Lead Data Architect

James Search Group; Atlanta (GA); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

James Search Group represents a leading global property & casualty insurer seeking a Senior Director of Data Architecture to shape and operate the enterprise data ecosystem across policy, claims, underwriting, and finance. Hybrid – Atlanta, GA or New York, NY.

This leadership role focuses on scalable, cloud-based architectures, standards, and governance to enable growth, regulatory compliance, and high-quality data across global operations.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in data architecture, data modeling, and enterprise data management.
• 5+ years in leadership roles, building and scaling data architecture teams.
• Deep experience within P&C insurance, including core data domains (policy, claims, underwriting, finance).
• Proven track record delivering large-scale data transformation and modernization initiatives.
• Expertise with modern data platforms and tools (Databricks, Snowflake, Spark, AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Strong experience with data modeling (conceptual, logical, physical), governance, lineage, and metadata management.
• Experience designing cloud-native, distributed, and real-time data architectures.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the enterprise data architecture vision aligned to business and data strategy.
• Establish scalable, secure architectures for data platforms, integration, and analytics.
• Develop and enforce standards, frameworks, and best practices for data modeling, governance, and architecture.
• Provide architectural oversight across major data initiatives, including platform modernization and digital transformation.
• Translate business and technical requirements into scalable data solutions.
• Guide engineering and delivery teams through the full lifecycle of data architecture and implementation.
• Develop current and future-state architecture roadmaps across key insurance data domains.
• Lead the design and standardization of data models across policy, claims, underwriting, and financial systems.
• Integrate core insurance platforms with enterprise data environments and third-party data sources.
• Support actuarial, underwriting, finance, and product teams with robust, scalable data solutions.
• Drive adoption of modern data technologies including cloud-native platforms, lakehouse architectures, and real-time data processing.
• Enable advanced analytics and machine learning through optimized data infrastructure.
• Embed data governance, lineage, quality, and security practices across all solutions.

Skills

Leadership

Data architecture

Stakeholder management

Cloud-native architectures

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or Data Engineering

Tools

Databricks

Snowflake

Spark

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

Location: Hybrid – Atlanta, GA or New York, NY

Overview

A leading global property & casualty insurance organization is seeking a Senior Director, Data Architecture to lead the design and evolution of its enterprise data ecosystem. Reporting into senior data leadership, this role will define and execute a forward-looking data architecture strategy that enables scalable growth, advanced analytics, and regulatory compliance across a complex, global insurance environment.

This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for building modern, cloud-based data architectures, establishing best practices, and ensuring consistent, high-quality data across core insurance domains including policy, claims, underwriting, and finance.

Key Responsibilities

Data Architecture Strategy & Governance

• Define and execute the enterprise data architecture vision aligned to business and data strategy
• Establish scalable, secure, and resilient architectures for data platforms, integration, and analytics
• Develop and enforce standards, frameworks, and best practices for data modeling, governance, and architecture
• Provide architectural oversight across major data initiatives, including platform modernization and digital transformation
• Translate business and technical requirements into scalable data solutions
• Guide engineering and delivery teams through the full lifecycle of data architecture and implementation
• Develop current and future-state architecture roadmaps across key insurance data domains

Insurance Data Domain Expertise

• Lead the design and standardization of data models across policy, claims, underwriting, and financial systems
• Integrate core insurance platforms with enterprise data environments and third-party data sources
• Support actuarial, underwriting, finance, and product teams with robust, scalable data solutions
• Drive adoption of modern data technologies including cloud-native platforms, lakehouse architectures, and real-time data processing
• Enable advanced analytics and machine learning through optimized data infrastructure
• Embed data governance, lineage, quality, and security practices across all solutions

Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and lead a high-performing data architecture function, including architects, modelers, and technical leads
• Partner closely with engineering, analytics, product, and business stakeholders to deliver impactful data solutions
• Act as a senior advisor, promoting adoption of modern data practices and driving organizational change

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or related field
• 12+ years of experience in data architecture, data modeling, and enterprise data management
• 5+ years in leadership roles, building and scaling data architecture teams
• Deep experience within P&C insurance, including core data domains (policy, claims, underwriting, finance)
• Proven track record delivering large-scale data transformation and modernization initiatives
• Expertise with modern data platforms and tools (e.g., Databricks, Snowflake, Spark, AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Strong experience with data modeling (conceptual, logical, physical), governance, lineage, and metadata management
• Experience designing cloud-native, distributed, and real-time data architectures

Preferred

• Familiarity with insurance platforms such as Guidewire, Duck Creek, or Majesco
• Experience with medallion/lakehouse architecture and advanced analytics environments
• Cloud or data architecture certifications (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Background working in global or highly regulated environments

Our client is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all qualified individuals.