Principal Data Architect - Upington

Placements24; Upington; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Medical aid

Retirement annuities

Professional development

On-site Upington

Career advancement

Job summary

Placements24 in Upington, Northern Cape, seeks a seasoned Principal Data Architect to lead the data strategy and architecture across the organization. You will design data warehouses, data lakes, and governance frameworks to enable advanced analytics and BI, collaborating with cross-functional teams across departments.

You will drive data quality, security, and lifecycle management while mentoring junior staff and promoting data literacy to establish a data-driven culture.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Information Management, or a related field.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in data architecture, data modeling, and data management, with at least 4 years in a principal or lead architect role.
• Proven experience designing and implementing large-scale data architectures (data warehouses, data lakes).
• In-depth knowledge of SQL and NoSQL database technologies.
• Strong expertise in cloud data platforms (e.g., AWS Redshift/S3/Glue, Azure Synapse/Data Factory, GCP BigQuery).
• Familiarity with big data technologies (e.g., Hadoop ecosystem, Spark).
• Experience with data governance tools and methodologies.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills.
• Outstanding communication, leadership, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Understanding of data security, privacy regulations, and compliance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop comprehensive data architectures, including data warehouses, data lakes, and data marts.
• Establish data governance policies, standards, and procedures.
• Define data models and schemas to support business intelligence and analytics requirements.
• Oversee the implementation of ETL/ELT processes and data integration strategies.
• Evaluate and select appropriate data technologies, tools, and platforms (e.g., cloud data services, big data technologies).
• Provide technical leadership and guidance on data-related projects.
• Collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders to understand data needs.
• Ensure data quality, consistency, security, and compliance.
• Develop strategies for data lifecycle management and data archiving.
• Stay abreast of emerging data technologies and industry best practices.
• Mentor junior data professionals and promote data literacy across the organization.
• Champion data architecture principles and best practices within the company.

Skills

Data architecture

Data modeling

Data management

ETL/ELT

Data governance

SQL

NoSQL

Cloud platforms

Leadership

Stakeholder mgmt

Data security

Education

Master's degree

In Computer Science/Data Science/Info Management or related field

Tools

AWS Redshift

Azure Synapse

GCP BigQuery

Hadoop

Spark

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a key player in the renewable energy sector, is seeking a highly experienced and visionary Principal Data Architect to establish and lead their data strategy in Upington, Northern Cape. This critical role will be responsible for designing and implementing robust data architectures, data governance frameworks, and data management solutions that support advanced analytics, business intelligence, and operational decision-making. As an on-site position at our Upington facility, you will work closely with various departments to understand data needs and translate them into effective architectural designs. We are looking for a strategic leader with deep expertise in data modeling, data warehousing, big data technologies, and cloud data platforms. Your leadership will be instrumental in building a data-driven culture and unlocking the value of our data assets to drive innovation and efficiency in the renewable energy landscape. This is a unique opportunity to shape data infrastructure in a growing regional economy.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop comprehensive data architectures, including data warehouses, data lakes, and data marts.
• Establish data governance policies, standards, and procedures.
• Define data models and schemas to support business intelligence and analytics requirements.
• Oversee the implementation of ETL/ELT processes and data integration strategies.
• Evaluate and select appropriate data technologies, tools, and platforms (e.g., cloud data services, big data technologies).
• Provide technical leadership and guidance on data-related projects.
• Collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders to understand data needs.
• Ensure data quality, consistency, security, and compliance.
• Develop strategies for data lifecycle management and data archiving.
• Stay abreast of emerging data technologies and industry best practices.
• Mentor junior data professionals and promote data literacy across the organization.
• Champion data architecture principles and best practices within the company.

Requirements

• A Master's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Information Management, or a related quantitative field.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in data architecture, data modeling, and data management, with at least 4 years in a principal or lead architect role.
• Proven experience designing and implementing large-scale data architectures (data warehouses, data lakes).
• In-depth knowledge of SQL and NoSQL database technologies.
• Strong expertise in cloud data platforms (e.g., AWS Redshift/S3/Glue, Azure Synapse/Data Factory, GCP BigQuery).
• Familiarity with big data technologies (e.g., Hadoop ecosystem, Spark).
• Experience with data governance tools and methodologies.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills.
• Outstanding communication, leadership, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Understanding of data security, privacy regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Experience in the energy sector or with industrial IoT data is highly desirable.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical aid and retirement annuities
• Significant opportunities for professional development
• Supportive work environment and pathways for career advancement
• On-site work in Upington ensures strong team collaboration and direct impact on strategic projects
• Key role in driving data-driven decision-making within a crucial industry
• Unique opportunity to shape the data future of a significant organization in the Northern Cape