Data Architect

Title: Data Architect-Enterprise Technology & Portfolio Enablement
Location: Denver, CO (Hybrid – 2 Days Onsite Required)

Note: Make sure candidate can do the work Client don''t want too senior guy who can''t do the work himself

Organization Overview
This group enables enterprise execution by aligning technology strategy, portfolio planning, and operational delivery. 
The focus is on driving predictability, scalability, and efficiency while maintaining strong governance and flexibility across business units.
The team partners closely with business and technology leaders to ensure initiatives are prioritized appropriately, delivered effectively, and supported by durable data and technology foundations.

Role Overview
The Data Architect is responsible for defining, governing, and evolving the organization’s enterprise data architecture.
This role ensures data assets are reliable, secure, well-governed, and aligned with business objectives across analytics, reporting, operational platforms, and
compliance initiatives.
The individual in this role works cross-functionally with business leaders, engineering teams, and IT stakeholders to ensure data platforms and architectural decisions scale with enterprise needs and long-term strategy.

Core Responsibilities
Data Architecture & Governance
● Define and maintain enterprise data architecture standards, principles, and governance frameworks
● Establish and enforce processes for metadata management, data classification, and data lifecycle governance
● Define data ownership and stewardship models to drive data quality, consistency, and accountability
● Ensure data architectures comply with regulatory, privacy, and security requirements

Platform & Technology Oversight
● Evaluate and guide adoption of data platforms, tools, and technologies supporting analytics and reporting use cases
● Provide architectural oversight for data security, backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning
● Partner with application and platform teams to support enterprise system implementations (ERP, CRM, operational platforms) from a data architecture perspective
● Research and assess emerging data technologies and industry best practices to inform architectural direction

Business & IT Partnership
● Collaborate with business stakeholders to translate data-driven requirements into scalable, enterprise-ready architecture solutions
● Advise leadership on architectural trade-offs, risks, and long-term implications of data decisions
● Ensure data solutions align with enterprise priorities while balancing performance, scalability, and security

Solution Design & Integration
● Design and govern logical and physical data models across structured and unstructured data domains
● Oversee data integration patterns, data movement, and data lineage across platforms
● Ensure interoperability across cloud, on-prem, and hybrid environments
● Address data-related integration, interoperability, and platform compatibility challenges

Communication & Leadership
● Partner with engineering, analytics, and BI teams to promote consistent, enterprise-wide data practices
● Serve as a subject-matter expert and advocate for data architecture and governance best practices
● Communicate data architecture strategy, progress, risks, and recommendations to senior stakeholders

Qualifications
Education & Experience
● Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
● 7+ years of experience in data architecture, data governance, or enterprise data management roles
● Demonstrated experience supporting large-scale data initiatives, including data warehousing, analytics platforms, and enterprise reporting
● Experience with cloud and on-prem data technologies (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud Platform, SQL, NoSQL, ETL, data lakes, data warehouses)
● Familiarity with regulatory and data privacy frameworks (GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, etc.)

Technical Skills
● Strong expertise in data modeling, database design, and enterprise architecture patterns
● Experience with data integration, ETL/ELT pipelines, and API-based data access
● Knowledge of BI and analytics platforms (Power BI, Tableau, Snowflake, or similar)
● Experience with metadata management, master data, and data governance processes

Professional Skills
● Strategic mindset with the ability to align data architecture decisions to business goals
● Strong communication skills with both technical and executive stakeholders
● Ability to manage multiple initiatives in a complex enterprise environment
● Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills

Additional Information
● Denver-based, hybrid role with required onsite collaboration
● Light travel may be required (up to ~5%), based on business needs