Senior Manager, Databricks Architect & Delivery Lead, Engineering, AI & Data, Technology & Transform

Job description

Connect to your Industry

Do you want to shape the architecture behind some of the UK's largest and most ambitious Data & AI transformation programmes?

Technology & Transformation helps organisations unlock the full value of their data through modern platforms, cloud technologies, and AI. As a Databricks Architect & Delivery Lead, you'll define the technical vision and leads its successful delivery designing enterprise-scale architectures, shaping technology strategy, and ensuring data, machine learning, and AI solutions are secure, scalable, and built for the future.

Working alongside some of the industry's leading architects, engineers, and AI specialists, you'll help clients establish modern Data Intelligence platforms that become the foundation for advanced analytics, machine learning, and next-generation AI capabilities.

Connect to your career at Deloitte

Deloitte drives progress. Using our vast range of expertise, we help our clients' become leaders wherever they choose to compete. To do this, we invest in outstanding people. We build teams of future thinkers, with diverse talents and backgrounds, and empower them all to reach for and achieve more.

What brings us all together at Deloitte? It's how we approach the thousands of decisions we make every day. How we behave, our beliefs and our attitudes. In other words: our values. Whatever we do, wherever we are in the world, we lead the way, serve with integrity, take care of each other, foster inclusion, and collaborate for measurable impact. These five shared values lead every decision we make and action we take, guiding us to deliver impact how and where it matters most.

Connect to your opportunity

We're expanding our AI & Data practice and are looking for experienced Databricks architects who combine deep technical expertise with strategic thinking and delivery leadership. You'll work alongside exceptional data, AI, cloud, and engineering specialists to define enterprise architectures that enable organisations to modernise their data estates and accelerate AI adoption.

We are seeking an experienced Databricks Architect and Delivery Lead with a proven track record of designing and delivering enterprise-scale Data & AI solutions. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise across modern data platforms, machine learning, and Generative & Agentic AI, while providing architectural leadership across complex transformation programmes. You will shape solution strategy, establish architectural and delivery governance, mobilise multi-disciplinary teams, and ensure successful delivery of scalable, secure and future-proof solutions aligned to client business objectives.

As a key member of our team, you will:

• Lead the architecture and technical strategy for large-scale Databricks Data & AI transformation programmes.
• Lead the end-to-end delivery of Databricks Data & AI programmes, including mobilisation, delivery planning, resourcing, dependency management, financial oversight, commercial management, risk and issue management, and stakeholder reporting.
• Define end-to-end solution architectures spanning data engineering, analytics, machine learning, and Generative AI workloads.
• Establish enterprise data architectures, medallion design patterns, data models, semantic layers, and governance frameworks using capabilities such as Unity Catalog, lineage, access controls, metadata management, and quality controls to support scalable analytics and AI.
• Design modern ML, MLOps and LLMOps architectures, including feature engineering, model lifecycle management, orchestration, deployment patterns, monitoring, observability, governance, and cost-aware scaling of AI solutions.
• Lead client discovery engagements, facilitating architecture workshops to understand business objectives, technology landscapes, and transformation opportunities.
• Provide architectural governance and design authority across multiple programmes, ensuring solutions align with enterprise architecture principles, security standards, and engineering best practices.
• Lead and coordinate multi-disciplinary teams across architecture, data engineering, analytics and AI, maintaining alignment between solution design, delivery priorities, quality expectations and business outcomes.
• Lead and collaborate closely with engineering teams to translate architecture into high-quality technical delivery, including backlog shaping, technical design assurance, non-functional requirements, performance optimisation, maintainability and cost management.
• Define reusable architecture patterns, reference architectures, accelerators, and best practices across the Databricks ecosystem.
• Advise senior client stakeholders and programme sponsors on technology strategy, roadmap development, delivery approach, cloud adoption, and Data & AI operating models.
• Support business development activities by shaping solution proposals, owning solution estimates, supporting sales pursuits, responding to client opportunities, and providing technical leadership throughout the sales lifecycle, and ensuring commercially viable delivery approaches.

Connect to your skills and professional experience

Overall, you're a strategic technology leader with deep architectural expertise and a passion for solving complex business challenges through modern Data & AI technologies. You combine architectural authority with strong delivery leadership, taking accountability for mobilising teams, managing delivery risks and dependencies, and ensuring that complex programmes achieve their intended outcomes. You have excellent consulting skills with strong technical credibility and enjoy working with clients to define & deliver enterprise transformation programs that deliver long-term business value.

You’ll have strong technical skills including some or all of the following:

• Extensive experience designing enterprise-scale Data and AI architectures on the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform, including migration from legacy data platforms, lakehouse modernisation, performance optimisation, governance, and production-grade delivery.
• Proven experience leading the end-to-end delivery of complex Data & AI programmes, including planning, mobilisation, resourcing, financial management, delivery governance, risk and dependency management.
• Deep expertise across Databricks including Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Spark, Lakehouse architecture, Databricks SQL, Workflows, Delta Live Tables, MLflow, Mosaic AI, Agent Bricks, Vector Search, and broader Data & AI Intelligence capabilities.
• Strong experience defining enterprise solution architecture across data engineering, analytics, machine learning, and Generative AI platforms.
• Expertise in enterprise data modelling, dimensional modelling, semantic layer design, data product thinking and information architecture.
• Experience designing modern ML platforms and LLMOps architectures, including model lifecycle management, AI governance, vector databases, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and enterprise AI deployment patterns.
• Strong understanding of enterprise data governance, security, metadata management, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience leading discovery engagements, architecture assessments, and technology strategy workshops with executive stakeholders.
• Proven experience providing architecture governance, design authority, and technical leadership across complex transformation programmes.
• Strong knowledge of cloud platforms including Azure, AWS, or GCP and their associated data and AI services.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary and distributed delivery teams, working across client, partner and internal stakeholders to deliver agreed outcomes.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and consulting skills, with the ability to influence both technical teams and executive leadership.
• Industry expertise within (preferably) Financial Services or working with clients in regulated or complex enterprise environment, with the ability to align technical architecture to industry-specific business challenges, governance needs and regulatory requirements.

