Lead Data Engineer

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

Job summary

Harnham is seeking a Lead Data Engineer to own and shape a modern Azure data platform, combining hands-on engineering with architectural leadership. You will influence data strategy and deliver a scalable data environment that supports analytics, reporting, and operational applications.

In this role you will build ETL/ELT pipelines, implement data quality frameworks, and establish governance and deployment standards while guiding the growth of the data engineering function.

Qualifications

• Strong commercial experience building and supporting production data platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, build, and enhancement of a modern Azure data platform.

Skills

Azure Data Factory

Azure SQL

ETL/ELT pipelines

data quality frameworks

layered data architecture

CI/CD

Infrastructure as Code

Azure data technologies

dbt or similar tooling

communication with stakeholders

Tools

Azure DevOps

Git

dbt

Job description

London or Bristol (1 day a week in office)

This is an opportunity to take ownership of a growing Azure-based data platform and play a key role in shaping its future. You will combine hands-on engineering with architectural decision-making, delivering a modern data environment that supports analytics, reporting, and business-critical applications.

THE COMPANY

They are a growing organisation investing heavily in data and technology to support continued expansion. Their data platform is central to business operations, reporting, and digital products, creating an opportunity to influence both technical strategy and delivery. You will work closely with senior technology stakeholders and help establish best practices as the data function evolves.

THE ROLE

As a Lead Data Engineer, you will own and shape a modern Azure data platform, combining hands-on engineering with architectural leadership in a business where data is central to growth and innovation.

Specifically, you can expect to be involved in the following:

• Lead the design, build, and enhancement of a modern Azure data platform.
• Develop scalable ETL and ELT pipelines using Azure Data Factory and Azure SQL.
• Implement robust data quality, validation, and monitoring frameworks.
• Deliver a layered data architecture that supports analytics, reporting, and operational applications.
• Build historical and time-series data models that provide deeper business insights.
• Implement infrastructure and deployment processes using source control and infrastructure-as-code principles.
• Establish engineering standards, documentation, and governance practices.
• Provide technical leadership and support the growth of the wider data engineering capability.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

The successful Lead Data Engineer will have the following skills and experience:

• Strong commercial experience building and supporting production data platforms.
• Expertise with Azure Data Factory and Azure SQL.
• Experience developing ETL or ELT pipelines and transformation logic in production environments.
• Knowledge of data quality frameworks, validation processes, and monitoring.
• Experience implementing layered or medallion-style data architectures.
• Understanding of CI/CD, source control, and infrastructure-as-code approaches.
• Working knowledge of wider Azure data technologies such as Microsoft Fabric, Synapse, OneLake, or Azure Data Lake.
• Experience with modern transformation frameworks such as dbt or similar tooling.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to explain technical concepts to a range of stakeholders.

BENEFITS

The successful Lead Data Engineer will receive the following benefits:

• Salary between £90,000 - £120,000 - depending on experience