Senior Data Architect

Job Title: Senior Data Architect

Salary: £70,400 - £94,100

Location: Cambridge/Hybrid with office attendance for an average of 2 days a week

Contract: Permanent

Shape the future of data and AI at Cambridge University Press & Assessment

We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.

About the role

As a Senior Data Architect, you will play a pivotal role in delivering a coherent and scalable data framework aligned with our enterprise data strategy. You'll advance key architectural principles such as data mesh, data products, and data contracts, while enabling the strategic use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI (GenAI) across the organisation.

You'll be responsible for promoting the data strategy, securing stakeholder buy-in, and defining clear roadmaps for implementation. Your work will underpin and enable broader organisational strategies and operating models, including AI-driven innovation. You'll design and maintain enterprise and information architectures that are robust, future-ready, and capable of supporting both current and emerging business needs-empowering data-informed and AI-enhanced decision making across Cambridge University Press & Assessment.

Key accountabilities include: Effectively communicating the enterprise data strategy and operating model to executive leadership, platform teams, business units, technology teams, and external partners.

Defining and managing strategic data and information architecture roadmaps that support the business vision and enable AI and GenAI capabilities.

Designing and delivering end-to-end enterprise and information architectures that provide transparency and coherence across the organisation.

Supporting the growth of architectural capability by mentoring and coaching Data Architects, Junior Architects, and Analysts.

Providing thought leadership and strategic direction in data architecture, shaping standards, patterns, policies, and vision statements.

Advancing data capabilities such as analytics and AI/GenAI enablement to unlock insights and support informed decision-making.

Championing innovation by recognising how evolving data technologies can be harnessed to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and strategic agility.



Candidate profile:
About you

You are an experienced data architect or data engineer (5+ years or demonstrated experience) with a strong understanding of business and information architecture. You have a proven track record in defining and delivering data strategies, operating models, and scalable architectures, ideally in complex or regulated environments.

You will have: Deep knowledge of enterprise and information architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF, Zachman).

Experience with data mesh, data products, data contracts, and data governance.

Strong understanding of cloud-native data platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP), data lakehouse, data warehouse, and data virtualization concepts.

Mastery of data modelling (conceptual, logical, physical), integration patterns (APIs, event-driven, streaming), and data pipeline orchestration.

Experience enabling AI/GenAI capabilities and understanding of ethical and responsible AI considerations.

Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills across technical and non-technical teams.

Experience coaching and mentoring junior colleagues and leading in matrix environments.

Awareness of regulatory and compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR).

You are entrepreneurial, curious, and outcomes-driven, with a collaborative and inclusive approach. You thrive in a fast-changing environment and are passionate about leveraging data and AI to drive business value.

If you would like to know more about this opportunity and what will make you successful, please see the full job description attached to the bottom of this vacancy on our careers site.

Rewards and benefits

We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible , featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including: 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Private medical and Permanent Health Insurance

Discretionary annual bonus

Group personal pension scheme

Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary

Green travel schemes

We are a hybrid working organisation, and we offer a range of flexible working options from day one. We expect most hybrid-working colleagues to spend 40-60% of their time at their dedicated office or location. We will also consider other work arrangements if you wish to work more flexibly or require adjustments due to a disability.

Ready to pursue your potential? Apply now.

We review applications on an ongoing basis, with a closing date for all applications being 15th October. Interviews are scheduled to take place shortly after it closes

The interview process includes: First stage - Introductory call about your relevant skills

Second stage - Technical assessment session

Third stage - In-person interview with a presentation, assessing fit for the position and organisation

Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry.