Data Engineering Platform Lead

We’re First Central Insurance & Technology Group (First Central for short), an innovative, market-leading insurance company. We protect the things customers love so they can get on with what matters to them in life.

Data drives us. It fuels our outstanding distribution, finance, technology and legal services. Our underwriting skills are built on data expertise; it creates the insights we need to give the right cover to the right customers at the right price. But, it’s the people inside and outside our business that power us. They make us stand out, help us succeed. We’re ambitious. We’re growing. We’ve won awards.

Are you an experienced Data Engineering Manager? Do you have experience running data platforms, triaging issues and delivering excellent service to your customers? Do you want to be a leading force in a growing data engineering practice building out best in class data services? If so, this role could be for you

We’re looking for a Data Engineering Platform Lead to drive the management of our new Azure Data Platform as we transition from our legacy on-premise SQL estate into a fully modern Azure data platform offering. You’ll be managing a team of 6 and will be part of the Data Engineering management team who drive forward our data engineering roadmap and capabilities.

We’re big on flexible working, so you'll spend most of your time working from home with a visit to the office when required, but if you prefer to be in the office more - that's good with us too. We’ve offices based in Salford Quays, Manchester, Haywards Heath, West Sussex and Guernsey but we’re open to remote workers

Core skills we’re looking for to succeed in the role:

• Excellent customer service and communication skills: You’ll be able to convey complex technical solutions to our internal customers.
• A data engineering and Azure technology champion: You’ll champion our initiatives and will contribute to our long-term strategic goals.
• Leadership: As a true people leader, you’ll ignite innovation while guiding your team toward fresh approaches, meeting our customers’ ever-growing needs.

Job purpose:

• The Data Platform Lead Engineer will manage a team of data engineers and cloud data platform engineers and will manage and run our Azure data platform estate. Working alongside the existing Lead Data Engineers and Principal Data Engineers, you will form a core partnership driving our data engineering capabilities and platform management.
• Your main responsibilities will include managing and developing our Microsoft Azure based data platform leaning heavily towards data engineering processes as well as supporting the legacy on-premise platform during our migration and decommission process.
• In this role, you will ensure that our data platforms are efficient, performant, monitored, secure, and cost-effective while meeting the increasing demands of our growing customer base. You will create new ways of working, implement monitoring, alerting, triaging processes and oversee the Azure data platform infrastructure, lead the platform improvement roadmap, and develop new infrastructure to support other data product teams.
• During our on-premise to Azure migration period (estimated to end in 2025), you will manage the relationship between First Central and our managed service provider, ensuring the teams work collaboratively and the relationship and ways of working are nurtured and developed.
• Strong communication skills are essential as you and your team will need to meet data delivery SLAs and establish appropriate monitoring. When issues arise, your team will handle triaging, resolving problems, and engaging with stakeholders.
• As a leader, you will manage, support, and develop your team members, who will have varying levels of experience.

What’s involved:

• You’ll design, establish and run the Azure data platform service that provides monitoring, alerting, triaging of the data pipelines and associated capabilities now operating in Azure.
• You and your team will play an active role in all Azure data platform services and support, including our new data science platform. As part of the Data Engineering Mgt team, you will play an integral part in the development of new data & analytics capabilities in our Azure data platform engaging with Data Architecture and Principal Data engineers.
• Your team will be responsible for the data infrastructure in Azure and all new infrastructure development in this space. You’ll own the data platform infrastructure roadmap that documents and consolidates the resources in our Azure data platform, targeting optimal performance, cost management and data security.
• Lead the development of new data & analytics capabilities in our Azure Data Platform by engaging with Data Architecture and Principal Data engineers and contributing to high level solution designs.
• Collaborate with all the data product owners and the data engineering management team to ensure the platform operations capabilities are considered in all development and change activities and that sufficient handover is delivered.
• During the transition period (estimated to end 2025), you and your team will work with our managed service provider to manage and maintain the existing on-premise data platform, ensuring the platform is well managed and critical data outputs are meeting the business needs as you collaborate with our external managed service provider.
• You’ll manage the relationship with our managed service provider, facilitating meaningful account conversations, identifying opportunities to enhance and stabilise the legacy platform.
• As a team leader, you’ll be responsible for your team members development and performance, fostering a team culture of inclusiveness and proactivity in all that you do.
• Collaborate with different project teams across Data and Technology including IT data Ops, IT Ops, Networking, InfoSec and DPO.
• Maintain effective, and appropriate documentation that brings transparency and understandability to pipelines created and code created.
• Comply with the requirements, and act in accordance with, the Group Code of Conduct and Fitness and Propriety policies at all times.
• Ensure compliance with Company Policies, Values and guidelines and other relevant standards/ regulations at all times.

Experience & knowledge:

• Leadership experience: Ability to lead, mentor, and develop a diverse team of engineers and performance management and career development for team members.
• Experience managing relationships with managed service providers and/or third parties along with strong stakeholder engagement skills to ensure collaboration and effective communication.
• Excellent understanding of data platform and infrastructure management and associated capabilities including data engineering, data warehousing, business intelligence as well as the ability to design and manage infrastructure monitoring, alerting, security and performance management.
• Technical expertise and strong understanding of Microsoft data technologies both on premise, SQL/SSIS/SSAS, and in the Azure cloud including technologies such as Azure Synapse, Data Factory, Databricks and Power BI.
• Proficiency in infrastructure as code (IaC) tools like Terraform and Bicep.
• Strong analytical skills to identify and resolve platform-related issues and experience with incident management and root cause analysis.
• Understanding of customer needs and requirements for data delivery and commitment to meeting service level agreements (SLAs) and enhancing customer satisfaction.
• Experience of agile ways of working, applied in a data delivery environment.
• Experience in a Financial Services / Insurance or other regulated environments would be advantageous.

Skills & Qualifications:

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to convey technical information to non-technical audiences.
• Supporting and enthusiastic team leader, who others follow, focused on delivering shared outcomes, building on strengths and addressing weaknesses in the teams service offering.
• Strong time management, prioritisation and organisation skills to manage complex workloads and competing priorities.
• Ability to diagnose and troubleshoot problems quickly using root cause analysis.
• Proactive and optimistic about what can be achieved and has an infectious positivity.
• Relevant certifications (e.g., Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate, Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert).

Ready to make a positive impact? Apply now and be part of something big

What can we do for you?

People first. Always. We’re passionate about our colleagues and know the best people deserve an extraordinary working environment. We owe it to them so that’s what we offer. Our workplaces are energetic, inspirational, supportive. To get a taste of the advantages you’ll enjoy, take a look at all our perks in full here.

Intrigued? Our Talent team can tell you everything you need to know about what we want and what we’re offering, so feel free to get in touch.