Lead Data Architect

About the Role
We are seeking an exceptional Lead Data Architect to serve as a technical authority, team mentor, and trusted client principal across our fixed-scope enterprise projects in the UAE. This is a high-visibility leadership role at the intersection of quantitative rigor, cloud data platform design, and strategic consulting. You will lead cross-functional squads of Data Engineers, Data Scientists, and MLOps Engineers—translating complex executive visions into elegant, production-ready Lakehouse architectures while navigating client organizations with high emotional intelligence (EQ), empathy, and poise.

What You’ll Do

• Design, validate, and govern enterprise Lakehouse architectures (Databricks, Delta Lake) and modern cloud data stacks (AWS, Azure) tailored for advanced analytics and production AI.
• Act as the primary technical advisor to client C-suite, CDO, and IT leadership. Translate complex client challenges into clear, fixed-scope architecture blueprints, SOW baselines, and delivery roadmaps.
• Direct and nurture a team of engineers and quantitative specialists. Build a culture of psychological safety, continuous learning, and technical excellence through hands-on coaching and active listening.
• Use high EQ to de-escalate project friction, align disparate business and IT agendas, and defend technical choices before architecture review boards (ARBs) and risk committees.
• Design zero-trust data security frameworks, fine-grained access controls, and audit trails compliant with regional Central Bank regulatory frameworks and data sovereignty laws.

As an AI consultancy, our greatest asset is the expertise of our people. While technical mastery is the foundation of what we do, the ability to bridge the gap between complex data science and actionable business value is what defines your success. We're looking for individuals who are not only world-class in their fields of specialism, but also compelling communicators and persuasive advocates for their own skills. You will be the face of our firm, tasked with building trust, articulating the