We seek a seasoned and visionary Principal Data Architect to join our team and lead transformative data architecture initiatives for a leading client in the Financial Services industry — specifically in the cryptocurrency and digital asset investment funds sector. This role is strategically critical, sitting at the intersection of modern data engineering, AI-driven innovation, and business enablement. The ideal candidate will bring both the architectural authority to make high-impact technical decisions and the leadership maturity to guide teams and influence stakeholders at the executive level.
The Principal Data Architect will own the evolution of our client's lakehouse/data lake platform and spearhead the design and implementation of AI agents to empower the sales organization. While a solid foundation for structured data already exists, the scope of this role extends to architecting solutions for unstructured data, defining the LLM and AI agents roadmap, and integrating advanced GenAI capabilities into the data ecosystem. This position demands a rare combination of deep technical expertise in cloud data platforms, hands-on experience with Applied AI, and the communication skills to bridge engineering and business leadership seamlessly.

Responsibilities:

• Data Architecture Leadership: Lead the design and evolution of the client's lakehouse/data lake architecture, making critical decisions on platform modernization, technology selection, and scalable data patterns — with particular focus on extending current structured data capabilities to support unstructured data use cases.
• AI Agent Strategy & Implementation: Provide technical direction for the design and deployment of AI agents (leveraging LLMs, RAG, and vector databases) aimed at enabling the sales team to rapidly access fund performance insights and CRM data when engaging high-net-worth investors.
• LLM & GenAI Roadmap: Define and drive the roadmap for Large Language Model adoption and Generative AI integration within the client's data ecosystem, working with Enterprise-grade AI platforms and internal tooling.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the primary technical point of contact for client leadership and senior business stakeholders, translating complex architectural concepts into clear, actionable insights for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• DataOps & Data Lifecycle Management: Implement and enforce DataOps principles across the data platform, ensuring secure access control, efficient data lifecycle management, and a well-governed, organized data structure.
• Mentorship & Team Development: Mentor and develop team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning, technical excellence, and inclusive leadership. Support succession planning and balance team competencies across seniority levels.
• Strategic Innovation: Continuously evaluate emerging technologies — particularly in AI, GenAI, and data engineering — recommending and implementing innovations that drive measurable business value.
• Risk & Operational Excellence: Identify and mitigate architectural and operational risks proactively, ensuring platform reliability, security, and scalability across all data initiatives.

Requirements:

• Fluent English — C1 level or above (essential for autonomous client engagement and stakeholder communication)
• Proven experience as a Principal Data Architect on large-scale data platform programs, including building, migrating, or modernizing data lakes and lakehouse architectures
• Deep expertise in AWS as the primary cloud platform, with practical knowledge of core data services
• Hands-on experience with GenAI and Applied AI, including LLMs, RAG, and vector databases
• Working knowledge of Snowflake (including experience assessing and improving existing implementations)
• Strong understanding of DataOps principles, data governance, and data lifecycle management
• Experience in the Financial Services industry, including asset management, investment funds, fintech, or related sectors

Nice to Have:

• Practical knowledge of Blockchain technologies and experience in cryptocurrency or digital asset environments — highly valued differentiator given the client's business context
• Experience with Databricks or other data lakehouse platforms
• Strong project management skills with hands-on experience in agile methodologies
• Familiarity with Enterprise-grade LLM platforms (e.g., AWS Bedrock, Anthropic Cloud)
• Experience in adjacent verticals such as Wealth Management, Capital Markets, or Crypto/Web3 Financial Services
• Leadership and mentoring abilities, with a demonstrated track record of influencing cross-functional teams and executive stakeholders