Data Modelling Lead (m/f/d)

Halian | Managed Services, Recruitment Agency & Contract Staffing; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

Halian is seeking a Senior Technical SME in Abu Dhabi to guide project leadership on Data Quality, readiness, and modelling. You will challenge outputs, shape technical positions, and deliver defensible recommendations for client discussions and decision points.

The role demands deep data architecture expertise, strong stakeholder management, and the ability to translate complex data challenges into clear guidance for senior stakeholders and clients.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in Data Quality, Data Governance, Data Readiness, and Data Modelling.
• Strong hands-on expertise in Conceptual, Logical, and Physical Data Modelling.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Advise project leadership on complex Data Quality, Data Readiness, and Data Modelling topics ahead of client meetings and major submissions.
• Provide expert guidance on data profiling, CDEs, DQ dimensions, rule design and remediation strategies.
• Review data models for standards, normalization, keys, relationships and alignment with business requirements.
• Assess consistency across data models, source systems, CDE definitions, DQ rules, and target architecture.
• Lead selective participation in critical client meetings and workshops.

Skills

Data Quality

Data Governance

Data Modelling

Stakeholder Management

Executive Communication

Analytical Thinking

Problem Solving

Job description

• Normalization
• Provide expert guidance on complex scenarios involving:
• Upstream system dependencies

Role Purpose

Act as the Senior Technical Subject Matter Expert (SME) and trusted advisor to project leadership across Data Quality, Data Readiness, and Data Modelling. The SME will work closely with project leadership to shape technical positions, challenge project outputs, resolve complex data-related issues, and support preparation for key client discussions, workshops, and decision points. The role requires strong technical depth, strategic thinking, and the ability to translate complex data challenges into clear, defensible recommendations for senior stakeholders and clients.

Key Responsibilities

• Advise project leadership on complex Data Quality, Data Readiness, and Data Modelling topics ahead of client meetings, workshops, steering discussions, and major submissions.
• Provide expert guidance on:
  • Data profiling
  • Critical Data Element (CDE) identification
  • Data Quality dimensions
  • DQ rule design and applicability
  • Thresholds and scoring methodologies
  • Exceptions and exclusions
  • Root cause analysis
  • Remediation strategies
• Provide senior-level review and challenge of Conceptual, Logical, and Physical Data Models, including:
  • Modelling approach and standards
  • Entity and attribute design
  • Relationships and cardinality
  • Primary and foreign keys
  • Normalization
  • Data types
  • Naming conventions
  • Alignment with business requirements
• Assess consistency and alignment across data models, source systems, CDE definitions, DQ rules, and target data architecture, identifying structural or design issues that may impact data quality, data readiness, or downstream delivery.
• Provide expert guidance on complex scenarios involving:
  • Poor or incomplete source data
  • Unavailable or unreliable attributes
  • Data modelling limitations
  • Upstream system dependencies
  • Business or technical constraints
• Determine and advise on the appropriate treatment of complex issues, including whether they require remediation, exception, model change, scope adjustment, or methodology change.
• Challenge the team's methodology, assumptions, technical approach, and conclusions before they are presented to the client.
• Help project leadership formulate clear, technically sound, and defensible positions for client discussions and decision-making.
• Connect profiling results, data models, CDEs, DQ rules, execution results, scores, root causes, and remediation activities to provide a holistic view of overall Data Readiness.
• Identify systemic or structural data issues that may have broader implications across workstreams, systems, or downstream processes.
• Participate selectively in critical client meetings, workshops, and technical discussions, providing senior-level technical guidance when required.
• Provide rapid expert assessment and recommendations when client challenges, escalations, or complex technical issues arise.

Key Skills & Experience

• Significant experience in Data Quality, Data Governance, Data Readiness, and Data Modelling.
• Strong hands-on expertise in Conceptual, Logical, and Physical Data Modelling.
• Deep understanding of data profiling, CDEs, DQ dimensions, rule design, scoring methodologies, thresholds, exceptions, and remediation.
• Strong understanding of relational data structures, normalization, keys, relationships, and data architecture.
• Ability to assess the impact of source-system limitations and upstream dependencies on data quality and readiness.
• Strong experience in technical review, challenge, and quality assurance of data deliverables.
• Ability to translate complex technical issues into clear recommendations for senior leadership and client stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to make sound decisions in ambiguous situations.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience working in large-scale consulting, data transformation, data governance, or enterprise data programmes is highly preferred.

Key Competencies

• Data Quality & Data Governance
• Data Modelling & Architecture
• Data Readiness Assessment
• Technical SME Leadership
• Methodology & Technical Challenge
• Root Cause Analysis
• Problem Solving & Decision Making
• Client Advisory & Stakeholder Management
• Strategic Thinking
• Executive Communication

Role Outcome

The successful candidate will provide senior technical assurance and advisory support to project leadership, ensuring that key data-related positions, methodologies, models, and conclusions are technically robust, commercially defensible, and ready for client discussion and decision‑making.

Data Modelling Lead in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates