Data Architect

NHS; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

A national healthcare provider in Manchester is seeking an experienced Data Architect to support the Data Engineering modernization programme. The role involves planning, designing, and implementing data management architecture for high-volume datasets. Candidates should have a Master's degree, experience with mainstream data platforms, and strong skills in Python. This is a fixed-term position for 24 months, offering a salary between £55,690 and £62,682, and allows flexible working from home and office.

Qualifications

• In-depth experience with a mainstream modern data platform.
• Experience with unstructured data.
• Delivery of business intelligence and visualisation platforms/tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and development of architecture for data sets.
• Design and implement data warehouse solutions.
• Promote data integrity, governance and documentation.

Skills

Teamwork and independent working ability

Ability to work under pressure

Experience with Python

Education

Masters’ degree or equivalent qualification

Microsoft Certifications

Tools

Azure DevOps

Job description

Job Summary

Working within the Data Engineering team that delivers and maintains data transfer pipelines between clinical/operational source systems and the Christie Central Data Repository (CCDR), we are seeking an experienced Data Architect with strong data modelling expertise and extensive experience on modern mainstream data platforms. The role supports the Data Engineering modernization programme and the Joint Analytics for Cancer initiative.

The post is a 24‑month fixed term, flexible to mix home and office with one office visit per week. Previous NHS or healthcare experience is not essential.

Main duties of the job

Responsible for planning, design, and delivery of Data Management architecture and associated products and services. The post holder will:

• Lead the planning and development of architecture, tools and resources for high‑variety, volume and velocity data sets.
• Provide specialist advice on data ingestion, orchestration, modelling, data mining, cloud services and the development of unstructured health related data sets.
• Design and implement data warehouse solutions and data lakes/warehousing.
• Advises on the acquisition of diverse data sets from internal and external sources.
• Automate and schedule extraction and processing of large data sets across distributed platforms.
• Support trust software development with data‑driven services and enterprise data architecture.
• Promote data integrity, governance and documentation, ensuring change control processes are in place.
• Tutor colleagues in scripting, modelling and platform techniques.
• Act as a specialist on data integration and enterprise data architecture.
• Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory and trust requirements, including policies, standing orders and procedures.

Additional responsibilities include responding to urgent demands, remediation support, root cause analysis and delivery of business intelligence and visualization platforms.

About us

The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 60 000 patients a year in Manchester and across Greater Manchester & Cheshire. As a national specialist, 15 % of patients are referred from across the country. We provide world‑class radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery and diagnostic services, and lead international cancer research.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Masters’ degree or equivalent qualification and/or relevant experience.
• Microsoft Certifications.

Experience

• In‑depth experience with a mainstream modern data platform.
• Working with large relational datasets.
• Implementation of data warehouse solutions.
• Experience with unstructured data.
• Delivery of business intelligence and visualisation platforms/tools.
• NHS experience.
• Working with Azure DevOps and database projects.

Skills

• Teamwork and independent working ability.
• Ability to work under pressure, meeting deadlines and prioritising workload.
• Experience with Python programming language.

Knowledge

• Specialist understanding and application of data architecture principles and strategy.
• Understanding of cloud data management platforms and services.
• Experience with distributed data processing, agile methodology and DevOps.

Values

• Demonstrate the organisation’s values and behaviours.

Other

• Evidence of continuing professional and personal development.
• Travel to Christie managed sites as necessary.
• Ability to undertake work out‑of‑hours, weekends and public holidays as required.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Contract and Details

• Contract: Fixed term – 24 months.
• Working pattern: Full‑time.
• Location: Business Intelligence & Software Development – E00413.
• Reference number: 413‑101337‑FB‑AK.
• Salary: £55,690 to £62,682 a year, pro‑rata.