Principal Data Architect (Contract) We are recruiting for an experienced Principal Data Architect to lead the design and delivery of enterprise-scale cloud data platforms for a large, complex organisation. This is a hands-on architecture role with real ownership across data strategy, platform design, governance and delivery. You will define end-to-end data architecture for high-impact programmes, working across cloud data platforms, analytics, and advanced data use cases. The role covers solution architecture, data modelling, integration patterns, security, governance and cost optimisation, while partnering closely with senior technical and business stakeholders. Key Responsibilities Own and define enterprise data architecture across large-scale initiatives Design logical and physical data models and platform architectures Lead cloud data platform implementations and migrations Define data governance, security, lineage, RBAC and compliance controls Oversee data pipelines, ETL/ELT, CDC, streaming and integrations Optimise performance and cost across platforms such as Snowflake and Azure Support analytics, reporting, ML and AI use cases Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders Essential Skills and Experience Strong background in Data Architecture and Cloud Data Platforms Hands-on experience with Snowflake, Azure, Databricks and/or Microsoft Fabric Data integration, ETL/ELT, APIs, streaming technologies Data modelling (relational, dimensional, NoSQL) Data governance, s