Head of Data Architecture

The role

Aspen’s vision is to be the global reference point for quality in all its markets. Regarding data, Aspen has a common principle to ensure that its data is accurate and fit for purpose to support business decision-making, promote trust in reporting and provide client intimacy.

The role of the Head of Data Architecture is to establish a strong data management capability across the company to support better use of data for decision making throughout.

The Head of Data Architecture will develop, in partnership with the business, a common data framework that aligns with the business processes standardizing the language, creation, sharing and usage of data across the company. Using your expert knowledge and experience, you will support the development of the company wide data strategy and its execution into the business ensuring that data becomes a core input to all decisions.

Key accountabilities

Strategy and Planning

• Working within the Data Leadership team, you will input and update the enterprise data strategy and organisational model in close association with the group head of data and analytics and the group Chief Operating Officer
• Establish a data management framework which creates data standards and a common language adopted by all interfaces for efficient data sharing and easier communication across user communities
• Define, manage, and ensure adoption of the company wide information model and data dictionary.
• Develop and maintain a master data management capability, instilling consistent use of core data attributes in all parts of the landscape.
• Provide the design and overall governance for the physical data model of our company wide Single Version of Truth which will be the foundation for all data analytics
• Create and govern the adoption of data standards across the business processes, applications and analytics services
• Co-ordinate alignment across the business’s data priorities
• To develop and maintain strong operational and strategic relationships with key internal customers within the business

Policy, Process and Procedures

• Define and ensure adherence to overall data and analytics architecture.
• Defining the data architecture in line with the long term needs of our business strategy
• Provide technical leadership and architecture direction to the engineering, architecture and analysts who will implement according to your vision
• Be a knowledge partner for our senior leadership to ensure the importance of data architecture and our journey is clear from the top
• Create data standards using information models and data dictionaries which can be adopted by software and data engineers for consistent, standardized data sharing
• Provide transparency of the companies end to end data flows across our transactional landscape and the lineage of transactional data into the analytical tools
• Maintain a key focus on customer experience (clients, brokers, and policyholders) ensuring data becomes a key enabler to connect and manage our business end to end.
• Support and advocate an innovative data architecture culture

Skills & experience

Knowledge And Experience

• A proven conceptual and strategic thinker who is capable of distilling, packaging, and presenting complex information in a clear, concise, and compelling manner
• Proven track record successfully leading data architecture initiatives to meet companywide requirements
• You can demonstrate your extensive knowledge in utilizing different data modelling techniques to meet user requirements.
• Ability to deliver data architecture within an agile delivery environment, reducing the time to production for architecture decisions and solutions but maintain a high quality.
• Have a clear communication and education plan to bring all users on the data architecture journey regardless of their data skill level
• Can explain how you have introduced or used governance processes to ensure delivery teams align to the data standards you and your team set, whilst not impacting delivery timelines for projects.
• Exposure to all functional disciplines with the ability to use the knowledge from these functions effectively in identifying departmental needs.
• Thorough understanding of information technology systems including but not limited to: knowledge of back-end technologies, knowledge of front-end technologies, cloud platform, Microsoft Azure.
• Specific professional qualifications (and broad business qualifications) at the level of degree or equivalent.
• Qualified within own personal discipline, with extensive post-qualification work experience to include:
• Working with large third-party vendors/ external suppliers.
• Managing relationships with internal business customers at a senior level.
• Strong track record of technology delivery.
• Managing cross functional teams and matrix management.
• Interpreting business strategy and translating this into IT strategy.
• Project management/co-ordination, including managing multiple projects and complex projects to quality, time and budget.

Other