Lead Data Engineer

Job Title: Data Team Lead / Lead Data Engineer Location: Leeds/Hybrid (2/3 times per week onsite) Reporting to: Chief Technology Officer Daily rate: £700-750 per day Type: Contract - 6 months initially Environment: Microsoft Azure / Lakehouse Ecosystem WRK digital is proud to partner exclusively with a well-known, high-profile organisation on a transformative data journey. This organisation are at the beginning of a significant transformation programme and are building their data capability from the ground up. This is a brand-new, foundational leadership role with the opportunity to define how data is governed, managed and leveraged across a growing, multi-division organisation. The Opportunity This is a rare greenfield leadership opportunity within a growing professional services organisation operating at significant scale. The business supports: • ~3,000 organisations • ~5,000 end clients • Large volumes of sensitive, regulated data • Growth via both organic expansion and acquisition The current data landscape is fragmented across legacy systems. Migration activity is already underway, including modernisation from legacy platforms to SQL and lift-and-shift initiatives from on-premise infrastructure into Azure. The objective is clear: Create a single source of truth and position data as a core commercial driver of the business. This role sits at the centre of that transformation. Strategic Mandate Data is not viewed as a reporting function - it is central to: • Driving measurable business performance • Unlocking cross-sell opportunities across service lines • Supporting integration of acquired businesses • Enabling service expansion • Increasing enterprise value as part of a long-term exit strategy You will be responsible for building the scalable data foundation that underpins this ambition. The Role Reporting directly to the CTO and working closely with Heads of Department and Partners, you will lead the design and implementation of a Microsoft-based Lakehouse architecture within Azure. You will operate in a high-ownership environment with a small, focused team and strong executive visibility. This is both a strategic and hands-on role. Architecture & Platform • Design and implement a greenfield Lakehouse architecture in Azure • Consolidate fragmented datasets into a unified data stack • Lead migration from legacy platforms into SQL • Support on-premise to Azure migration initiatives • Build ingestion pipelines into the Lakehouse environment • Establish robust data modelling and engineering standards • Lay foundations for scalable integration of acquired entities Success at this stage = a stable, scalable platform forming the single source of truth. Business Enablement & Commercial Impact Beyond architecture, you will: • Challenge stakeholders on how data is currently used • Identify commercial opportunity through modelling and analytics • Deliver rapid wins by injecting data into high-impact areas • Define and embed measurable KPIs to run the business • Enable cross-sell insight across specialisms • Provide clear, structured reporting to leadership and Partners The expectation is visible, measurable commercial value, not theoretical transformation. Automation & Operational Efficiency This role is automation-led rather than AI-led. You will: • Build dashboards and structured reporting frameworks • Embed workflow automation • Create data-led operational oversight • Ensure performance metrics are measurable across all key functions Everything should be measurable. Everything should drive value. Leadership Profile We are seeking a high-drive, ambitious technical leader who wants ownership and stretch. You will: • Be a self-starting builder with strong delivery bias • Be comfortable engaging senior stakeholders and influencing Partners • Have the confidence to challenge legacy thinking • Thrive in a high-accountability, high-visibility role • Balance strategic thinking with hands-on engineering This is not a passive governance role. It requires energy, persuasion, and execution. The Environment • Microsoft Azure ecosystem • Lakehouse architecture (greenfield build) • Ongoing legacy migration • MSP support on broader technology stack definition • Strong mentorship and oversight from CTO and senior leadership What Success Looks Like • Unified Lakehouse platform operating in Azure • Migration milestones delivered on time • Standardised reporting across the business • Cross-sell opportunities identified and monetised • Operational metrics embedded across functions • Workflow automation implemented • Clear commercial value demonstrably added Why This Role Is Different • True greenfield ownership • Direct executive visibility • Small team, high influence • Business-critical mandate • Tangible impact on company valuation This is an opportunity to build something that materially changes how a complex, growing professional services organisation operates