Head of Data Solution

AXA Partners; Barcelona; On-site; EUR 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

AXA Partners is seeking a senior data leader to steer a distributed data team across Spain, France and the UK, delivering robust data solutions on Azure Databricks with PySpark and SQL. You will own architectural governance, drive FinOps, and collaborate with GPO and Central Data Office to align analytics with business strategy.

The role emphasizes leadership, strategic partnership, and the pragmatic use of Generative AI while maintaining data governance and security standards across three

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• ~8 years of experience in the data field.
• Proven experience leading distributed, multi-cultural technical teams.
• Strong business acumen and FinOps experience.

Responsibilities

• Steer and develop a distributed data team across Spain, France and UK.
• Translate business requirements into robust technical data solutions.
• Define development standards, conduct code reviews, and ensure quality.
• Own cloud cost footprint and drive FinOps across Azure and Databricks.
• Foster responsible innovation while ensuring governance and compliance.

Skills

Azure Databricks

PySpark

SQL

Power BI

Data warehousing

Star schema

Git

CI/CD

Leadership

Stakeholder influence

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s in CS/Engineering

Tools

Databricks

Azure cloud services

CI/CD tooling

Job description

Data is a key part of AXA’s journey “from Payer to Partner”, and the transformation of the organisation as a Data Driven company. To succeed in this journey, AXA Partners Data Strategy has been organised around 6 pillars: Enable Business initiatives, Protect Data, Organise and Govern initiatives, Manage Data, Empower People on Data, Deliver and operate Data Platforms.

What You’ll Be Doing

Team Leadership & Capability Building

• Steer and develop a distributed team of data professionals across Spain, France and UK, fostering a culture of excellence and accountability
• Lead, mentor, and manage the day-to-day operations of the Data Solution team across three countries.
• Build technical capabilities across the team in Azure Databricks, PySpark, SQL, and modern data practices through structured guidance and knowledge-sharing.
• Foster a collaborative and engaging team environment that leverages individual areas of expertise.
• Prioritize work and delegate effectively, fostering ownership within the team while retaining ultimate accountability for all deliveries.

Strategic Technical Partnership & Solutioning

• Act as the primary technical partner to the Global Product Owner (GPO), translating business requirements and strategic goals into robust and feasible technical solutions.
• Advise on technical feasibility, development effort, and architectural best practices to help prioritize the analytics roadmap.
• Propose the best technical solution for each business need, ensuring alignment with long-term strategy and platform capabilities.

Technical & Architectural Ownership

• Provide expert technical guidance to the team, challenging and validating the design of data solutions before development begins.
• Define, implement, and enforce development best practices for version control (Git), documentation, and coding standards.
• Organize and conduct regular code reviews to ensure quality, performance, and maintainability.
• Act as the ultimate guarantor for the reliability and robustness of all data solutions delivered by the team.

Financial Management & FinOps

• Define the team's technical roadmap, enforce best practices, and own the team's cloud cost footprint (FinOps) to balance performance with efficiency.
• Own and optimize the team's cloud cost footprint across Azure and Databricks.
• Drive a cost-awareness culture within the team to balance performance with efficiency.
• Report on spend trends and optimization efforts to leadership.

Accountable Innovation & Governance

• Foster a culture of responsible innovation, encouraging the team to explore and pilot emerging technologies, including the pragmatic use of Generative AI.
• Ensure that while experimenting, the team remains accountable for the quality and timeliness of their deliveries.
• Ensure all delivered solutions adhere to the data governance, security, and compliance standards defined by Data Domain Owners and the Central Data Office.
• Follow and influence these governance policies by providing technical feedback and embedding them into the development lifecycle.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field is preferred.
• About 8 years of experience in the data field.
• Demonstrated experience leading technical teams (e.g., as a Chapter Lead, Tech Lead, or Data Manager), managing distributed, multi-cultural teams.
• Cloud & Big Data Expertise: Expert-level proficiency in the Azure data stack, particularly Azure Databricks, with strong, hands‑on skills in PySpark and SQL.
• Business Intelligence: Strong working knowledge of Power BI architecture, performance optimization, and design best practices. Able to review and guide BI solutions for quality and maintainability.
• Data Architecture: Solid understanding of data warehousing principles, dimensional modeling (Kimball, star schema), and modern data architecture patterns.
• Software Engineering Mindset: Strong command of software development best practices, including version control (Git), CI/CD pipelines, and automated testing.
• Strategic Partnership & Influence: Exceptional ability to build strong, collaborative partnerships with business and technical stakeholders (GPO, Data Domain Owners, Central Data Office). Capable of influencing without direct authority and negotiating priorities effectively.
• Business Acumen & Pragmatism: A strong understanding of how data solutions create business value. The ability to make pragmatic decisions that balance technical excellence, speed‑to‑market, and financial constraints.
• Financial Management (FinOps): A strategic mindset regarding cloud costs. Experience owning a budget or cost center, driving a cost‑aware culture, and reporting on financial efficiency to leadership.

We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer and don’t discriminate against employees or potential employees based on protected characteristics. If you have a long‑term condition or disability and require adjustments during the application or interview process, please send an email to AXA Partners Global HR Response - [e-mail]

Who We Are

We’re AXA Partners, experts at designing and delivering assistance solutions and specialised insurance, credit, and lifestyle protection – with and for our partners worldwide. What sets us apart? The expertise and passion of our 8,500+ people, and a strong network of over 55,000 professionals all over the world. Powered by them and our sector‑leading technology, we continuously evolve, adapt and thrive – offering solutions and services that make sure we’re always at people’s side, no matter what. Helping others is our passion. Combining the best digital technology with our warm, human touch, we’re always looking at new ways to offer seamless and reassuring experiences when it really matters.

Join a company that helps protect the forests! At AXA Partners, we plant a tree for every new recruit (with a permanent contract)