Principal Data Platform Architect

Job Title

Principal Data Platform Architect

Department

Data Services-BG-UK

Overview of Department

Purpose of Role

The Principal Data Platform Architect is responsible for defining and maintaining the strategic direction of the enterprise data platform, ensuring it provides scalable, governed and well-adopted capabilities for data ingestion, creation, movement, transformation, governance and monitoring.

The role will establish the vision, roadmap, architectural principles and delivery priorities for the platform, working closely with the Principal Platform Architect, Principal Solutions Architect and Principal Data Architect to ensure that data platform strategy and architecture form part of a coherent, joined-up enterprise architecture. This collaboration is critical to ensuring clear architectural boundaries and accountabilities, effective management of cross-domain dependencies, and alignment between data, platform, solution and wider technology strategies.

The role will also work closely with Data Governance, engineering teams, business stakeholders and external partners to ensure the data platform evolves in line with the firm's strategic priorities and business needs.

The role reports to the Head of Data Services.

Responsibilities

• Act as strategic product owner for the enterprise data platform and associated tooling, translating business, governance and engineering needs into a clear set of platform capabilities, priorities and roadmaps.
• Develop and maintain the data platform architecture strategy, including current, future and transition states, ensuring it remains aligned with the firm's data and technology strategies and continues to be fit for purpose.
• Define and maintain the technical and design principles for the data platform, ensuring they are widely understood and consistently adopted.
• Work closely with the Principal Platform Architect, Principal Solutions Architect and Principal Data Architect to align architecture strategies, principles and roadmaps, manage cross-domain dependencies and resolve areas of overlap or architectural tension.
• Work collaboratively with Data Governance and senior stakeholders and external partners to ensure the platform supports the firm's data architecture, business needs, governance requirements and relevant standards.
• Prioritise, sponsor and drive strategic data platform initiatives, ensuring expected outcomes, benefits, risks and dependencies are clearly understood and providing leadership to shape initiatives where required.
• Represent the data platform in relevant governance and architecture forums, including the Data Strategy Management Group and Design Authority, ensuring decisions align with agreed principles, standards, risk appetite and long-term strategy.
• Work closely with engineering, delivery and platform teams to support good engineering practice, maintain clear roadmaps and dependencies, and ensure appropriate documentation and training are in place.
• Maintain strong technical and industry knowledge, using external insight, peer networks and technology partners to inform the ongoing evolution of the data platform.
• Facilitate resolution of complex platform issues and dependencies, bringing together internal teams, architects and external vendors as required to achieve effective outcomes.

What does success look like:

• A clear future roadmap for the data platform is agreed and well understood across the firm.
• Concrete steps have been taken to simplify and unify how the data platform is used.
• Platform principles, standards and priorities are clear and consistently applied.
• Strong alignment is established with the Principal Data, Platform and Solutions Architects on cross-domain direction and dependencies.

Your knowledge and experience:

• Strong experience shaping enterprise data platform strategy.
• Expertise in data architecture, platform design/product management.
• Strong understanding of data engineering concepts
• Good knowledge of data governance, controls and architectural standards.
• Experience with cloud data platforms and technologies, including Snowflake.
• Strong understanding of data quality, observability, security and risk management.
• Good awareness of the wider technology landscape and vendors.
• Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving and commercial judgement.
• Confident leadership and influencing skills.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building ability.
• Clear, engaging communication and storytelling skills.
• Sound decision-making and prioritisation.
• A strong product ownership mindset.
• Good understanding of governance and assurance.
• Curiosity, continuous learning and strong external awareness.

The type of candidate that we’re looking for:

We’re looking for someone who is excited by the challenge of shaping the foundations of data is stored, moved, transformed and used across a complex organisation. You’ll bring strong experience of modern data platforms and architecture, but just as importantly, you’ll be able to turn that expertise into a clear, practical vision that others can understand and support. You’ll be comfortable thinking strategically while staying close enough to the detail to make sound decisions on platform design.

You’ll also be someone who thrives on working with others. This role will involve working across architecture, engineering, governance and business teams, helping to build alignment, resolve competing priorities and create clarity where there is complexity. You’ll be a confident communicator who can explain technical ideas in a straightforward way, influence senior stakeholders and make pragmatic decisions without losing sight of the long-term direction. We’d particularly value someone who is curious, commercially aware and interested in how the data technology landscape is evolving, with a genuine desire to build a platform that is simpler, more consistent and easier for teams across the firm to use.

Critical Skills:

• Nurturing relationships
• Systems thinking
• Improvement mindset
• Data Literacy
• Storytelling

Closing Date

September 29, 2026

Should you choose to use AI tools to support your application, we ask that you do this thoughtfully. We encourage you to ensure your application reflects your own voice, experience, and motivations. We value authenticity and want to understand your individual strengths and perspectives.

At Baillie Gifford, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful culture in which each of our colleagues can thrive and develop. We believe that our clients are best served by a diverse workforce with the experiences, ideas and perspectives that this brings.

If you are currently working at Baillie Gifford as an employee or contractor please apply to this job from the firm's Workday internal career site.