Data Engineer

DCR; Romford; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

DUAL Personal Lines is expanding its data platform to support underwriting analytics and governance. We seek a skilled Data Engineer to advance the Data Lakehouse and deliver scalable data products while collaborating with analysts, engineers, and stakeholders to ensure data quality across the platform.

The role requires strong Python and SQL, experience with Azure data services, and a proven track record of building data pipelines in an Agile/DevOps environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of data engineering and building data pipelines.
• Experience with data integration and ELT modelling.
• Proficient in Python and SQL.
• Experience working with data architects for technical design.
• Experience designing data models (Star Schema) for Power BI.

Responsibilities

• Build, test, and deploy data products within a data lakehouse architecture with governance.
• Provide technical expertise in data engineering, analysis, orchestrations, and enrichment.
• Collaborate with data analysts and system owners to align with data standards and integrity.
• Support underwriting analytical teams and reporting analysts with accurate data representations.
• Work in Agile/DevOps to incrementally deliver data platform components.

Skills

Python

SQL

Data management

ELT pipelines

Data analysis

CI/CD

Communication

Team collaboration

Commercial awareness

Learning agility

Tools

Azure Data Factory

Azure Databricks

Azure Storage

Azure DevOps

Power BI

Job description

About DUAL Working across 21 countries, DUAL has built a reputation as a specialist underwriting group and the market of choice for insurance intermediaries around the world. That’s how we have become one of the world’s largest international underwriting agencies (or MGAs) with US$3.4bn GWP. DUAL is part of Howden, a leading global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. Founded in 1994, it provides insurance, reinsurance and underwriting services to clients ranging from private individuals to the largest multinational companies. The Group operates in 57 countries, employs over 24,000 people and manages premiums totalling US$50bn on behalf of its clients.

Role responsibilities

Key member of the team, engineering DUAL Personal Lines’ strategic data platforms, chief of which is the Data Lakehouse, to enable the continuous enhancement of DUAL Personal Lines’ underwriting analytical capabilities. Provide technical expertise in data engineering, analysis, orchestrations, and enrichment. Build data solutions where required to address changing requirements – managing new requests and incidents. Building, testing and deployment of data products while remaining true to governance principles including change control, accountability, data quality, and data security. Consult the DUAL Group data team’s business analysts, developers and system owners to avoid divergence from agreed data standards. Assesses the impact of change on DUAL Personal Lines’ data model to determine and avoid any potential issues which may hinder our operational, analytical and reporting environments. Actively collaborates with data teams and system owners to maintain the data model and data integrity throughout the DUAL Group data lakehouse. Closely support underwriting analytical teams and reporting analysts to ensure data is accurately represented for use in underwriting and performance analysis and reporting. Build knowledge and expertise of DUAL Personal Lines’ systems with other data team members. Working with other members of the data team and wider business to support delivery of additional project components (API interfaces, Data Models, Data Sharing, RDM/MDM tools, ML Endpoints). Working within an Agile delivery / DevOps methodology to incremental change to the overall data platform to deliver additional data products to provide value to stakeholders. Working with the Group Data Science team to productionise ML pipelines into the overall data platform solution. Work collaboratively with internal stakeholders across DUAL Personal Lines including but not limited to Underwriting teams, Operations, Finance, Risk & Compliance and HR. Act as a conduit between DUAL Personal Lines and Dual Data Team to facilitate the sharing of common approaches, adherence to standards, and advocating on behalf DUAL. Help drive success of future investments in Data within DUAL Personal Lines, including clear articulation of return on investment (ROI) and ongoing assessment of realisation attainment.

Key requirements

• Strong knowledge of Data Management principles in a Lakehouse architecture.
• At least 5 years’ experience in data engineering and building data pipelines
• Proven track record in Data Engineering and supporting the business to gain true insight from data.
• Experience in data integration and modelling including ELT pipelines.
• Hands on experience designing and delivering solutions using Azure services including Azure Data Factory, Azure Databricks, Azure Storage, Azure DevOps.
• Strong proficiency in Python and SQL
• Experience working with Data Architects for technical design
• Experience on the design of data models (Star Schema) for use in Power BI.
• Insurance analysis, MI or reporting experience
• Understanding and adherence to CI/CD principles
• Nice to have: experience working alongside Data Science teams to assist with building and deploying Machine Learning models
• Nice to have: experience working with infrastructure as code tools for deploying resources
• Ability to work quickly, efficiently and methodically.
• A strong team player who is confident in their ability.
• Very strong communication, influencing and negotiation skills.
• Actively listens to the views of colleagues, but also has the strength of character to challenge where required.
• Has a commercial awareness and stays up to date with current issues affecting the industry and its technologies.
• Proactively sharing best practice with others across the organisation.
• Planning, organising, and managing skills, and ability to prioritise.
• Good understanding of data operations.
• Broad knowledge and understanding of insurance principles, products and services.
• Self-starter, with a passion and ability for learning new skills and technologies.

What do we offer in return?

A career that you define. Of course, we offer a competitive range of rewards and benefits to support you, but we know you expect all that. What you might not expect is a job where everyone has a voice, where volunteering in the community is part of the day job, and where everyone is encouraged to play a part towards our sustainability goals. We want people who want to make a difference - not just in the workplace, but in the industry and in the wider community.

Our culture: people first Our core values dictate how we live and work. We’re a group with independence and people at its heart – and a home for talent with a unique culture: the biggest small company in the world. Being a people-first business has always been central to who we are. Our vision was to create an independent organisation with a distinctive culture that would survive and thrive through the people who shape it. Finding the most talented and entrepreneurial individuals to join the group has been, and will continue to be, key to our success.

Diversity and inclusion

At DUAL, our people are our greatest strength. We are committed to building an open and inclusive culture where everyone feels trusted and that they belong. We work to ensure all candidates, employees, clients and business partners are treated with fairness and respect. We want every candidate to be able to bring their best to the recruitment process, so if you require reasonable accommodation at any stage, please let us know and we will work with you to provide appropriate support.

Permanent

Howden began in 1994, as just three people and a dog. Now there are 23,000 of us, and we're a leading global insurance group, managing $37bn of premiums for our clients. Our largest shareholder group is us – the people who work in the business – supported by three long-term, minority growth-equity partners who share our vision to build a business to last, one that will never be sold. The owner's mindset is something that's embedded in our culture; our people readily take ownership of their decisions, their actions, and their outputs. They’re invested in every sense. And we all know that by working together to drive the business forward, everyone will benefit from the extraordinary results we can achieve.