Principal Data Architect

The Co-Operative Group; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 91,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Private healthcare

Pension

Gym access

Colleague discounts

Early pay access

Virtual healthcare

24/7 support

Training and development

Cycle-to-work scheme

Job summary

The Co-Operative Group is seeking a Principal Data Architect to shape enterprise data architecture and guide data strategy across the organisation. Based in Manchester with hybrid work, you will lead data governance, modelling and platform initiatives while mentoring a growing data community.

You will drive agentic AI enablement and oversee secure, scalable data solutions across programmes, partnering with engineering, platform and business teams.

Qualifications

• Experience designing and delivering enterprise-scale data architecture.
• MDM and metadata management experience, specifically Databricks/Lakehouse platform.
• Experience providing technical leadership and influencing decisions across large-scale programmes and diverse stakeholders.
• Collaborative approach with coaching and developing others.

Responsibilities

• Shape and evolve our enterprise-wide data architecture, including conceptual, logical and physical data models.
• Develop our data architecture operating model and agentic AI enablement as a strategic driver.
• Provide data leadership and architectural guidance across strategic programmes and complex data projects.
• Partner with engineering, platform, solution architects and business teams to deliver secure, scalable data solutions.
• Coach and mentor data architects and specialists, helping to grow capability and strengthen our data architecture community.
• Influence our data platform strategy, governance and long-term investment decisions.
• Support data and AI platform solution design, including hands-on design work.

Skills

Enterprise data architecture

Data modelling

Data governance

Data strategy

Databricks

MDM and metadata management

Technical leadership

Stakeholder management

Coaching and mentoring

Communication

AI strategy

Tools

Databricks

Job description

Salary: £51,000 - 91,000 per year

Requirements:

• Experience designing and delivering enterprise-scale data architecture, with expertise across data modelling, governance, integration and strategy
• Strong architectural judgement, with the ability to balance business value, technical complexity, risk, cost and compliance considerations
• Practical MDM and metadata management experience, specifically Databricks/Lakehouse platform
• Experience providing technical leadership and influencing decisions across large-scale programmes, transformation initiatives and diverse stakeholder groups
• A collaborative approach, with a passion for coaching, mentoring and developing others
• Excellent relationship-building and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex concepts into clear, practical guidance
• A strategic mindset and genuine enthusiasm for shaping the future of data and driving positive change across an organisation

Responsibilities:

• Shape and evolve our enterprise-wide data architecture, including conceptual, logical and physical data models
• Develop our data architecture operating model and agentic AI enablement as a strategic driver
• Provide data leadership and architectural guidance across strategic programmes, transformation initiatives and complex data projects
• Partner with engineering, platform, solution architects and business teams to deliver secure, scalable and sustainable data solutions
• Coach and mentor data architects and specialists, helping to grow capability and strengthen our data architecture community
• Influence our data platform strategy, governance and long-term investment decisions
• Support data and AI platform solution design, including hands-on logical and low-level design

Technologies:

• Agentic AI
• AI
• Architect
• Databricks
• Support

More:

At Co-op, data helps us make better decisions, create better experiences and deliver more value for our members, customers and colleagues. We are looking for a Principal Data Architect to help shape the future of how we protect, understand, manage and exploit the value of data across our organisation, combining strategic thinking with deep technical expertise to guide our data transformation. As a senior leader in our data community, you will influence decisions across the business, provide architectural direction on major initiatives and help grow our capability through coaching, collaboration and the sharing of best practice. This is a hybrid role based from our Manchester city centre office, with time split between home and the office once or twice a month. The role offers a salary of 80,000 to 90,000 plus great benefits, including an annual bonus, holiday entitlement, pension, private healthcare, subsidised onsite gym access, colleague discounts, early pay access, virtual healthcare, 24/7 support, training and support for development, and a cycle-to-work scheme. We are owned by our members and are committed to building diverse, inclusive teams where colleagues can feel they belong.

last updated 36 week of 2026