Data Engineering Lead

Unite Foundation; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary annual bonus

25 days paid holiday

Generous pension scheme

Healthcare & wellbeing benefits

Life Assurance

Job summary

Unite Students is seeking an experienced Data Engineering Lead to join our Data & Insight team and shape the future of our data capabilities.

You'll lead and develop a team of Data Engineers, provide technical direction while remaining hands-on with complex engineering challenges, including the evolution of our Databricks data platform and data pipelines that support analytics, reporting and data science.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership of Data Engineering teams in large enterprises.
• Extensive hands-on experience with cloud-based data platforms.
• Strong SQL and Python skills, with Databricks and Spark know-how.
• Experience delivering data solutions for analytics and data science.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for scalable, reliable data platforms.
• Lead and develop a team of Data Engineers with coaching and collaboration.
• Ensure stability and performance of data pipelines and platforms.
• Lead migration from existing data warehouse to Databricks.
• Support major transformation programmes including SaaS migration.
• Design and maintain data pipelines, models and curated datasets for analytics.
• Collaborate with BI, Data Science, Architecture, Technology and business teams.
• Champion engineering best practices, testing, deployment and code reviews.

Skills

Data engineering leadership

Cloud data platforms

SQL

Python

Databricks

Spark

Stakeholder management

Agile delivery

Tools

Databricks

Spark

Tableau

SnapLogic

Job description

We`re looking for an experienced Data Engineering Lead to join our Data & Insight team and help shape the future of our data capabilities.

You`ll lead and develop a talented team of Data Engineers, providing technical direction and coaching while remaining hands‑on with complex engineering challenges. You`ll play a key role in strategic transformation initiatives, including the continued evolution of our Databricks data platform.

This is an exciting opportunity to:

• Lead and inspire a talented Data Engineering team.
• Shape our data strategy and influence key technology decisions.
• Stay hands‑on and solve complex technical challenges.
• Make a real impact by delivering trusted, scalable data solutions that support business growth.

If you`re passionate about data, technology and people leadership, this is your opportunity to help shape our data future and make a lasting impact.

What You`ll Be Doing

• Provide technical leadership for scalable, reliable and secure data platforms and products.
• Lead, mentor and develop a team of Data Engineers, promoting collaboration and technical excellence.
• Ensure the stability, performance and continuous improvement of critical data platforms and pipelines.
• Lead the migration from our existing data warehouse to Databricks.
• Support major transformation programmes, including our SaaS migration and wider business integration initiatives.
• Design and maintain data pipelines, models and curated datasets for analytics, reporting and data science.
• Collaborate with BI, Data Science, Architecture, Technology and business teams to deliver trusted data solutions.
• Champion engineering best practices, including testing, deployment, monitoring, documentation and code reviews.
• Support Agile delivery, from prioritisation and sprint planning through to delivery.
• Identify opportunities to improve our data platforms, tooling and ways of working.

What We`re Looking for in You

• Proven experience leading Data Engineering teams in complex enterprise environments.
• Strong hands‑on experience building and operating modern, cloud‑based data platforms.
• Strong SQL and Python skills, with extensive experience in Databricks, Spark and lakehouse architectures.
• Strong understanding of data engineering, modelling and architecture best practices.
• Experience delivering data solutions for reporting, analytics and data science.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to balance strategic leadership with hands‑on technical delivery.
• Experience working in Agile environments.
• Experience delivering large‑scale technology or business transformation programmes.
• Experience with data migration, system modernisation or enterprise platform change.
• Experience integrating data following acquisitions, mergers or major business change.
• Familiarity with Tableau and low‑code integration platforms such as SnapLogic.

What You`ll Get in Return

• A discretionary annual bonus so you can share in the company`s success
• 25 days` paid holiday and an annual holiday buying scheme, with 5 additional days awarded for long service
• A generous pension scheme - employer contributions between 5% and 11% depending on how much you save
• Various benefits to support your health and wellbeing including a Healthcare Cash Plan, an Employee Assistance Programme, a Wellbeing platform and a Gym benefit that you can share with your family and friends
• Enhanced Family Leave including 18 weeks full pay for birthing parents and 4 weeks for non‑birthing parents
• Lots of other great benefits including an annual ShareSave scheme, Employee Life Assurance, a discounts portal and more!

Founded in 1991, Unite Students is the UK`s leading provider of purpose‑built student accommodation. You can find us in 23 leading university towns and cities, with 70,000 students calling US home! We are driven by our values, culture, and a commitment to develop diverse and inclusive teams, filled with positive energy and new ideas.

Instinctive inclusion. We know that to create and maintain a happy healthy organisation, we have to work hard to ensure inclusion isn`t just what we do but who we are.

People make Unite Students. Employees, students and neighbours all contribute to building environments where we can all thrive.

Room for Everyone

We`re proud to be an employer that embraces individuality, and we`re passionate about building inclusive teams. We focus on creating a collaborative culture where you can be you, where your voice is heard, and where you can truly belong. We take great pride in being rated Gold Investors in People and are constantly striving to provide the highest standard of learning and development opportunities and professional pathways for our people. Building a home for success, for both our employees and students, requires exceptional people with a passion for creating room for everyone, doing what`s right, keeping US safe, and raising the bar. Join us as we build better experiences for students that live with us.