Data Architecture and Governance Lead

About the Role

We are collaborating with a prominent UAE-based financial institution that is establishing a cutting-edge, AI-driven digital financial services platform from scratch. This position offers a rare chance to be involved at an early development phase and influence the core technology, data architecture, and governance frameworks of a well-supported organization with ambitious long-term goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and sustain enterprise-wide data architecture standards, reference frameworks, and strategic data platform initiatives.
• Manage the institution's data catalogue, oversee metadata governance, and maintain source-to-report data lineage functionality.
• Lead design assessments and governance of data models, schemas, and architecture decisions in coordination with technology teams.
• Define and enforce data quality standards, create scorecards, and drive remediation actions for critical data components.
• Implement comprehensive data governance controls, including data classification, access control, data retention policies, masking, and consent management.
• Support compliance with regulatory bodies, audit demands, and governance mandates through robust lineage, quality assurance, and data management processes.

Required Experience and Skills

• Minimum of eight years in data architecture and governance roles, including leadership responsibilities.
• Proven experience in designing cloud-based data platform architectures such as lakehouses or enterprise data platforms on Azure, AWS, Databricks, or similar environments.
• Proficient with data catalogue, lineage, and quality management tools like Purview, Collibra, Unity Catalog, or equivalents.
• Well-versed in enterprise data management principles, metadata management techniques, and institutional governance methodologies.
• Background in banking, financial services, or regulated sectors with practical exposure to corresponding compliance landscapes.
• Familiarity with banking data domains and regulatory requirements, including Central Bank of UAE submissions and IFRS 9 reporting standards.