Data Architect (8 Month FTC)

We’re on a mission to close the world’s tech skills gap. 

We help organisations navigate the future of technology, combining human expertise, emerging tech and AI to deliver better outcomes, faster.

Since 2014, we’ve worked side-by-side with clients to solve complex challenges, build high-performing teams, and create lasting capability. As technology continues to evolve, we believe the most successful organisations will be those that combine the best of both: human ingenuity AND intelligent technology.

That belief is embedded in everything we do. We call it the genius of the AND: deep expertise AND practical delivery, innovation AND responsibility, ambitious work AND sustainable careers.

Through our Guide, Build and Equip approach, we help organisations embrace change, deliver meaningful impact, and develop the skills they need to thrive in an increasingly agentic world.

About you:

You care deeply about producing high-quality work that delivers real value

You’re comfortable navigating ambiguity and solving complex problems collaboratively

You bring strong expertise in your craft, alongside a willingness to keep learning

You communicate clearly and build trust quickly with clients and teammates

You’re pragmatic, adaptable and outcome-focused

You enjoy sharing knowledge and helping others grow

You value low-ego collaboration and enjoy working as part of multidisciplinary teams

A hands-on Data Architect responsible for defining data strategy, architectural principles, guardrails and target/transition architectures within a complex, cloud-native environment. Combines strategic leadership with deep technical expertise in data modelling, detailed design, distributed systems and engineering problem-solving.

What you’ll bring to the table:

• Data Architecture & Strategy: Define and evolve data strategy, architecture principles, standards and target-state roadmaps, balancing scalability, resilience, security, cost and delivery speed.
• Cloud-Native & Distributed Systems: Deep expertise in microservices, domain-driven design (DDD), bounded contexts, data ownership, event-driven integration, eventual consistency and distributed transactions.
• Event Streaming: Hands-on experience designing and operating Kafka, Kinesis or equivalent platforms, including partitioning, ordering, event contracts, schema evolution, idempotency, replay, delivery guarantees, fault tolerance, security and operational support.
• Data Modelling & Storage: Strong data modelling skills and the ability to select appropriate data stores—including relational, NoSQL, graph, time-series, distributed SQL and lakehouse technologies—based on business and technical requirements.
• End-to-End Data Flows: Architect operational and analytical data pipelines across APIs, streaming, CDC, batch and ETL/ELT, embedding data quality, lineage, metadata, security, testing and observability throughout.
• Technical Leadership & Delivery: Work closely with engineering and product teams in fast-paced agile environments, making pragmatic trade-offs and establishing lightweight guardrails, automation and architecture decision records.
• Risk, Security & Resilience: Design secure, well-governed cloud data architectures that support sensitive data handling, operational resilience, traceable controls and regulatory obligations.
• AI-Assisted Engineering: Practical experimentation with AI-assisted architecture and engineering tools, understanding their benefits and limitations across research, modelling, coding, testing and documentation.

Desirable Experience

UK wealth management, financial services or fintech experience; candidates from other complex, regulated industries will also be considered.

Legacy modernisation experience involving Oracle, Sybase, ISAM storage and SFTP/file-based integration, including migration, coexistence, reconciliation, CDC and progressive decoupling.

Why join AND Digital?

We’re building a culture where talented people can do meaningful work, continue growing, AND enjoy the journey along the way.

Our model is designed to build belonging and connection: we’re organised into regional ‘Clubs’ of no more than 80 people, so you (and our clients) get the benefits of that small company feel while also being connected to a larger whole.

Our Practice Areas act as a ‘second home’ for our ANDis - a place where you can innovate and learn with like-minded experts who care deeply about their craft, support each other generously, and believe the best ideas come from collaboration, not hierarchy.

Our culture is rooted in our values of Wonder, Share and Delight, and shows up through five traits that we celebrate and nurture in all our ANDis: we value curiosity, ambition and a growth-mindset. We are deeply client-centric. Most important of all we are human - we create an inclusive environment where people feel trusted, supported and able to be themselves.

By joining AND, we’ll provide:

• 25 days bookable holiday + flexible Bank Holidays 
• Pension: 6% of salary paid by AND Digital with a further 2% paid by you (can be increased by choice).
• Aviva healthcare cover (including pre-existing condition cover) for you.
• Flexibenefit: £1000 assigned to you via our benefits portal to select or upgrade the benefits that suit you the most. Any unused allowance from the £1000 can be taken as cash. 
• Life Assurance.
• Income Protection.
• Eye test + first pair of glasses.
• Parental Benefits: Generous Enhanced Maternity and Enhanced Partner (Paternity) Leave.

AI Statement
We champion tech that helps people work smarter, but we want to get to know you! If you use AI to assist with your application or interview prep, please ensure all information submitted remains an accurate, truthful representation of your personal achievements and capabilities rather than generating false or misleading information. We may reject applications where AI is used inappropriately at any stage of the recruitment process.

Equal Opportunities Statement

Diversity and inclusion are hugely important to us, and we’re committed to providing equal opportunities for all. We’re actively recruiting for a diverse and inclusive workforce so want to ensure we do everything we can to support your application.

We want you to feel safe and empowered to let us know if you need any adjustments to be made to your application or interview process, so please speak to our recruitment team.