Head of Data Engineering & Governance

UNiDAYS -
London

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Job details

Permanent

Benefits

Company pension
Employee assistance programme
Private medical insurance

Qualifications

Management
UNIX
Git
Bash (Unix shell)
SQL
AWS
Scripting
Linux
Root cause analysis
Python
Shell Scripting

Full job description

As the Head of Data Engineering & Governance, you will provide senior leadership and strategic direction for the organisation’s data engineering capability and data governance framework.

This role reports into the Senior Director of Data & Insight and operates as the senior authority for:

Data warehouse and platform strategy.
Architectural standards and long-term technical direction.
Data governance, quality and ownership frameworks.
Cross-functional data alignment across Technology, Operations, Finance and Commercial teams.

You will ensure the data engineering function operates effectively through clear leadership, direction, and partnership with the Data Engineering Manager and the wider team, while driving company-wide improvements in how data is structured, owned, trusted and governed.

This is a senior leadership role with company-wide influence.

Job requirements: Held senior leadership responsibility for data engineering, data platform and / or data architecture functions
Owned or evolved a modern data warehouse at scale
Led data governance or data quality initiatives across multiple business functions
Successfully line managed senior leaders who hold stakeholder and / or people management duties or are senior technical Individual Contributors
Operated in complex stakeholder environments requiring influence without direct authority
Shaped long-term data and platform strategy aligned to business goals
Made and defended significant architecture and tooling decisions
Worked within cloud-first environments (AWS preferred)
Balanced strategic leadership with sufficient technical depth to command credibility
Working in close partnership with analytics, reporting, software engineering, IT, platform/cloud teams, and operations
Although this is primarily a hands-off role experience with SQL, Python, Git-based workflows, Linux and/or Unix command line including Bash/Shell scripting is preferred

Job responsibilities: Strategic Ownership of Data Engineering & Architecture

Define and own the long-term data engineering and warehouse strategy
Set architectural principles and technical guardrails
Act as final architectural authority for major design, scaling, and tooling decisions across the data platform
Establish clear architectural review and change approval mechanisms for significant platform modifications
Ensure scalability, resilience and security of the data platform
Align data engineering roadmap with business priorities

Leadership of the Data Engineering Function

Ensure the strategic and progressive leadership of the Engineering and Architecture teams, including supporting those with line management responsibilities. Promote team structure, role clarity, and decision rights across the data engineering function
Set expectations for professional standards, accountability, and performance within the team
Build capability within the team through structured development and succession planning
Create a high-performing, accountable and sustainable function

Data Governance Leadership

Define and implement a pragmatic, scalable data governance framework
Establish data ownership, stewardship and accountability models
Improve data quality standards across systems feeding the warehouse
Partner with Operations, Software Engineering, IT and Finance to improve upstream data practices
Work closely with the DPO / Head of Privacy to ensure compliance alignment
Lead or chair cross-functional data governance forums

Technical Credibility

Maintain sufficient technical depth to:
- Review architecture and complex designs
- Challenge technical proposals
- Support during critical incidents
Hands-on involvement expected only in exceptional circumstances
Demonstrate technical authority without operating as primary implementer

Engineering Delivery & Operating Model

Accountable for the effectiveness and maturity of the data engineering operating model
Ensure delivery practices align with architectural principles, governance standards, and platform strategy
Ensure effective planning, prioritisation, and performance measurement frameworks are in place and continuously improved
Provide leadership and oversight to ensure predictable, high-quality delivery outcomes
Partner with engineering leadership to continuously improve planning, capacity management, and execution discipline
Intervene where delivery practices create architectural, operational, or scalability risk

Cross-Functional Influence & Stakeholder Alignment

Act as senior data engineering and governance representative in strategic discussions
Partner with Heads of Software Engineering, Platform, IT, Operations and Finance
Influence system design and process changes that impact downstream data quality
Provide clear guidance on trade-offs between speed, cost, risk and quality

Risk, Stability & Oversight

Ensure robust incident management, root cause analysis, and systemic remediation practices
Oversee SLAs and reliability standards
Escalate material risk appropriately
Ensure business continuity and resilience planning for critical data systems

COMPETENCIES

Data Architecture & engineering:
- Detail: Designing scalable, reliable data platforms, warehouse/lakehouse architectures, and data flows across multiple source systems
- At this level: Owns and evolves the organisation’s data engineering architecture. Sets architectural principles and guardrails., Balances long-term strategy with pragmatic delivery. Provides senior technical oversight rather than day-to-day implementation
Data Governance, Quality & Risk:
- Detail: Ensuring data is trustworthy, compliant, secure, and fit for purpose
- At this level: Leads governance frameworks and adoption across the organisation. Champions data ownership and accountability. Partners with privacy, security, and IT leaders to manage data risk. Drives improvements in data quality that materially impact reporting and decision-making
Technical Breadth & Credibility:
- Detail: Understanding modern data stacks (SQL, dbt, orchestration tools, cloud platforms, CI/CD)
- At this level: Does not need to be the fastest coder, but must deeply understand how systems work. Can challenge designs, ask the right questions, and make informed decisions. Commands technical credibility with engineers and senior technical peers
Leadership & Influence:
- Detail: Leading through others, influencing without authority, and driving change at scale
- At this level: Operates confidently with senior stakeholders and peers. Builds alignment across functions with differing incentives. Leads complex, ambiguous change initiatives. Represents the data function with authority and clarity
Strategy & Decision-Making:
- Detail: Making long-term decisions that balance cost, risk, scalability, and business value
- At this level: Owns the data engineering and governance roadmap. Makes and defends strategic tooling and platform decisions. Understands trade-offs and articulates them clearly to non-technical stakeholders

Job benefits: This is your opportunity to Join the world’s largest student verification network and help shape the future of how brands connect with the next generation. We engage a community of 23M+ verified students and graduates across 115 markets, making us a truly global platform. Our brand is a powerhouse in the UK, and we’re rapidly accelerating our presence worldwide—especially in the US, Germany, India, France, Canada, and Australia.

We partner with 850+ of the world’s biggest brands, bringing their products and services to the hearts and minds of tomorrow’s professionals—driving engagement, building affinity, and delivering real results.

We offer a fast-paced, fun, and social working environment where you can truly make an impact. We believe work should enhance and complement your life, which is why we provide a flexible hybrid working model. While there are expectations to attend the London campus periodically, you and your manager will determine the most appropriate balance together, ensuring both your needs and the needs of the business are met.

We work hard at UNiDAYS, and we believe in fair compensation for that hard work. That’s why we’re proud to offer all employees full access to our comprehensive benefits package.

Our perks include:

25 days holiday per year increasing with length of service, plus bank holidays
Competitive salaries
4pm finishes every Friday
Company pension scheme
Private health insurance (BUPA)
Dental Insurance (BUPA)
Income protection policy
Life assurance policy
Employee Assistance Program
Enhanced parental leave pay
Regular team building activities
£150 pounds towards your home office set up

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability status.

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