Data Platform Solution Architect

mgpru; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

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Share Incentive Plan

38 days annual leave

Inspiring Families policy

Private Healthcare

Job summary

M&G is seeking a Data Platform Solution Architect to design trusted, governed data products supporting reporting, analytics and operations. You will align designs with enterprise standards and collaborate with Product Owners, Engineers, Security and stakeholders for high-quality delivery.

You will shape target-state patterns, provide design assurance, and contribute to reference architectures while embedding governance and security from inception.

Qualifications

• Experience designing modern data platforms using lakehouse and warehouse patterns.
• Deep understanding of cloud-based data services (Azure, AWS, GCP) and big-data technologies.
• Strong data-modelling across conceptual, logical and physical designs with semantic modelling.
• Knowledge of governance areas including data ownership, lineage, metadata, access control and quality frameworks.
• Delivery-focused mindset balancing architecture with incremental delivery.

Responsibilities

• Produce end-to-end solution designs for ingestion, transformation, storage, semantics and consumption patterns across BI/MI and analytics.
• Translate business outcomes into data product definitions with scope, SLAs, controls and acceptance criteria.
• Embed governance, security, and privacy controls into designs from inception.
• Provide design assurance through walkthroughs and ensuring consistency of design decisions.
• Develop and maintain reference architectures, reusable patterns and design templates.
• Define integration approaches across APIs, events and file-based interfaces with quality checks and controls.
• Support governance forums with architecture/design reviews and release governance.
• Partner with Enterprise Architecture to align designs with enterprise strategy and roadmaps.

Skills

Lakehouse & warehouse patterns

Cloud data services

Data governance & security

Data modelling

Communication skills

Delivery mindset

Architectural design

Job description

At M&G, our purpose is to give everyone real confidence to put their money to work. With a heritage dating back more than 175 years, we have a long history of innovation in savings and investments, combining asset management and insurance expertise to offer a wide range of solutions.

Our two distinct operating segments, Asset Management and Life, work together to provide access to balanced, long‑term investment and savings solutions.

Through telling it like it is, owning it now and moving it forward together with care and integrity; we are creating an exceptional place to work for exceptional talent.

We will consider flexible working arrangements for any of our roles and offer workplace adjustments to ensure you have the support you need to succeed in your role.

Job Description

The Data Platform Solution Architect plays a key role in enabling trusted, governed and resilient data products that support reporting, MI, analytics and operational use cases. The role translates business outcomes into practical, scalable solution designs and ensures alignment with enterprise standards, architectural principles and control expectations. It focuses on shaping design options, defining target‑state patterns and providing design assurance throughout delivery to reduce risk and accelerate time‑to‑value. The role works closely with Product Owners, Engineers, Security, Architecture and business stakeholders to support consistent, high‑quality delivery across teams.

Main Responsibilities

• Produce end‑to‑end solution designs covering ingestion, transformation, storage, semantic layers and consumption patterns across BI/MI, analytics and operational integration needs.
• Translate business outcomes into clear data product definitions, including scope, SLAs, controls, non‑functional requirements and acceptance criteria.
• Embed data governance, data security and privacy controls into solution designs from inception.
• Provide design assurance through delivery by running walkthroughs, advising squads and ensuring design decisions are applied consistently.
• Develop, maintain and contribute to reference architectures, reusable patterns, templates and design documentation.
• Define integration approaches across APIs, events and file‑based interfaces, ensuring quality checks, reconciliation and control evidence are incorporated appropriately.
• Support governance forums such as Data Design Forum, Technical Design Authority, by providing architecture/design reviews and release governance, ensuring design readiness and proactively surfacing risks and issues.
• Partner with Enterprise Architecture and platform leadership to ensure designs align to enterprise strategy, principles, roadmaps and operating models.
• Coach engineers and analysts on good design practice, documentation quality and effective stakeholder communication.

Key Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Strong experience designing modern data platforms using Lakehouse and warehouse patterns across batch and streaming use cases.
• Deep understanding of cloud‑based data services (e.g., Azure, AWS, GCP) and big‑data technologies such as Snowflake, Databricks and Fabric.
• Strong data‑modelling capability across conceptual, logical and physical designs, including semantic modelling for MI/BI.
• Knowledge of key governance areas including data ownership, lineage, metadata, access control and quality frameworks.
• Strong non‑functional design skills including resilience, scalability, performance, cost‑optimisation, observability and operability.
• Strong communication skills - Ability to explain complex concepts clearly to both technical and non‑technical audiences, supporting balanced and informed decision‑making.
• Delivery‑focused mindset with the ability to balance strategic architecture with pragmatic, incremental delivery.
• Desirable - Experience delivering solutions in highly regulated, financial services environments.

What we offer:

• A valuable pension scheme of up to 18% (13% made up of employer contributions and 5% employee contributions).
• Access to our Share Save and Share Incentive Plan, alongside financial wellbeing and support services to help give you real confidence to put your money to work.
• Enjoy 38 days annual leave (including bank holidays), with the opportunity to purchase up to five extra days. Our Time Off When You Need It policy gives you the flexibility - to balance work and personal commitments.
• Our market-leading Inspiring Families policy includes comprehensive support and paid parental leave covering maternity, adoption, surrogacy, and paternity leave - because supporting families is an important part of our inclusive culture.
• Health & Protection cover includes Private Healthcare, Critical Illness cover and Life Assurance for you, with add