Data Migration Architect

Location: Centurion, Gauteng (provisional – to be confirmed)
Positions Available: 5
Salary: Market-related
Employment Type: To be confirmed

Job Overview

We are seeking experienced and technically proficient Data Migration Architects to design, plan and oversee complex enterprise data migration and modernisation initiatives.

The successful candidates will be responsible for defining data migration architectures, developing migration strategies, designing data transformation and integration solutions, and ensuring the accurate, secure and reliable movement of data between legacy systems, enterprise applications, databases and modern cloud platforms.

This role requires strong hands-on expertise in enterprise data migration architecture, data mapping, ETL/ELT processes, SQL, database technologies, data quality, reconciliation, migration testing and cutover planning.

The ideal candidates will have successfully designed and delivered large-scale data migration programmes involving complex source and target systems, substantial data volumes, multiple business stakeholders and strict operational requirements.

Candidates must demonstrate the ability to assess existing data environments, develop migration roadmaps, define transformation rules, resolve data quality challenges and design migration solutions that minimise business disruption.

The role requires close collaboration with enterprise architects, data architects, data engineers, database administrators, application specialists, business analysts, project managers and business stakeholders.

This is a specialist architecture role requiring proven experience designing and leading enterprise data migrations. General data analysis, reporting, routine database administration or ETL development without substantial migration architecture experience will not be sufficient.

Key Responsibilities

Data Migration Architecture and Strategy

• Design and maintain enterprise data migration architectures and technical strategies.
• Assess legacy systems, source databases and target data environments.
• Develop migration roadmaps, approaches and implementation plans.
• Define migration patterns, frameworks, standards and reusable components.
• Design migration solutions for on-premises, cloud and hybrid environments.
• Evaluate migration complexity, dependencies and technical risks.
• Define full-load, incremental, phased and parallel migration approaches.
• Establish migration architecture principles and technical design standards.
• Ensure migration designs align with enterprise architecture and business objectives.
• Provide architectural leadership throughout migration programmes.

Source and Target System Assessment

• Analyse source systems, databases, data structures and integration dependencies.
• Assess target platform capabilities, constraints and data requirements.
• Identify data inconsistencies, duplication, integrity issues and structural differences.
• Evaluate data volumes, complexity, quality and transformation requirements.
• Assess legacy data models and identify modernisation opportunities.
• Document source-to-target relationships and technical dependencies.
• Identify migration constraints affecting availability, performance or security.
• Collaborate with system owners to validate data structures and business rules.
• Assess archival, retention and historical data requirements.
• Recommend appropriate migration technologies and implementation approaches.

Data Mapping and Transformation Design

• Develop comprehensive source-to-target data mapping specifications.
• Define data transformation, cleansing, enrichment and standardisation rules.
• Design mappings between legacy and modern data models.
• Establish data type conversion and schema transformation requirements.
• Define business rules for migration processing.
• Address referential integrity, relationships and dependency sequencing.
• Design solutions for handling incomplete, inconsistent or duplicate records.
• Ensure transformation logic is documented and traceable.
• Collaborate with business analysts and subject matter experts to validate mappings.
• Review mapping specifications for accuracy and completeness.

ETL/ELT and Data Integration Architecture

• Design scalable ETL/ELT pipelines and migration integration frameworks.
• Define data extraction, staging, transformation and loading approaches.
• Select appropriate migration tools and integration technologies.
• Design batch, incremental and change data capture migration patterns.
• Support high-volume data processing and performance optimisation.
• Establish error handling, logging, retry and recovery mechanisms.
• Design secure connectivity between source and target environments.
• Define data pipeline orchestration and scheduling requirements.
• Review data engineering designs and migration implementation approaches.
• Ensure integration solutions meet operational and technical requirements.

Database and Platform Migration

• Architect migrations between relational and non-relational database platforms.
• Support database consolidation, upgrades and platform modernisation.
• Design migrations from legacy databases to cloud-managed database services.
• Assess database schema compatibility and conversion requirements.
• Define data movement and replication strategies.
• Address performance, indexing and database optimisation considerations.
• Support migration of large and complex enterprise datasets.
• Evaluate database availability and downtime constraints.
• Collaborate with DBAs on database migration and recovery procedures.
• Ensure target environments are technically prepared for migrated data.

Cloud Data Migration and Modernisation

• Design migrations to Microsoft Azure, AWS or equivalent cloud platforms.
• Support modernisation of enterprise data warehouses and data platforms.
• Architect migrations to cloud databases, data lakes and lakehouse environments.
• Define cloud data ingestion and transformation patterns.
• Evaluate migration options for hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
• Support migration to platforms such as Azure SQL, Azure Synapse, Microsoft Fabric, Amazon RDS, Redshift, Snowflake or Databricks.
• Ensure cloud migration designs consider scalability, performance and cost.
• Implement appropriate data protection and access control requirements.
• Design migration approaches that support future platform integration.
• Collaborate with cloud architects and infrastructure teams.

