We’re First Central Insurance & Technology Group (First Central for short), an innovative, market-leading insurance company. We protect the things customers love so they can get on with what matters to them in life.
Data drives us. It fuels our outstanding distribution, finance, technology and legal services. Our underwriting skills are built on data expertise; it creates the insights we need to give the right cover to the right customers at the right price. But, it’s the people inside and outside our business that power us. They make us stand out, help us succeed. We’re ambitious. We’re growing. We’ve won awards.
Fancy a new career in a fast-paced and dynamic workplace? If so, this could be your lucky day! We’re looking for a Data Architect to join our technology and data teams.
We’re a fast-growing Digital Insurance and Technology company currently going through an exciting phase of growth, looking at new technologies, transition of data services and an exciting transformation project. We’re searching for a Data Architect to join us who’ll take responsibility for ensuring the effective design and use of the Enterprise Data Platform. As an expert in your field, you’ll bring extensive experience in the development and delivery of enterprise class data solutions, coupled with a fervent drive for innovation. Your role will be crucial in defining and articulating designs to the architecture and development teams and communicating and evangelising the technical solution back to the underlying business stakeholders.
Could you fit the bill? We're big on working flexibly - you'll spend most of your time working from home, with occasional visits to the office. But of course, it’s your choice - if you prefer to be in the office more - that's good with us too. We've offices located in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, Salford Quays, Manchester, and Guernsey it’s your choice – if you live further afield, we’ll accept applications for remote workers!
Core skills you’ll need to succeed in the role:
- Project Delivery: Demonstrable record of delivering high-quality solutions that align with the business goals.
- Problem Solving: Advanced analytical acumen and adeptness in resolving complex challenges.
- Big Data and Cloud architecture: Extensive knowledge and practical experience in big data and cloud architecture, to ensure a scalable and resilient infrastructure.
- Stakeholder Management: Effective communication and management skills to align with the stakeholders’ expectations and manage their expectations.
- Technical Proficiency: High proficiency with Microsoft Azure cloud stack, Visual Studio, SQL Server, or similar technologies.
- Leadership: Strong work ethic, ownership mentality, and leadership capabilities to guide and ensure project success.
Love data? It’s a match!
Intrigued? Read on to find out what you’ll be doing and apply!
What’s involved:
- Developing technical capabilities to progress and enhance the Group’s Enterprise Data technology, providing architecture and design services to multiple projects.
- Managing an Enterprise view of data consumption and production.
- Providing data expertise into projects executed by the Technical Delivery Function.
- Supporting a team of Developers in delivering technical solutions through the common approach to data and a common data model, engaging with key stakeholders such as developers, engineers, information security and data security.
- Supporting relationships with the other areas of the business to ensure that the use of data is consistent across the business.
- Working with the wider Architecture team to ensure Solutions support the architectural direction of the group’s technology plan.
- Working to the agreed prioritisation of requirements for the development of the Enterprise Platform and to the agreed delivery dates against these requirements, by understanding the business priorities, the technical capability, and the strategies of both the business and technology.
- Designing and producing any necessary supporting documentation to enable the business to effectively utilise its data.
- Drafting design and architectural documentation and identify and feedback any potential improvements to the organisation’s data architecture (including infrastructure and database design) and the technical architecture that supports it.
- Ensuring compliance with company and other relevant standards/regulations at all times.
Skills, knowledge & experience:
- Good experience of enterprise data architecture in organisations utilising Microsoft Technologies - experience in Telematics or IoT is an advantage.
- Membership of Data and Architectural Governance Forums.
- Experience of analysis and architectural modelling and documentation techniques, including Entity Relationship Diagrams and design specifications, and the ownership of those solutions through to delivery.
- Experience of PaaS Cloud Data Services and understanding of Data Management techniques, as well as extensive knowledge and experience of Microsoft Reporting and Data management environments.
- Sound experience of the full SDLC, ideally with an Agile approach and TOGAF Certification is desirable.
- Strong stakeholder skills capable of influencing clients and selling the capability of the team in client-vendor relationship, and excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Good time management and organisation skills, as well as strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Knowledge of data technology platform design and components including data ingestion and integration, ETL, data lake technologies, Enterprise Data Warehouse, reporting and analytics, and experience in Data security.
- Backup and restore strategies for business continuity and knowledge of .net development including popular frameworks.
- Understanding of the retail insurance business and regulation and legislation applying to insurance and financial services companies.
If you’d like to work for an award-winning employer in a fast-paced environment, apply now!
What can we do for you?
People first. Always. We’re passionate about our colleagues and know the best people deserve an extraordinary working environment. We owe it to them so that’s what we offer. Our workplaces are energetic, inspirational, supportive. To get a taste of the advantages you’ll enjoy, take a look at all our perks in full here.
Intrigued? Our Talent team can tell you everything you need to know about what we want and what we’re offering, so feel free to get in touch.
