Lead Data Engineer

Sonovate; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance (Bupa)

Employee Assistance Programme

Techscheme with Apple and Currys PC W

Eye care vouchers

Gym membership discount

Charity leave

Diverse, inclusive culture

Job summary

Sonovate is seeking a Data Platform Lead to own the architecture, delivery and operation of the data platform. This hands-on engineering leader will drive end-to-end data products, analytics and AI features in a fully remote UK setting.

You will manage a small multidisciplinary data team, collaborate with Infrastructure and Engineering, and shape standards while delivering scalable, secure data solutions across batch and streaming pipelines.

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on Python, SQL and dbt with building and maintaining data pipelines.
• Deep Snowflake knowledge including performance and cost optimisation.
• Experience with batch and streaming pipelines and API data integration (JSON, Avro, XML).
• Experience with Azure, preferably Functions, Logic Apps and event services (Event Hubs, Service Bus).
• Experience taking data products from PoC to production.
• Solid engineering practices: Git, CI/CD (Azure DevOps), automated testing.
• Experience leading or line-managing technical teams while remaining hands-on.

Responsibilities

• Own architecture, delivery and operation of the data platform with focus on scalability, maintainability and cost.
• Design and build batch and streaming pipelines across Snowflake, dbt, Python, SQL and Azure, incl. event-driven ingestion through Azure Event Hubs.
• Collaborate with Infra and App Eng on event-driven integrations, infrastructure, identity and security.
• Set engineering standards through hands-on development, code reviews, automated testing, CI/CD and documentation.
• Lead root cause analysis on pipeline/platform issues; improve monitoring and reliability.
• Own data governance and quality controls with the Data Governance Analyst.
• Deliver trusted data for reporting, self-service analytics, customer features and AI apps, with governed access for AI/tools.
• Evaluate new tools and AI approaches and bring in what works.
• Line-manage and coach the team for career development and knowledge sharing.

Skills

Python

SQL

dbt

Snowflake

Azure

Git

CI/CD

Automated testing

Data governance

Data pipelines

Leadership

Tools

Azure DevOps

Event Hubs

Service Bus

Job description

Location: UK | Fully remote | Full time, permanent

About Sonovate

Sonovate is a lending and technology company with a clear vision: to be The Funding Platform for the Future of Work. Our embedded payment solution empowers the new world of work. By offering flexible payments, it lets recruiters, consultants, and labour marketplaces place contractors and freelancers to unlock their cashflow and capitalise on the opportunities that flexible working provides. Our customers can draw funds as and when they need them to pay their workers, while waiting for end clients to pay them on their own terms.

Role overview

The Data Platform Lead is a predominantly hands‑on engineering leader, responsible for the architecture, development and operation of Sonovate's data platform and the delivery of data products end to end, from initial acquisition through to analytical enablement. This includes internal reporting, customer facing features of our SaaS product and AI driven applications.

The role provides subject matter expertise, makes sound technical decisions independently and produces exemplary, maintainable code while setting engineering standards across the team. They lead root cause analysis on complex platform issues, evaluate new tooling and platform capabilities, and actively coach colleagues on design patterns, domain knowledge and engineering excellence.

The Data Platform Lead also line manages a small, multidisciplinary Data team spanning data engineering, analytics and governance. They support colleagues' professional development, encourage knowledge sharing and ensure the team collaborates across disciplines on feature development, data products and ad hoc analysis.

The Data Platform Lead translates agreed priorities into technical solutions and ensures reliable, secure and scalable delivery. They act as the technical liaison with Infrastructure and Application Engineering, influencing wider architectural and infrastructure decisions where appropriate.

What you'll be doing

• Owning the architecture, delivery and operation of the data platform, including its scalability, maintainability and cost
• Designing and building batch and streaming pipelines and integrations across Snowflake, dbt, Python, SQL and Azure, including event driven ingestion through Azure Event Hubs
• Working with Infrastructure and Application Engineering on event driven integrations, infrastructure, identity and security
• Setting the engineering standard through hands‑on development, code review, automated testing, CI/CD and documentation
• Leading root cause analysis on complex pipeline and platform issues, and improving monitoring, observability and reliability
• Owning data governance and quality controls across the platform, working with our Data Governance Analyst on standards and stewardship
• Delivering trusted, reusable data for reporting, self service analytics, customer facing product features and AI applications, including governed access for AI and agent driven tools
• Evaluating new tools, platform capabilities and AI assisted engineering approaches, and bringing in what works
• Line managing and coaching the team through one to ones, feedback and career development, and building resilience through knowledge sharing

What we're looking for

• Strong, hands on Python, SQL and dbt, with a track record of designing, testing and maintaining data pipelines
• Deep working knowledge of Snowflake, including performance and cost optimisation
• Experience building batch and streaming pipelines and integrating APIs and structured or semi structured data (such as JSON, Avro or XML)
• Experience with Azure, ideally Functions, Logic Apps and event services such as Event Hubs or Service Bus
• Experience taking data products from proof of concept into reliable production
• Solid engineering practice: Git, CI/CD (ideally Azure DevOps), automated testing and maintainable code
• Experience leading, coaching or line managing technical colleagues while staying hands on

If you match most of these and are keen to learn the rest, we'd still like to hear from you.

What success looks like

• Data from our platform flows into Snowflake reliably, through pipelines that are monitored, tested and documented
• The team has clear priorities and engineering standards, and knowledge is shared so nobody is a single point of failure
• Governance and quality controls are built into delivery from the start, not added afterwards
• The business, product teams and AI applications get trusted data they can use without waiting on the data team

This role leads our data platform at a point where the work is pure engineering: AI tools handle reporting for the business, so the team's focus is getting data in reliably, keeping it governed and secure, and powering product features and AI. You'll work with a modern stack (Snowflake, dbt, Python, SQL and Azure), lead a small, experienced team, report directly to our CPTO and have a natural route to Head of Data as the platform and team grow. It's fully remote, and you'll have real influence over how the platform develops.

AI-Enhanced Operational Excellence

You leverage AI to support informed, efficient and forward-thinking decisions in your day-to-day work. You use approved AI tools appropriately to improve quality, consistency and productivity, while applying judgement, checking accuracy and retaining ownership of outcomes. You uphold the safe, ethical and responsible use of AI, ensuring transparency, confidentiality and human oversight remain central, and you actively build your confidence and capability as AI continues to evolve.

What will you get in return?

• 28 days holiday + bank holidays
• Private medical insurance with Bupa
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Techscheme with Apple and Currys PC World
• Working with latest technologies and leading SaaS providers
• Eye care vouchers with Specsavers
• 50% discounted gym membership
• 2 days charity leave per year
• You’ll work for a company that is passionate about personal development and a strong community focussed culture

We know that diverse teams are strong teams. We promote a diverse, inclusive and empowering culture and are committed to recruiting, retaining and developing all our employees.

Please note: All successful applicants who are offered a role at Sonovate will be required to pass background screening checks before starting with us. These checks will include National ID Checks, Right to Work, Employment References, Adverse Financial History, Criminal Record, Global Sanctions, Bankruptcy checks. Our Talent Acquisition team will be able to run you through these in detail at the early stage of your application.