Systems Data Architect

Convergence Group; Metropolitan Borough of Solihull; Hybrid; GBP 72,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical

Enhanced pension

Family-friendly leave and pay

Dog-friendly office

33 days holiday

Job summary

Convergence Group is seeking a Systems Data Architect to own how data and systems collaborate across the business. You will reverse-engineer existing and legacy systems, establish the true current state, and design practical future-state data architecture, data flows and integrations that Development can implement.

This role sits at the intersection of Process and Development, translating business change into clear data, system and integration requirements while keeping diagrams and decisions up

Qualifications

• 5+ years in Data or Systems Architecture or closely related role.
• Hands-on experience reverse-engineering legacy systems and reading code to understand data flow.
• Proven ability to map end-to-end data flows and identify dependencies and rules.
• Experience designing future-state data architecture, models and integrations.
• Track record of producing technical designs implemented by development teams.

Responsibilities

• Understand how our systems really work - reverse-engineer legacy systems and establish true state.
• Trace data end-to-end - map creation, transformation, storage and usage across apps.
• Design future-state data architecture and data models to support business outcomes.
• Define data structures, interfaces and integration approaches for systems interaction.
• Translate architecture into technical designs developers can implement.
• Work between Process and Development translating business change into data requirements.
• Own design decisions and challenge approaches that add risk or duplication.
• Support delivery through implementation and validate against design.
• Keep current-state and future-state diagrams and dependencies up to date.

Skills

Data Architecture

Systems Architecture

Reverse-engineering

SQL

Data modeling

Communication

Job description

At Convergence Group, we’ve spent over 20 years quietly powering some of the UK’s most complex networks - and now we’re growing fast. We’re looking for a Systems Data Architect to take ownership of how data and systems should work together across the business. You’ll reverse-engineer existing and legacy systems, establish the true current state, and design practical future-state data architecture, data flows and integrations that Development can implement.

What It’s Really Like Here

The pace and intensity are higher than most environments in our sector. The workload is typically around 30% greater than many people will have experienced elsewhere - not because we are chaotic, but because we are ambitious and constantly building. We grow organically and through acquisition, continuously integrating, improving and raising the bar. The landscape evolves, priorities shift, and expectations rise. If you prefer a predictable, static environment, this probably won’t feel comfortable. If you are energised by growth, movement and high standards, it can be deeply rewarding.

Your strengths will have a bigger platform here – and you will be stretched behaviourally more than in most environments. We value respectful honesty: anyone can challenge an idea; hierarchy doesn’t protect thinking and getting it right matters more than being right. Ego doesn’t perform well here; curiosity, learning and ownership do. We hire people who are already strong at their craft – the stretch at Convergence Group is navigating pace, complexity and constant evolution. This environment isn’t for everyone, but for the right person it offers an exceptional opportunity for impact, growth and accelerated development.

What you’ll be doing as our Systems Data Architect

• Understand how our systems really work - reverse-engineer existing and legacy systems using SQL, databases, stored procedures, APIs, interfaces, integrations and application code. You’ll establish how the system actually behaves - including how data is created, validated, transformed, stored and moved - where documentation is incomplete, outdated or wrong. You’ll need to be comfortable reading and interpreting application code sufficiently to uncover data processing, business rules and system behaviour that may not be documented elsewhere.
• Trace data from end to end - Map where data is created, transformed, stored, transferred and used. You’ll identify embedded business rules, systems of record, ownership, dependencies and duplication and the relationships between applications and data.
• Design the future state - Create practical future-state systems data architecture, data flows and conceptual and logical data models that support the required business outcomes.
• Define how systems should interact - Set out data structures, relationships, interfaces and integration approaches, making it clear how systems should create, consume, transform and exchange data , and what changes are required across the affected applications.
• Give Development clear direction - Translate the agreed architecture into technical and data designs developers can implement. You’ll provide the design detail needed to build the solution, explain architectural decisions, resolve technical ambiguity, answer development questions and review proposed implementations against the intended design.
• Work between Process and Development - Work directly between Process and Development, translating process and business change into clear data, system and integration requirements. You’ll resolve ambiguity, identify technical implications and explain constraints and options to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Own design decisions within your remit - Propose solutions when the outcome is clear but the technical approach is not. You’ll challenge choices that create avoidable risk, complexity or duplication.
• Support delivery through implementation - Stay close to integration design, testing and implementation, using evidence from development and testing to validate the architecture and adapt the design pragmatically where necessary.
• Keep the design clear and current - Maintain current-state and future-state diagrams, models, key decisions and dependencies so teams have an accurate and usable view of the solution.

What We’re Looking For

• 5+ years of professional experience in Data Architecture, Systems Architecture or a closely related architecture role
• Proven, hands-on experience reverse-engineering existing or legacy systems - this is essential. You must be able to investigate databases, application code, stored procedures, interfaces and integrations to establish how systems and data actually behave
• Hands-on ability to investigate systems through SQL, relational databases, stored procedures, interfaces, integrations and application code , including the ability to read and interpret code to understand data processing and business logic
• Experience tracing end-to-end data flows and identifying embedded business rules, dependencies and systems of record
• Experience designing future-state systems data architecture, conceptual and logical data models, integrations and interfaces
• A track record of producing technical designs that Development teams have implemented
• Confidence owning design decisions and proposing solutions without relying on a separate Solution or Technical Architect
• The ability to work closely with Process teams, developers and non-technical stakeholders
• Practical judgement, curiosity and clear communication in a fast-moving environment with incomplete information

What You’ll Get

• Salary: £72k - £85k aligned to experience and impact
• Time off: 33 days holiday including bank holidays
• Benefits: Private medical, enhanced pension, enhanced family-friendly leave and pay, income protection & life assurance
• Flexibility: Hybrid working with a minimum of 3 days a week in our Solihull office
• Perks: Dog-friendly office - yes, really

Who are Convergence Group?

At Convergence Group, we break free from corporate red tape as a privately-owned company, driving bold innovation without the constraints of private equity or external bankers. Experts in WAN, LAN, WiFi and Security solutions, we stand out by revolutionising infrastructure management - making it seamless so our customers can focus on what matters most.

Where A-Players Come to Make a Difference

This is not a BI, reporting or high-level governance role. You’ll be embedded between Process and Development, combining detailed technical investigation with practical future-state design.

If you’re energised by getting under the skin of complex systems, discovering how they really work, simplifying how data and systems interact, and turning that understanding into designs developers can build, this is an opportunity to have real impact.