Senior Data Architect

About the role

Our client in Abu Dhabi is seeking a Senior Data Architect to define and shape the enterprise data architecture across operational systems, analytics, AI and federated data domains. You will establish architecture principles, data models, integration patterns and governance standards to build a secure, scalable and trusted data ecosystem.

Key responsibilities

• Define the enterprise data architecture vision, principles, standards and roadmap.
• Design conceptual, logical and physical data models for operational, analytical and AI environments.
• Establish scalable batch, streaming, API and event‑driven integration patterns.
• Develop standards for metadata, lineage, master data, data quality, retention and lifecycle management.
• Support a federated data architecture enabling domain ownership and self‑service.
• Evaluate and modernise data platforms such as Azure, Microsoft Fabric, Databricks, Snowflake and lakehouse architectures.
• Partner with cybersecurity, enterprise architecture and business teams to embed security, privacy and compliance.
• Lead architecture reviews, provide technical direction and reusable patterns to data engineering teams.
• Identify opportunities to simplify, rationalise and modernise enterprise data flows.

Required profile

• 8+ years of experience in data architecture, data engineering, enterprise architecture or analytics platforms.
• Strong expertise in data modelling, data warehousing, lakehouse architecture and data integration.
• Hands‑on experience with modern cloud data ecosystems, preferably Azure, Microsoft Fabric, Databricks or Snowflake.
• Deep understanding of data governance, metadata, lineage and data quality.
• Experience designing data architectures that support AI/ML, advanced analytics or digital transformation.
• Proven stakeholder management and ability to translate business requirements into scalable architecture decisions.
• Experience working with security, privacy, risk and compliance teams.

Required skills

• Azure
• Microsoft Fabric
• Databricks
• Snowflake
• Lakehouse Architecture
• Federated Data Architecture
• Data Modelling
• Data Warehousing
• Data Integration
• Batch Streaming
• Event‑driven Integration
• Metadata Lineage
• Data Quality
• AI / Machine Learning
• Security
• Privacy
• Compliance