Data Architect (Customer)

This role ensures that data systems are efficient, scalable, and aligned with business strategies, leveraging the SFIA (Skills Framework for the Information Age) framework to define core skills and competencies. The Data Architect serves as a strategic advisor and technical expert, collaborating with business stakeholders, IT teams, and other architects. This role is crucial for integrating diverse data sources into an effective data analytics platform, empowering the business with insights that inform strategic decisions and optimise operational processes.

• Create and sustain a robust data architecture that aligns with organisational goals and objectives, ensuring it supports current and future business needs. This includes defining the overall structure and standards for data integration, storage, and retrieval processes.
• Leading the design of conceptual, logical, and physical data models to meet business and technical requirements. Define and promote standards for consistent data integration and usage across the organisation.
• Implementing comprehensive data governance frameworks and policies to maintain data integrity, security, and compliance with regulatory requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA). Ensure governance processes are scalable and adaptable to evolving organisational needs.
• Leading the design of conceptual, logical, and physical data models to meet business and technical requirements. Define and promote standards for consistent data integration and usage across the organisation.
• Working closely with business leaders to understand data needs and align architecture to strategic goals. Partner with other architects, including Solution and Cloud Architects, to ensure cohesive system designs that integrate seamlessly across platforms.
• Guiding teams in implementing industry best practices for data warehousing, ETL, and analytics, ensuring solutions are optimised for performance and scalability. Stay informed of emerging data technologies and recommend their adoption to enhance organisational capabilities.
• Demonstrating deep expertise in handling sensitive data, addressing complexities such as consent management, data retention policies, and encryption protocols. Proactively identify and mitigate risks related to data security and compliance.
• Providing detailed documentation of data flows and interfaces, ensuring transparency and accessibility for stakeholders. This includes mapping data movement across business units and integrating commercial data into the organisation’s data lake for centralised access.
• Empowering business users by enabling self-service access to accurate and actionable data. Facilitate ad hoc reporting and analytics to support informed decision-making and drive organisational growth.
• Owning and maintain the integrity of the data model, ensuring it aligns with organisational strategies and adapts to changing requirements. Work collaboratively with project and BAU teams to evolve the data model as needed.
• Utilise expertise with tools such as Salesforce or other Customer Data Platforms to integrate customer-related data within the architectural framework, enhancing its relevance and effectiveness.

• Proven ability to design and implement domain-specific data architectures and models, including conceptual, logical, and physical designs. Experience with data modelling tools and methodologies.
• Strong knowledge of GDPR and data privacy, ensuring compliant handling of customer data, consent, and retention policies.
• Deep understanding of data governance principles, including data quality, stewardship, and regulatory compliance (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA). Experience developing and enforcing governance policies and frameworks.
• Expertise in designing and managing data integration pipelines, ETL processes, and data warehousing solutions. Hands-on experience with modern tools and platforms.
• Strong knowledge of GDPR and data privacy, ensuring compliant handling of customer data, consent, and retention policies.
• Solid experience with database management systems (e.g., SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL) and cloud-based data platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud). Familiarity with big data technologies is an advantage.
• Ability to identify and address complex data challenges, including issues related to data consolidation, migration, and integration. Skilled at troubleshooting and resolving data-related issues.
• Proven ability to work with business leaders, architects, and technical teams to align data architecture with organisational goals. Skilled in facilitating cross-functional collaboration.
• Familiarity with emerging trends and technologies in data management, such as AI/ML integration, real-time analytics, and data lakes. Ability to evaluate and recommend solutions that enhance data capabilities.
• Demonstrated expertise in handling sensitive data, including managing data privacy, consent, retention policies, and encryption at rest.
• Practical experience with platforms like Salesforce or other CDPs, including their integration and use within data architecture frameworks.

Ideally, you’ll have: 

• Familiarity with tools and frameworks like Hadoop, Spark, or Kafka for managing and processing large-scale data sets.
• Knowledge of integrating advanced analytics or machine learning models into data architecture to drive insights and automation
• Relevant certifications such as DAMA Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) or cloud certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Data Analytics, Azure Data Engineer)

#LI-hybrid

There’s something so special about working at the world’s most iconic airport. Its sights. Its sounds. Its constant air of excitement. Heathrow is an amazing backdrop to a career filled with unique opportunities.

Every day, you’ll discover a world full of fresh possibilities and end the day buzzing with stories to tell, as you encounter people from all cultures, nationalities and experiences. A world full of pride for what we do and no end of exciting career prospects to explore.

It brings out the best in all of us. And inspires everyone to deliver on our ambitious plans. Together, we’re working to welcome millions more passengers while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability.

Join us on that journey and we'll help you achieve your ambitions too. Supporting you to learn, encouraging you to be yourself, backing you to achieve more than you might ever have imagined. Because there’s no place like Heathrow. 

Our rewards

We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future. As well as performance-based annual bonuses and our longer-term Share in Success Bonus plans, we also offer generous annual leave allowances and market-leading pensions. With family friendly policies, access to private health insurance and a wide range of wellbeing tools, we’ll support you to be at your best inside and outside work. And of course, we’ll provide varied learning and development opportunities too. Here you’ll find everything you need for a fulfilling career journey that can take you in exciting directions. 

Working Location

Our Hybrid working approach offers the opportunity for colleagues in some roles to work from home for an average of two days a week, providing the flexibility to work in an agile way whilst ensuring we deliver for the operational needs of Heathrow.  Working arrangements vary from team to team and will be confirmed during the recruitment process. You’ll need to be based in the UK and within a commutable distance to Heathrow. 

Sustainable Travel to work

Heathrow’s Sustainable Travel Guide sets out easy and sustainable travel options that everyone can access.
 
Equal Opportunities

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all. We believe that diverse talent makes us stronger – not least because we welcome passengers from all corners of the globe, every single day. Heathrow is an accessible place to work. With five diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.