Lead Data Engineer

Role: Lead Data Engineer

Location: Remote/Hybrid – Lymm Office

Salary: £45,000 - £55,000

Start Date: ASAP

Our people are what make our family great. As a proud family-run business, we see childcare as a profession, not just a job. We’re passionate about helping our teams grow and be the best they can be!

Kids Planets is a prominent nursery group in the United Kingdom, currently operating at more than 230 locations. Established in 2008 with only 4 sites, the company has experienced substantial growth over the years. We possess extensive data across our applications and are seeking a Lead Data Engineer to develop our platform into the central hub for KP's data. We require a dynamic lead engineer who can take ownership of the development of the platform utilising the latest technology and who can lead the team through exemplary leadership.

The Lead Data Engineer is responsible for overseeing the development, implementation, and management of our data infrastructure. This individual will play a key role in ensuring the integrity, availability, and security of our data systems, driving data innovation, and supporting data-driven decision-making across the organisation. Our technology stack includes Microsoft Azure cloud services, SQL, Data Factory, and Databricks. Additionally, there is a significant opportunity to refactor the platform utilising MS Fabric.

If you are a highly motivated individual with exceptional problem-solving abilities, keen attention to detail, and a strong passion for data development, this position may be an excellent fit for you. Demonstrated expertise in the following areas is required: SQL, Python, Azure Data Lake, Azure Data Factory, and CI/CD Releases.

Key Responsibilities

• Data Architecture and Infrastructure: Design, develop, and maintain scalable data architectures and infrastructure to meet evolving business needs.
  
  
• Data Integration: Lead efforts to integrate, cleanse, and optimise data from multiple sources, ensuring data consistency and reliability.
  
  
• Data Governance: Implement and enforce data governance policies and procedures to ensure data quality, security, and compliance.
  
  
• Team Leadership: Mentor and lead a team of data engineers, providing guidance, support, and fostering a collaborative environment.
  
  
• Collaboration: Work closely with other departments, including IT, analytics, and business units, to understand data requirements and deliver solutions that drive business value.
  
  
• Innovation: Stay current with emerging technologies and industry trends, driving innovation in data engineering practices.
  
  
• Performance Optimisation: Monitor and optimise data system performance, ensuring high availability and efficiency.
  
  
• Documentation: Maintain thorough documentation of data architecture, processes, and policies.
  
  
• Align with development methodologies to implement and support robust, reliable deployment processes using CI/CD Pipelines in Azure DevOps
  
  Qualifications
  
  
• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.
  
  
• Experience: Experience in data engineering or related roles, with a proven track record of leading data engineering projects.
  
  
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in programming languages such as Python and SQL; experience with big data technologies
  
  
• Data Modelling: Strong understanding of data modelling, ETL processes, and data warehousing concepts.
  
  
• Analytical Skills: Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex data sets.
  
  
• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
  
  
• Leadership: Proven leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire a team.
  
  Nice to Have’s:
  
  
• Knowledge of building and maintaining API’s between multiple applications
  
  
• Microsoft Certified in the appropriate field.
  
  Benefits
  
  The company offers great benefits such as:
  
  
• Highly discounted childcare
  
  
• Free breakfast, lunches and healthy snacks including fresh fruit.
  
  
• Birthday Leave
  
  
• Enhanced Maternity, Paternity Fertility and Adoption leave.
  
  
• Fertility Leave
  
  
• Anniversary Awards
  
  
• Employee Assistance Programme
  
  
• Professional Development
  
  
• Career Progression
  
  Kids Planet is dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the well-being of children and young people. An enhanced DBS check will be required for this role. We expect all staff and volunteers to uphold this commitment, and safeguarding training is a fundamental part of every role. All colleagues are required to complete regular training to ensure they understand and fulfil their responsibilities. A Disclosure and Barring Service Certificate is mandatory for all positions, and this role will be subject to enhanced checks as part of our safeguarding duties