Senior Solutions Architect (Gcp)

Hedgehog Lab; Manchester; On-site; GBP 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Hedgehog Lab in Manchester, England, United Kingdom, is seeking a Senior Solutions Architect (GCP) to lead a high‑volume online marketplace data transformation. You’ll own data architecture, optimize BigQuery models, and drive cost efficiency across the GCP estate from day one.

Working with Looker‑based reporting and a move toward self‑service analytics, you’ll define the data strategy, shape how data teams sit under technical leadership, and guide a multi‑year transformation with strategic

Qualifications

• Deep, hands-on mastery of the GCP data tooling ecosystem: BigQuery, DBT and pipeline tooling.
• Proven track record designing, restructuring and optimising complex GCP data models.
• Experience building and scaling toward self-service reporting and analytics.
• Ability to establish a comprehensive data strategy from scratch.

Responsibilities

• Own the data architecture for a high-volume marketplace and lead a multi-year tech transformation.
• Optimise BigQuery models and implement cost-management structures across the GCP estate.
• Define direction and implement immediate optimisation, with zero upskilling required for the team.
• Advise on re-structuring data teams under technical leadership and integrate data science support.

Skills

BigQuery

DBT

Data Stream

GCP data tools

Self-service analytics

Data strategy

Tools

Looker

Job description

Senior Solutions Architect (GCP) hedgehog lab • Manchester, England, United Kingdom

Senior Solutions Architect (GCP)

Contract, outside IR35. Starting as soon as possible.

The engagement

You’ll own the data architecture for a high-volume online marketplace, leading a major, multi-year technology transformation.

The current stack runs entirely on Google Cloud Platform: BigQuery for storage and consumption, DBT for transformations, and Data Stream. Reporting is on Looker today, and moving the business toward a self-service reporting model is a core goal.

There is deep architecture work in front of you. The business doesn’t yet have a defined data strategy, and BigQuery consumption costs are climbing rapidly. Optimising data models and building in aggressive cost-management structures is a live, day‑one priority, not a future consideration. You will have full ownership to step in, define direction, and implement immediate optimisation across our GCP estate.

You’ll also shape structural change. The data team currently sits under Finance and is fragmented; part of your remit will be advising on how we bring it under technical leadership. Additionally, data scientists are being introduced on the seller side to support seller attraction and analytics. A larger data transformation is expected further down the line.

The platform

This is a genuinely large-scale marketplace. Very few platforms handle a product catalogue or transaction volume at this level.

The roadmap includes agentic AI workflows built into the platform, retail media integrated directly into the marketplace, and infrastructure work targeting cost and performance at high volume.

A lot of this is being attempted at volumes that have rarely been tested in a marketplace before, so the work leans research‑led rather than routine.

Who this suits

This is a fast‑paced scale‑up environment on a complex platform. To ensure immediate velocity, we need an expert who requires zero upskilling. You'll do well here if you think strategically rather than transactionally, possess deep domain mastery, and are completely comfortable defining direction where none exists yet.

Location and working arrangements

While there's no set number of days you're required on site, there will be times when the client needs the team together in person for important meetings, workshops and key moments. When that's the case, we'd expect you to attend.

To make that work, you’ll need to be based within 50 miles of one of our offices in Edinburgh, Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester or London.

What we need

The essentials:

• Deep, hands‑on mastery of the GCP data tooling ecosystem: BigQuery, DBT, and pipeline tooling such as Data Stream
• A proven track record of designing, restructuring, and optimising complex GCP data models specifically with daily consumption costs in mind
• Experience building and scaling toward self‑service reporting and analytics
• The ability to establish a comprehensive data strategy from scratch, rather than just executing an existing blueprint

Nice to have:

• Experience moving reporting off Looker or running a BI tooling transition
• Exposure to embedding data science within product or commercial teams
• Experience planning a larger data transformation programme