The Role
The Lead Data Architect will shape, govern and assure the organisation's data architecture—defining, designing and maintaining strategic data models, standards, flows and governance structures that support organisational goals, ensure compliance, foster collaboration across business areas, and enable Transport for Wales to make data-driven decisions
Role responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership for Transport for Wales' enterprise data architecture, defining the long‑term vision, target states and organisation‑wide standards that underpin scalable, secure and interoperable data ecosystems.
- Shape and govern the architecture of cloud‑based data platforms, ensuring all modelling, integration and metadata decisions fully align with enterprise architecture principles and strategic digital transformation priorities.
- Define, evolve and assure the organisation's data governance operating model, establishing enterprise‑level policies for data quality, lineage, metadata, compliance and stewardship across all business domains.
- Embed data standards and governance controls into delivery activity, creating repeatable frameworks, assurance processes and compliance mechanisms that uplift data maturity and drive consistent adoption across services.
- Act as the organisation's senior authority on enterprise data modelling, providing strategic oversight and consultation to architects and engineers to ensure models serve analytical, operational and strategic needs.
- Translate complex, cross‑functional business problems into enterprise‑aligned data architecture strategies, defining reusable patterns and solutions that deliver measurable long‑term organisational value.
- Oversee and assure the design of data pipelines, integrations and processing architectures, ensuring they adhere to approved architectural principles, metadata strategies, and enterprise‑wide standards.
- Establish, maintain and socialise comprehensive enterprise data standards, securing senior‑level buy‑in and ensuring technical and non‑technical teams understand and adhere to architectural and governance obligations.
- Assure and integrate data services across business units, proactively identifying risks, resolving standards breaches, and safeguarding regulatory, security and GDPR compliance within all data‑related systems.
- Lead cross‑functional collaboration with analysts, engineers, architects, DevOps and business stakeholders, ensuring data solutions are aligned to organisational strategy and contribute directly to the execution of the Data Strategy through consistent, transparent and well‑maintained architectural documentation.
Who we're looking for
- Degree or MSc in Computer/Data Science or Data Engineering or equivalent experience in data architecture , data engineering ,data management, or a related field.
- Expertise and practical experience in designing and aligning data models across multiple subject areas, applying recognised patterns and industry standards
- Familiarity with structured architectural approaches found in TOGAF (data architecture) or equivalent(, where appropriate for formal target-state development
- Ability to translate organisational problems into coherent data architecture designs that span multiple business domains.
- Proven experience defining and evolving data governance, including data quality, metadata, lineage, and policy assurance across services
- Ability to create and embed data standards and ensure compliance across the organisation. aligned to DDaT and UK Government Data Standards.
- Ability to design metadata repositories, recommend improvements, apply appropriate metadata tooling, and guide less experienced colleagues.
- Strong capability in data profiling, source system analysis and identifying links across problem domains to define common, reusable solutions.
- Experience of communicating technical information and data to a non technical audience and working collaboratively with analysts, architects, and product owners to deliver data solutions that meet user and organisational needs.
- Ability to work within a strategic context and ensure activities contribute to organisational strategy and future data direction.
- Awareness of emerging trends in data tools, data usage and analysis techniques, and their potential organisational impact.
Welsh Language Skills
While not essential for this role, Welsh language skills would make a great addition to your application.
TfW support anyone who wants to learn Welsh or improve their skills. We offer online learning, classroom courses and funding attendance at local community courses.
Equal Opportunities
We're changing the way the transport industry looks. By celebrating and embracing differences, we're building a workforce that represents Wales. We need talented people from all backgrounds and cultures to bring their perspectives and experiences. Diverse teams make better decisions and drive innovation. Join us in transforming the way Wales travels."
Who we are
Transport for Wales is changing the way Wales travels, making sustainable transport the first choice. We're building a multimodal integrated transport network called the T Network, making it easier for people to travel by train, bus, walking, wheeling and cycling.
Next steps
See attached Job Description for further details and how to apply. If you want to find out more about what we're doing in Wales, see our Annual Report.
We're a Disability Confident Leader. Let us know about any reasonable adjustments you may need in the recruitment process and as part of the role if you are successful.
This advert will close at 23:59 on the day of the application closing date stated above. However, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive enough applications. We encourage you to submit your application as early as possible.
