Data Engineering Lead, Big Data and AbInitio- Vice President

Citi; Pune District; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 5,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Citi is seeking a veteran Lead Data Engineer to steer the data engineering function, define the architectural vision, and guide strategic modernization across data platforms.

You will lead a team of engineers, drive large-scale data initiatives, and ensure scalable, secure data ecosystems that deliver business value and AI-driven insights.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field.
• 12+ years in data engineering/technology with progression.
• 8+ years in Banking/Financial Services experience.
• Deep knowledge of data warehousing, ETL/ELT, and data architecture.
• Proficiency with PySpark, Hadoop and cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Experience with Abinitio, Oracle databases, and workflow schedulers.
• Strong Agile leadership and business value focus.

Responsibilities

• Define long-term data engineering strategy aligned with business goals.
• Lead, mentor, and scale a high-performing data engineering org.
• Oversee data pipelines, ETL/ELT processes and data governance.
• Champion modern data tech and AI/ML integration.
• Ensure reliability, performance, and security of data platforms.
• Collaborate with executives to translate business needs into tech strategy.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Executive collaboration

Agile governance

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Abinitio

PySpark

Oracle

Autosys

Control Centre

AWS

Azure

GCP

Hadoop

Job description

Applications Development Technology Lead Analyst

The Applications Development Technology Lead Analyst is a senior level position responsible for establishing and implementing new or revised application systems and programs in coordination with the Technology team.

We are seeking a highly experienced and visionary Lead Data Engineer to join our dynamic team. This role requires a seasoned leader with deep technical roots in data engineering and a proven ability to drive business value through data. The ideal candidate will have an extensive background in building and leading high-performing engineering teams, setting technical strategy, and architecting large-scale data ecosystems.

As a Lead Data Engineer, you will be responsible for the entire data lifecycle, from ingestion and processing to storage and access. You will own the architectural vision for our data platforms, ensuring they are scalable, reliable, and secure. A key part of your role will be to champion innovation, particularly through the strategic application of AI and Big Data technologies, to transform our data capabilities and provide a competitive advantage.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Vision: Define and execute the long-term vision and strategy for the data engineering organization, ensuring alignment with the company's overall business objectives. Drive the roadmap for our data platforms and infrastructure.
• Executive Management & Team Development: Lead, mentor, and scale a world-class data engineering organization. Oversee departmental budgeting, resource planning, hiring, and professional development to build a culture of excellence and innovation.
• Architectural Oversight & Governance: Provide executive oversight for the design and implementation of robust, scalable data pipelines and ETL/ELT processes. Establish and enforce enterprise-wide data governance, quality, and security standards.
• Technology Innovation & Modernization: Drive the evaluation, adoption, and integration of cutting-edge technologies, including Big Data, PySpark, AI/ML, and cloud-native solutions, to modernize our data stack. Foster a culture of continuous improvement and forward-thinking.
• Technical Stewardship: Leverage deep expertise in foundational data technologies (including Abinitio, PySpark, Oracle, and ETL frameworks) to guide architectural decisions and solve complex technical challenges.
• Operational Excellence: Ensure the reliability, performance, and efficiency of all data engineering systems. Oversee the management of critical data workflows and scheduling systems (e.g., Autosys, Control Centre).
• Senior Stakeholder Collaboration: Act as a key partner to the executive team and other business leaders (Analytics, Product, Technology). Translate business needs into a clear technical strategy and communicate the value and impact of data engineering initiatives.
• Agile & Execution-Focused Leadership: Champion Agile practices at a strategic level to ensure the timely and effective delivery of high-impact data projects and products.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's/University degree or equivalent experience.
• 12+ years of experience in the data engineering and technology space, with a clear progression of responsibility.
• 8+ years of experience in Banking or Financial Services experience.
• Deep, foundational knowledge of data warehousing, ETL/ELT processes, and data architecture principles, with significant experience in Abinitio.
• Strong understanding of modern data ecosystems, including Big Data technologies (e.g., PySpark, Hadoop ecosystem) and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Should have basic knowledge on Bigdata Cluster and operations.
• Support system migration programs - including legacy-to-cloud transitions - by conducting data mapping, reconciliation, and parallel run analysis.
• Expertise with Oracle databases and workflow scheduling systems (Autosys, Control Centre).
• Demonstrated experience in driving projects and teams using Agile methodologies.
• Exceptional business acumen with the ability to connect data initiatives to business value, ROI, and strategic growth.
• Data Integration, Migration & Large Scale ETL experience (Common ETL platforms such as PySpark/AbInitio).
• ETL design & build, handling, reconciliation and normalization.
• Experienced in working on medium to large enterprise projects, preferably in financial services.
• Willingness to experiment and learn new approaches and technology applications.
• Outstanding communication, presentation, and influencing skills, capable of engaging with executives and technical teams alike.

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Job Family Group

Technology

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Job Family

Applications Development

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Time Type

Full time

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Most Relevant Skills

Please see the requirements listed above.

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Other Relevant Skills

For complementary skills, please see above and/or contact the recruiter.

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