Head of Data Engineering & Governance

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.

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

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

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.