Required

• Proven experience leading enterprise architecture for large-scale Data & AI transformation programmes.
• Extensive hands-on experience designing production-grade solutions on the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform, including data engineering, AI solutions, governance, security, orchestration, performance, and cost optimisation.
• Strong experience defining enterprise solution architecture, data architecture, and machine learning architecture.
• Experience designing enterprise Generative & Agentic AI architectures, including LLMOps, Retrieval-Augmented Generation, model governance, responsible AI controls, monitoring, and operational deployment patterns.
• Demonstrable experience owning the successful delivery of large-scale Data & AI programmes, including delivery planning, team leadership, governance, financial oversight, risk management and senior stakeholder reporting.
• Experience acting as Architecture Lead or Design Authority across multiple concurrent programmes.
• Strong understanding of enterprise governance, security, and cloud architecture principles.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and executive communication skills.

Preferred

• Databricks Certified Data Engineer Professional, Databricks Machine Learning Professional, Databricks Generative AI Engineer Associate, Databricks Solutions Architect accreditation, or equivalent advanced Databricks certifications.
• Experience defining enterprise operating models for Data & AI platforms.
• Expertise in enterprise data modelling and semantic layer design.
• Experience with cloud-native architecture frameworks and Infrastructure as Code.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary delivery teams across architecture, engineering, and AI disciplines.
• Experience supporting large-scale transformation programmes from strategy through implementation and adoption.
• Experience working within Financial Services industry.

Connect to your business - Technology and Transformation

Distinctive thinking, deep expertise, innovation and collaborative working. That's what connects us. That's what makes us Deloitte. If you want to help solve some of the biggest tech and transformational challenges around, join us. Together, we'll make an impact that matters.

Engineering, AI and Data

We lead transformation at the heart of our clients; re‑engineering the core of our clients' organisations, helping to unleash growth, and creating better futures for their customers, citizens and employees.

Personal independence

Regulation and controls are standard practice in our industry and Deloitte is no exception. These controls provide important legal protection for both you and the firm. We are subject to a number of audit regulations, one of which requires that certain colleagues abide by specific personal independence constraints (e.g., in relation to any financial interests and employment relationships). This can mean that you and your "Immediate Family Members" are not permitted to hold certain financial interests (shares, funds, bonds etc.) with audit clients of the firm, and also prohibitions on certain employment relationships (e.g., you are not permitted to hold a secondary employment role with SEC audit clients of the firm whilst being employed by the firm). The recruitment team will provide further detail as you progress through the recruitment process or you can contact the Independence team upon request.

Connect with your colleagues

"The great culture, flexibility, and range of experiences that Deloitte offers is what sets this firm apart. In Technology & Transformation, Deloitte is far ahead of any of our immediate competitors." - Sophia, Technology & Transformation

"What attracted me to Deloitte were the endless opportunities and the collective experience of other like-minded individuals. Deloitte's clients include many of the world's largest organisations; I wanted to be part of a team that made a difference that I could be proud of." - Dan, Technology & Transformation

Our hybrid working policy

You’ll be based in London with hybrid working.

At Deloitte we understand the importance of balancing your career alongside your home life. That's why we'll support you to work flexibly through our hybrid working policy. Depending on the requirements of your role, you'll have the opportunity to work in your local office, virtual collaboration spaces, client sites and remotely. You'll get the chance to meet face to face when needed, while you collaborate and learn from colleagues, share your experiences, and build the relationships that will fuel your career and prioritise your wellbeing. Please check with your recruiter for the specific working requirements that may apply for your role.

Our commitment to you

Making an impact is more than just what we do: it's why we're here. So we work hard to create an environment where you can experience a purpose you believe in, the freedom to be you, and the capacity to go further than ever before.

We want you. The true you. Your own strengths, perspective and personality. So we're nurturing a culture where everyone belongs, feels supported and heard, and is empowered to make a valuable, personal contribution. You can be sure we'll take your wellbeing seriously, too. Because it's only when you're comfortable and at your best that you can make the kind of impact you, and we, live for.

Your expertise is our capability, so we'll make sure it never stops growing. Whether it's from the complex work you do, or the people you collaborate with, you'll learn every day. Through world‑class development, you'll gain invaluable technical and personal skills. Whatever your level, you'll learn how to lead.

Connect to your next step

A career at Deloitte is an opportunity to develop in any direction you choose. Join us and you'll experience a purpose you can believe in and an impact you can see. You'll be free to bring your true self to work every day. And you'll never stop growing, whatever your level.

Discover more reasons to connect with us, our people and purpose‑driven culture at deloitte.co.uk/careers