000 employees in over 20 countries around the world, Allianz Technology is tasked to run, optimize, transform, and innovate the infrastructure, applications, and services together with Allianz companies to co-create the best customer experience.

We service the entire spectrum of digitalization – from one of the industry's largest IT infrastructure projects that spans data centers, networks, and security, to application platforms ranging from workplace services to digital interaction.

In short: We deliver comprehensive end-to-end IT solutions for Allianz in the digital age. We are the backbone of Allianz.

Find us at: www.linkedin.com/company/allianz-technology.

Commitment to Integrity, Fairness & Inclusion

Allianz Technology is proud to be an equal opportunity employer dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment for everyone. We embrace individuals of all gender identities and expressions, sexual orientations, ethnicities, ages, nationalities, religions, disabilities, and philosophies of life. Ultimately, our greatest strength as a company lies in the unique skills, experiences, and backgrounds our employees contribute.

To Recruitment Agencies

Allianz Technology has an in-house recruitment team that sources great candidates directly. Therefore, Allianz Technology does not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies or search firm recruiters.

When we do work with recruitment agencies, that engagement is formalized by a contract. Fees will only be paid when there is a contract in place. Without a contract in place, we will not accept invoices on unsolicited resumes, even if the candidate was ultimately employed by Allianz.