Group Head of Data | Enterprise Data Strategy | Microsoft Fabric | Executive Leadership

Our London based client is seeking a Group Head of Data to define and deliver its enterprise-wide data strategy, modernise its platform capability, and lead a major transition to a Microsoft-first data architecture (Azure Synapse to Microsoft Fabric).

This is a high-impact leadership role, pivotal to shaping a advanced, data-driven organisation and unlocking measurable commercial value through trusted, modern data products.

As Group Head of Data the successful candidate will own the strategic direction of the enterprise data platform, build and scale a high performing data engineering function, and drive the evolution toward a modern, governed, self-service analytics ecosystem.

The Group Head of Data will operate as the senior authority across data strategy, architecture, governance, and platform engineering partnering closely with executive stakeholders to embed data at the heart of decision-making.

Key Responsibilities
Data Strategy & Leadership

• Define and run a long-term enterprise data strategy.
• Champion data culture, literacy, and ownership across the organisation.
• Act as the executive lead for data architecture and engineering capability.

Platform Modernisation & Engineering

• Own the enterprise data platform roadmap and architecture.
• Lead a migration to Microsoft Fabric, driving value and minimising disruption.
• Build and lead high-performing engineering teams across ingestion, transformation, modelling, integration, and operations.
• Ensure the platform supports both near-Real Time and batch processing, governed self-service analytics, AI/ML workloads, and enterprise reporting.
• Embed modern DataOps practices including CI/CD, automation, testing, orchestration, and monitoring.
• Ensure performance, reliability, observability, and SLA adherence.

Governance, Quality & Trust

• Implement enterprise data governance frameworks (ownership, stewardship, life cycle).
• Embed Microsoft Purview for governance, cataloguing, and quality management.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and privacy standards.
• Drive measurable improvements in data quality, transparency, and lineage.

Business Partnering & Enablement

• Translate business strategy into scalable data initiatives.
• Enable governed self-service analytics.
• Support AI/ML and advanced analytics capability.
• Guide business units on effective use of Microsoft analytics tooling.
• Ensure data platform effectively supports analytics and AI initiatives across the organisation.

Operational & Commercial Excellence

• Define operational standards across security, resilience, and optimisation.
• Drive cost efficiency across the Microsoft data estate.
• Manage third-party suppliers and delivery partners.

Required Skills

• Deep experience across Microsoft’s modern data stack including Fabric, Synapse, Power BI, Azure Data Factory, Databricks, Azure SQL/Storage, and Purview.
• Demonstrable track record of delivering enterprise-scale platform migrations - ideally Synapse to Fabric.
• Strong expertise in modern data architecture, DataOps, automation, and governance.
• Deep understanding of data security, privacy, and compliance frameworks.
• Significant experience in senior data leadership roles.
• Demonstrated success building and leading high-performing technical teams (including offshore models).
• Experience delivering enterprise data transformation programmes.
• Strong executive stakeholder engagement and influencing capability.
• Experience enabling self-service analytics and data product thinking.

This is a great opportunity for a strategic data leader who combines architectural depth with commercial pragmatism. If you are excited by the opportunity to shape a modern, Microsoft-centric data ecosystem please share your CV and we will contact you at our earliest possible convenience.