Lead Data Architect - NESO

National Energy System Operator (NESO) is on a journey towards a sustainable and secure energy future. Together we build on this momentum, advancing the Electricity System Operator’s (ESO) plan for zero carbon operability of the electricity system by 2025.

NESO is undergoing a Digital Transformation, where Data Architecture and Governance are key to our strategy. We are seeking a Lead Data Architect for our Strategy & Architecture function. The role requires extensive expertise in data architecture, with skills in data integration, modelling, governance, security, data quality, scalability, metadata management, and master data management.

You will develop and maintain a robust data strategy aligned with program goals, ensuring scalability and adaptability. This includes creating comprehensive data architecture blueprints and designs, enterprise data models, and data integration and governance designs. You will design scalable data architecture solutions, address gaps in existing models, and define and ensure compliance with data standards. Collaboration with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless data integration, metadata management, and quality management is key to success. You will provide technical leadership to a team of data architects, oversee data projects, and stay updated on emerging technologies to recommend innovations.

This role can be based from Wokingham or Warwick, and we continue to offer hybrid working from office and home.

Key Accountabilities

• Develop comprehensive data architecture blueprints and designs that support data management, integration, and governance across NESO.
• Define and document as-is and to be data architecture - data landscape and data flows, conceptual and logical data models. Analyse and address gaps in existing data models, proposing new entities and modelling requirements.
• Design Data Models, define and drive adoption of common enterprise data models and ensure standardization across systems. Establish and enforce data modelling standards, ensuring consistency and compliance across all data models, and oversee adherence to these standards throughout NESO.
• Implement and enforce the Common Information Model (CIM) to ensure all data conforms to industry standards and is interoperable across different systems.
• Lead and mentor a team of data architects, ensuring their deliverables meet the program’s objectives and address data standards and principles from both functional and technical requirements perspectives.
• Lead scope definition, resource allocation, cost estimation, and planning for internal teams and external partners.
• Provide technical and strategic recommendations to Data Architects, Business SMEs, and other stakeholders throughout the solution/data architecture and implementation lifecycle, recommending effective solutions.
• Design data governance frameworks and metadata management frameworks, data catalogue solutions, define standards for metadata capture, and integrate metadata practices within the overall data architecture.
• Architect and design advanced data integration solutions utilizing RESTful APIs, message queues, ETL/ELT pipelines, and event-driven frameworks to support real-time and batch data flows across hybrid environments. Ensure integration solutions are optimized for scalability, fault tolerance, and security, leveraging best practices such as microservices architecture, asynchronous processing, and API gateway management.
• Chair the data architecture design governance forum and drive the resolution of design issues.
• Collaborate with the Data Management team, technical architects, and DD&T leads to evaluate, select, and recommend data architecture tools and technologies (e.g., databases, ETL tools, metadata management, data quality and governance tools) to optimize the NESO’s data landscape.
• Ensure security compliance by engaging with security teams and obtain necessary approvals.
• Support programs by identifying gaps in data architecture and proposing remediation strategies.
• Provide technical oversight for vendor or integrator deliverables related to data.

About You

We’re forging the path, and we know we can’t do it alone. That’s why we need visionary minds like yours to join us on this transformative journey. In this case, we’re looking for someone who:

• Is passionate about delivering innovative and scalable data architecture solutions that support modernization and digital transformation within the energy sector.
• Has extensive experience in designing and implementing enterprise data architectures, with a deep understanding of data modelling, integration, governance and data lakes.
• Has solid experience using technologies such as Kafka, RESTful APIs, ETL/ELT pipelines, event-driven architectures, and tools for managing data lineage, metadata, and master data management (MDM) solutions, and AI/ML integration.
• Has strong knowledge of data security, compliance, and privacy standards to ensure the safe and regulated sharing of data across multiple partners.
• Is a strong communicator with excellent writing skills, able to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and explain complex data concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

About What You'll Get

A competitive salary of £70,000 to £80,000 – dependent on experience and capability.

As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus of up to 15% of your salary for stretch performance, 28 days annual leave as standard, and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.

You will also have access to a comprehensive benefits package tailored to support your well-being and professional success. From a competitive salary to flexible work arrangements, we promote your work-life balance. Enjoy fit for purpose wellbeing and lifestyle offerings, ongoing skill development aligned to our Purpose and Values, and be part of a supportive community that values your individuality and where you can belong.

About Us

Traditionally, Britain’s energy system has been split into two areas – gas and electricity – but to ensure that Britain’s energy system is secure and affordable there needs to be co-ordination across the whole energy system, with one single entity responsible for translating policy into immediate strategy. National Energy System Operator (NESO) will bring unparalleled change.

Forge a path to a sustainable future for everyone.
Your energy, our future, together.

About the National Energy System Operator (NESO)
In Autumn of 2024, the ESO transitioned to National Energy System Operator, or NESO for short. Previously denoted as the Future System Operator (or FSO), the new National Energy System Operator is the independent body responsible for planning Great Britain’s electricity and gas networks and operating the electricity system.

The ESO, including all of its existing roles, are now at the heart of the new National Energy System Operator. As NESO, we will build on our existing roles, capabilities, and ways of working significantly to create an organisation the energy system and its users’ need. Our new capabilities will enable us to look across vectors, including electricity, natural gas and hydrogen, and crucially consider the trade-offs between them.

The organisation is set up as a public corporation with its own Board of independent directors, with complete operational independence from government, the regulator and any and all commercial interest. As was the ESO, NESO will be licenced and regulated by Ofgem through price control agreements and obligated to identify optimal solutions to system operations and planning in the most sustainable, affordable and secure way for all.

The time to deliver is now. As part of our team, you won’t just be touching the lives of almost everyone in Great Britain – you’ll be shaping the way we use and consume energy for generations to come.

More Information

We work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office.

We're committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve, and a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.