Data Engineering Lead, Big Data and AbInitio- Vice President

Citibank (Switzerland) AG; Pune District; On-site; Confidential; Full time

Job summary

Citi is seeking a senior Lead Data Engineer in India to define and execute a strategic data engineering vision. You will lead a world-class team, architect large-scale data ecosystems, and champion innovation with AI and Big Data technologies.

You will own data lifecycles from ingestion to access, and collaborate with Analytics, Product, and Technology leadership to deliver business value and ROI.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a related field.
• Over a decade of data engineering/leadership experience, with banking exposure preferred.
• Deep knowledge of data warehousing, ETL/ELT, and data architecture, with Abinitio expertise.
• Strong command of Big Data, PySpark, and cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Experience with data migration, mapping, reconciliation, and parallel run analysis.
• Proven ability to connect data initiatives to business value and ROI.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute a long-term data engineering strategy aligned with business goals.
• Lead and scale a high-performing data engineering organization; manage budget, hiring, and development.
• Oversee design/implementation of robust data pipelines and governance standards.
• Evaluate and adopt cutting-edge data technologies and AI/ML capabilities.
• Provide architectural oversight for ETL/ELT and data platform modernization.
• Ensure reliability, performance, and security of data systems; manage critical workflows (Autosys, etc.).
• Collaborate with executives and business leaders to translate needs into technical roadmaps.
• Promote Agile practices to deliver high-impact data projects on time.

Skills

Data architecture

ETL/ELT design

Big Data technologies

Leadership & mentoring

Strategic thinking

Agile methodologies

Executive stakeholder management

Cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP)

PySpark

Abinitio

Oracle databases

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Abinitio

PySpark

Oracle

Autosys

Control Centre

Hadoop ecosystem

Job description

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

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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Citi is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you are a person with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to use our search tools and/or apply for a career opportunity review Accessibility at Citi. View Citi’s EEO Policy Statement and the Know Your Rights poster.