Data Quality and Reconciliation

• Establish data quality standards and migration acceptance criteria.
• Define profiling, cleansing and validation requirements.
• Design automated reconciliation and data integrity controls.
• Ensure completeness and accuracy of migrated records.
• Define record count, checksum, control total and business-rule validation approaches.
• Identify and resolve data discrepancies between source and target systems.
• Establish exception management and remediation processes.
• Monitor data quality throughout migration execution.
• Ensure migration outcomes meet agreed business and technical requirements.
• Provide evidence of successful reconciliation and validation.

Migration Testing and Validation

• Define migration testing strategies and quality assurance requirements.
• Develop technical migration test scenarios and validation approaches.
• Support functional, integration, performance and regression testing.
• Design repeatable migration test cycles and rehearsal processes.
• Establish acceptance criteria for migration readiness.
• Validate data transformation logic and migration results.
• Support testing of data volumes, throughput and processing times.
• Identify defects and coordinate corrective actions.
• Review migration testing evidence and readiness reports.
• Ensure migration solutions meet business and operational expectations.

Cutover Planning and Production Migration

• Develop detailed migration cutover strategies and execution plans.
• Define migration sequencing, dependencies and critical milestones.
• Assess downtime requirements and business continuity implications.
• Establish rollback, recovery and contingency procedures.
• Coordinate migration rehearsals and production readiness assessments.
• Define go/no-go criteria and migration acceptance checkpoints.
• Support production migration execution and technical coordination.
• Monitor migration progress and resolve critical technical issues.
• Validate post-migration data integrity and system readiness.
• Support stabilisation and transition into business-as-usual operations.

Data Governance, Security and Compliance

• Ensure migration architectures comply with organisational data governance standards.
• Incorporate appropriate data security and privacy controls.
• Define secure data extraction, transfer, staging and storage requirements.
• Protect sensitive and confidential information during migration.
• Apply data encryption and access control principles.
• Support compliance with POPIA and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Establish data lineage and traceability throughout migration.
• Address data retention, archival and disposal requirements.
• Ensure appropriate audit trails and migration evidence.
• Collaborate with security, risk and compliance teams.

Architecture Governance and Technical Leadership

• Produce migration architecture documents and technical design specifications.
• Present architecture proposals to technical stakeholders and governance forums.
• Review migration solution designs and implementation plans.
• Provide technical guidance to data engineers, developers and migration teams.
• Establish reusable migration standards, templates and best practices.
• Identify technical risks and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Ensure migration designs align with enterprise data architecture.
• Support architecture reviews and technical decision-making.
• Resolve complex migration design and integration challenges.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of migration capabilities.

Stakeholder and Project Collaboration

• Work with business stakeholders to understand migration requirements.
• Collaborate with data owners to define data quality and acceptance standards.
• Support project planning, estimation and migration scheduling.
• Communicate migration dependencies, risks and technical constraints.
• Coordinate with application, database, infrastructure and cloud teams.
• Support vendor and technology partner engagements.
• Provide technical input into migration status reporting.
• Participate in programme governance and planning meetings.
• Ensure alignment between migration activities and business readiness.
• Support knowledge transfer and post-migration handover.

Minimum Requirements

• Relevant degree or diploma in Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Systems, Data Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Typically 7+ years of relevant experience in enterprise data environments, database technologies, data engineering or data integration.
• Typically 3+ years of hands-on Data Migration Architect, Data Architect or equivalent migration solution architecture experience.
• Proven experience designing and leading complex enterprise data migration initiatives – essential.
• Demonstrated involvement in successful end-to-end migration programmes, including architecture, mapping, testing, cutover and reconciliation.
• Strong SQL skills and experience working with complex relational databases.
• Practical expertise in source-to-target data mapping and transformation design.
• Experience architecting ETL/ELT solutions and data migration pipelines.
• Strong understanding of database structures, data modelling and schema conversion.
• Experience with enterprise data migration, integration or replication tools.
• Knowledge of data profiling, cleansing, quality management and reconciliation.
• Experience developing migration strategies, execution plans and rollback procedures.
• Understanding of cloud data platforms and migration approaches.
• Familiarity with migration testing, performance validation and production cutover.
• Experience working with legacy enterprise systems and modern target platforms.
• Knowledge of data governance, security and regulatory compliance.
• Strong technical documentation and solution design capabilities.
• Ability to collaborate with enterprise architects, developers, DBAs and business stakeholders.
• Experience in large-scale enterprise transformation or system modernisation programmes.

