Data Architect

Job Description

Data Architect

Department: Data Solutions & Architecture

Reports To: Director, Data Solutions & Architecture

FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Summary

The Data Architect is responsible for designing, documenting, and governing data architecture for Highlights' Microsoft Fabric & Azure platforms. This role focuses on hands-on data modeling, establishing Bronze/Silver/Gold layer standards, and ensuring consistent implementation across all data domains. Working closely with the Highlights Intelligence Team / Analytics team and data engineers, this architect translates business requirements into well-designed data structures that enable reliable reporting and analytics.

This is a builder role. You will create and maintain the Fabric Architecture Playbook, design dimensional models, establish naming conventions, and provide patterns that data engineers follow. You own the accuracy and completeness of architecture documentation and serve as the go-to resource for "how should we model this?" questions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Data Modeling & Design

Design logical and physical data models for the Microsoft Fabric lakehouse environment

Create dimensional models (star schemas) for the Gold layer supporting business intelligence

Define Bronze layer landing patterns ensuring source data is captured accurately and immutably

Design Silver layer transformations including entity resolution, slowly changing dimensions (SCD Type 2), and data quality flags

Establish surrogate key strategies and historical data patterns

Document data models using standard notation and maintain model artifacts in version control

Create Data Architecture for data products such as the Customer Merge / Match tool, contract preferences and other future solutions.

Work with HIT and other teams to establish lab environments where teams can experiment with speed and agility but ensure security & cost considerations are adhered to and ensure the output of these environments is not used as a workaround for the code data platform.

Data Architecture

Own and maintain the Fabric Architecture Playbook (SPOT Playbook), ensuring accuracy and completeness

Define and enforce naming conventions for lakehouses, tables, columns, and pipelines

Create reusable patterns and templates for common data scenarios

Establish data quality validation patterns at each medallion layer

Document architecture decisions using Architecture Decision Records (ADRs)

Conduct design reviews for data engineering work, ensuring alignment with standards

Establish and review metrics on cost, performance, usage and value of data insights to the organization. Work with the Tech Lead and other team members to maintain appropriate ranges for these measures.

Business Partnership

Work directly with HIT to understand reporting and analysis requirements

Translate business questions into data model designs

Partner with business domain SMEs to capture entity definitions and business rules

Collaborate with the Data Platform Tech Lead on implementation feasibility

Participate in requirements sessions and design workshops

Evangelize the value and importance of data to leaders throughout Highlights.

Ensure consumption of data / insights is performed in a sustainable & best practices manner.

Data Governance. Work with data owners to:

Inform the data dictionary and business glossary entries for modeled entities

Document data lineage from source systems through Gold layer

Define data classification for tables and columns (PII, confidential, etc.)

Support data quality metric definition and monitoring

Participate in Architecture Review Board discussions

What You Should Know on Day One

Medallion Architecture: Understand Bronze immutability principles, Silver transformation scope (entity resolution, SCD2, quality flags), and Gold business logic patterns

Dimensional Modeling: Confident designing star schemas, fact/dimension relationships, and handling slowly changing dimensions

Microsoft Fabric/Lakehouse: Working knowledge of OneLake, lakehouses, Delta tables, and how they differ from traditional data warehouses

SQL Proficiency: Ability to write and review complex SQL for data transformations

Data Modeling Tools: Experience with ERwin, ER/Studio, or similar; comfortable with diagramming data flows

Within Your First Month

Complete onboarding to current Fabric environment and existing data models

Review and provide feedback on Fabric Architecture Playbook

Build relationships with Analytics team members and understand their data pain points

Assess current Bronze/Silver/Gold implementations for consistency with standards

Identify 3-5 modeling improvements or documentation gaps to address

Within Your First Year

Establish complete logical data models for core business domains (Retail, Finance, Operations)

Document all major data flows from source systems through to Gold layer

Create pattern library covering common scenarios (SCD, late-arriving facts, multi-source entities)

Achieve consistent adoption of naming conventions and modeling standards across new development

Reduce data-related rework by establishing clear design review checkpoints

Support successful integration of future Order Management System data

Supervisory Responsibilities

None. This is an individual contributor role. Provides architectural guidance to data engineers without direct reporting relationship.

Education and Experience

Required

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or equivalent experience

5-7 years of experience in data architecture, data modeling, or senior data engineering roles

Demonstrated experience creating logical and physical data models

Strong knowledge of dimensional modeling, star/snowflake schemas

Experience with cloud data platforms (Azure, AWS, or Databricks)

Proficiency in SQL and understanding of data transformation patterns

Experience documenting data architectures and creating design artifacts

Solid communication skills with ability to explain technical concepts to business stakeholders

Preferred

Experience with Microsoft Fabric, Azure Synapse, or Databricks

Knowledge of Delta Lake format and lakehouse architecture

CDMP certification or data modeling certification

Experience in retail, consumer products, or subscription business environments

Familiarity with ERP systems (NetSuite preferred)

Experience with data catalog or metadata management tools

Understanding of data governance principles

Physical Requirements

Prolonged periods sitting or standing at a desk and working on a computer.

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