GCP Data Management Developer Lead

Dentsu Aegis Network; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A global marketing and consulting firm is seeking a leader for database marketing solutions in London. The role requires overseeing scalable cloud-based systems development while mentoring engineers. Candidates should possess deep data engineering expertise, strong leadership skills, and excellent communication abilities. The company offers a rich benefits package including private health insurance, flexible work arrangements, and generous holiday policies.

Benefits

Great compensation package

Private health & dental insurance

29+ days of annual leave

Hybrid working schedule

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience in building and guiding high-performing engineering teams.
• Strong hands-on expertise in cloud platforms with emphasis on cloud-native architectures.
• Deep understanding of data engineering principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of software and data engineers.
• Architect and oversee development of cloud-based solutions.
• Collaborate with product managers to align technology strategy with objectives.

Skills

Leadership experience

Cloud platforms (GCP or AWS)

Data engineering expertise

Software engineering foundation

DevOps and SRE practices

Communication skills

Job description

The purpose of this role is to oversee the development of our database marketing solutions, using database technologies such as Google BigQuery and Amazon Redshift. The role will be involved in design, specifications, troubleshooting, and issue resolution. The ability to communicate to both technical and non-technical audiences is key.

Overview

Merkle, a dentsu company, powers the experience economy. For more than 35 years, the company has put people at the heart of its approach to digital business transformation. As the only integrated experience consultancy in the world with a heritage in data science and business performance, Merkle delivers holistic, end-to-end experiences that drive growth, engagement, and loyalty. Merkle’s expertise has earned recognition as a “Leader” by top industry analyst firms, in categories such as digital transformation and commerce, experience design, engineering and technology integration, digital marketing, data science, CRM and loyalty, and customer data management. With more than 16,000 employees, Merkle operates in 30+ countries throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. For more information, visit www.merkle.com.

Role Purpose

The purpose of this role is to oversee the development of our database marketing solutions, using database technologies such as Google BigQuery and Amazon Redshift. The role will be involved in design, specifications, troubleshooting, and issue resolution. The ability to communicate to both technical and non-technical audiences is key.

• Lead and mentor a team of software and data engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Architect, design, and oversee development of scalable, reliable, and secure cloud-based solutions
• Guide the team in data engineering best practices — building, maintaining, and optimizing data pipelines, storage solutions, and analytics platforms
• Collaborate with product managers, architects, and stakeholders to align technology strategy with business objectives
• Ensure software and data solutions follow best practices in security, compliance, performance, and cost optimization
• Drive adoption of modern engineering practices: CI/CD, infrastructure as code, automated testing, and observability
• Conduct technical reviews, provide hands-on support in critical projects, and unblock complex engineering challenges

What you bring

• Proven leadership experience in building and guiding high-performing engineering teams
• Strong hands-on expertise in cloud platforms (GCP or AWS) with emphasis on cloud-native architectures
• Deep understanding of data engineering — ETL/ELT, real-time/batch processing, data lakes/warehouses, and data governance
• Track record of delivering complex, scalable systems that drive measurable business impact
• Strong software engineering foundation across different languages and frameworks
• Expertise in DevOps and SRE practices: CI/CD pipelines, monitoring, alerting, reliability engineering
• Ability to translate business needs into technical roadmaps and actionable plans
• Excellent communication skills, with experience collaborating across technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Passion for mentoring engineers, enabling career growth, and cultivating a culture of innovation and ownership
• A problem-solver’s mindset with a focus on scalability, performance, and long-term maintainability

A few of the benefits

• You'll have a great compensation package, private health & dental insurance, corporate discounts and career development through Dentsu University, and free access to LinkedIn learning
• 29+ days of annual leave (25 days of regular holidays, birthdays off and 3 additional wellness days)* pro rata
• We also offer the opportunity to volunteer for up to 2 days per year and tend to close down the agency between Christmas and New Years
• You'll have a hybrid working schedule, with flexible start/end hours

Inclusion and Diversity

At Dentsu, we embrace diversity and inclusion, valuing the unique perspectives and contributions of every individual. We believe that diversity fuels creativity and innovation, benefiting our employees, partners, and communities. We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or any other protected characteristic. Beyond recruitment, we strive to create an environment where everyone feels respected, supported, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work.

We recognize the importance of work-life balance and are open to discussing flexible working arrangements for all roles. If you need reasonable adjustments due to a disability or medical condition during our recruitment process, please contact us at [e-mail], quoting the reference number of the role that you are applying for. Your needs will be handled with respect and confidentiality to ensure an inclusive and accessible experience.

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Location

London

Brand

Merkle

Time Type

Full time

Contract Type

Permanent