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We are looking for an experienced technology leader to join our Core Platforms (FT Core) group and lead the Data Platform — a cornerstone of FT’s broader Data Modernisation programme. The Data Platform provides the foundation for how we produce, manage and consume data across the Financial Times. It underpins the creation and distribution of data products that support analytics, personalisation, reporting, and insight generation across the business. You will lead multiple engineering teams responsible for designing, building and operating our cloud-native data services. Working closely with the Principal Technical Architect, you will ensure the platform’s design and delivery align with FT’s strategic direction for data — enabling trusted, discoverable and reusable data products across all business domains. This is a senior technical leadership role that combines strategic thinking, hands-on guidance, and people leadership. You will play a key role in defining and realising the future of data at the FT, while nurturing and empowering a high-performing engineering team.
Job Responsibility:
Lead the engineering and operational development of the FT’s cloud-native Data Platform, ensuring it provides scalable, secure, and high-quality data capabilities across the organisation
Shape and deliver the platform roadmap in alignment with FT’s data architecture, in close partnership with the Product Managers, Data and Technical Architects and other technical leaders across FT Core
Foster a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement — supporting engineers in developing mastery of data engineering and platform operations
Champion best practices in modern data management, including automation, observability, cost efficiency, and platform resilience
Drive data product enablement, ensuring teams across the FT can easily publish, discover, and consume data through the platform
Collaborate with Product and Delivery peers to ensure outcomes are aligned with business goals and deliver tangible value
Represent the Data Platform within the wider FT data community, working closely with teams in Data & Analytics, Subscriptions, and Content
Mentor and develop engineers and technical leads, aligning their growth and progression with FT’s Engineering Competency Framework
Advocate for diversity and inclusion, helping build balanced teams that thrive on collaboration and different perspectives
Requirements:
Demonstrable experience leading teams responsible for building and operating data platforms or distributed data systems in a cloud environment
Strong understanding of data engineering, pipelines, and cloud-native architectures (AWS preferred)
Proven ability to influence architecture, design, and delivery decisions that balance quality, speed, and sustainability
Experience creating a learning culture, mentoring engineers, and supporting professional growth
Proven skill in communication and collaboration across diverse teams and stakeholders, both technical and non-technical
Ability to connect engineering decisions to broader business outcomes, demonstrating strategic awareness and pragmatic judgment
Passion for data as a product, and for enabling others to create, own, and use data responsibly
Commitment to continuous improvement — both in technical delivery and in developing inclusive, high-performing teams
Nice to have:
Background in software engineering or data engineering, with hands-on experience in modern cloud data tooling and practices (e.g. dbt, Airflow, streaming, IaC)
Familiarity with data governance, quality, and cataloging concepts (e.g. DataHub, Collibra, Alation or their AWS equivalents)
Experience working in a federated or domain-oriented organisation, supporting cross-functional delivery
Strong interest in emerging technologies and their potential to evolve how the FT manages and leverages data
Experience collaborating with architectural peers to drive end-to-end alignment between design, delivery, and operational excellence
What we offer:
Annual bonus scheme
25 days paid leave
24/7 Employee Assistance Program
Life Insurance
Enhanced Parental Leave policy
Food Allowance
Multisport Card
Comprehensive in-house training, and external training programs (subject to approval)