Data PM

About the Job:
This full-time, hybrid position, based in Dubai, seeks an experienced Data Project Manager (PM) who will lead the planning, execution, and delivery of enterprise data and Management Information (MI) automation projects using Databricks and Confluent. You will be responsible for developing detailed requirements, project plans, delivery roadmaps, and work breakdown structures to ensure successful project outcomes. This role requires managing stakeholder relationships and fostering collaboration across various teams, while overseeing technical solutions and data governance compliance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Project Planning & Execution:

  • Lead planning, execution, and delivery of enterprise data and MI automation projects using Databricks and Confluent.
  • Develop detailed requirements, project plans, delivery roadmaps, and work breakdown structures.
  • Ensure resource allocation, budgeting, and adherence to timelines and quality standards.
  • Manage vendor deliverables and quality of output.
  • Handle issues and conflicts, preparing mitigation strategies.

• Stakeholder & Team Management:

  • Collaborate with data engineers, architects, business analysts, and platform teams to align on project goals.
  • Act as the primary liaison between business units, technology teams, and vendors.
  • Facilitate regular updates, steering committee meetings, and issue/risk escalations.

• Technical Oversight:

  • Oversee solution delivery on Databricks for data processing, ML pipelines, and analytics.
  • Manage real-time data streaming pipelines via Confluent Kafka.
  • Ensure alignment with data governance, security, and regulatory frameworks (e.g., GDPR, CBUAE, BCBS 239).

Must-Have Required Skills & Experience:

• 7+ years of experience in Project Management within the banking or financial services sector.
• Proven experience leading data and MI automation projects, especially with Databricks and Confluent Kafka.
• Strong understanding of data architecture, data pipelines, and streaming technologies.
• Experience managing cross-functional teams (onshore/offshore).
• Strong command of Agile/Scrum and Waterfall methodologies.

Technical Exposure:

• Databricks (Delta Lake, MLflow, Spark)
• Confluent Kafka (Kafka Connect, kSQL, Schema Registry)
• Azure or AWS Cloud Platforms (preferably Azure)
• Integration tools (Informatica, Data Factory), CI/CD pipelines
• Oracle ERP Implementation experience
• PowerBI

Preferred Qualifications:

• PMP / Prince2 / Scrum Master certification
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks: BCBS 239, GDPR, CBUAE regulations
• Strong understanding of data governance principles (e.g., DAMA-DMBOK)
• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field.

KPIs:

• On-time, on-budget delivery of data initiatives
• Uptime and SLAs of data pipelines
• User satisfaction and stakeholder feedback
• Compliance with regulatory milestones.