Technical Skills and Competencies

Data Migration Architecture

• Enterprise migration strategy
• Migration architecture and solution design
• Legacy system modernisation
• Source-to-target mapping
• Data transformation design
• Migration roadmaps
• Full-load and incremental migration
• Change data capture (CDC)
• Data replication
• Migration dependency management
• Cutover planning
• Rollback and recovery
• Data reconciliation
• Migration performance optimisation

Database Technologies

Strong experience with relevant database technologies such as:

• Microsoft SQL Server
• Oracle Database
• PostgreSQL
• MySQL
• IBM Db2
• Azure SQL Database
• Amazon RDS
• Other enterprise relational databases
• SQL query optimisation
• Database schema design
• Stored procedures
• Data modelling
• Database migration and replication

ETL/ELT and Integration Technologies

Experience with relevant technologies such as:

• Azure Data Factory
• SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)
• Informatica PowerCenter
• Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud
• Talend
• IBM InfoSphere DataStage
• AWS Glue
• Apache NiFi
• Databricks
• Apache Spark
• Other enterprise ETL/ELT and integration platforms

Cloud Data Platforms

Knowledge or experience with:

• Microsoft Azure
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Azure Synapse Analytics
• Microsoft Fabric
• Azure Data Lake Storage
• Amazon S3
• Amazon Redshift
• Snowflake
• Databricks
• Cloud-managed databases
• Hybrid cloud architectures
• Cloud data integration and migration services

Migration and Replication Tools

Exposure to technologies such as:

• Azure Database Migration Service
• AWS Database Migration Service
• Oracle Data Pump
• Oracle GoldenGate
• Qlik Replicate
• IBM InfoSphere Data Replication
• Database backup and restore migration methods
• Native database replication tools
• CDC-based migration frameworks
• Enterprise data migration utilities

Data Quality and Governance

• Data profiling
• Data cleansing
• Data standardisation
• Data deduplication
• Data validation
• Data reconciliation
• Data lineage
• Metadata management
• Master data management
• Data integrity controls
• Data quality frameworks
• POPIA awareness
• Secure data migration

Architecture and Delivery Frameworks

• TOGAF awareness
• DAMA-DMBOK principles
• Enterprise data architecture
• Solution architecture documentation
• IT governance
• Agile delivery methodologies
• Waterfall project delivery
• DevOps and CI/CD awareness
• Technical risk management
• Change management
• Migration testing frameworks
• Architecture governance

Relevant Certifications (Advantageous)

One or more of the following certifications would be beneficial:

• TOGAF Certification
• Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP)
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate
• Microsoft Certified: Fabric Data Engineer Associate
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect
• AWS Certified Data Engineer
• Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer
• Databricks Certified Data Engineer
• Snowflake SnowPro certifications
• Oracle Database certifications
• Microsoft SQL Server or SQL database certifications
• Informatica or equivalent data integration certifications
• Relevant enterprise architecture or data migration certifications

Key Personal Attributes

• Strong analytical and technical problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent understanding of complex data structures and dependencies.
• Ability to design practical solutions for challenging migration environments.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy.
• Excellent technical documentation and communication skills.
• Ability to lead technical discussions and architecture decisions.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and collaboration abilities.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and technical dependencies.
• Structured and methodical approach to migration planning.
• Strong risk awareness and operational judgement.
• Ability to perform effectively during critical migration and cutover activities.
• High levels of accountability, professionalism and integrity.
• Commitment to data quality, security and successful delivery.

Application Requirements

Interested candidates should submit an updated CV clearly demonstrating their enterprise data migration architecture experience, together with copies of relevant qualifications and professional certifications.

Candidates should specifically highlight:

• Years of experience in data migration and architecture roles.
• Large-scale migration programmes personally designed or led.
• Source and target database platforms involved.
• Data volumes, system complexity and migration scope.
• ETL/ELT and migration tools used.
• Source-to-target mapping and transformation responsibilities.
• Cloud migration and modernisation experience.
• Data profiling, cleansing, reconciliation and validation approaches.
• Migration testing, cutover and rollback planning experience.
• Successful production migrations and measurable outcomes.
• Enterprise architecture and technical leadership responsibilities.
• Relevant technical certifications and qualifications.

Important: This is a specialist Data Migration Architect opportunity requiring proven experience designing and leading complex enterprise data migrations. General data analysis, business intelligence reporting, database administration or ETL development without substantial migration architecture experience will not meet the intended specialist profile.

Please note: This is a provisional recruitment specification prepared pending confirmation of the client's detailed requirements. The preferred technologies, minimum experience, qualifications, certifications, remuneration, employment arrangements and working conditions will be confirmed during the recruitment process.