Sr. Data Solution Architect
Sr. Data Solution Architect
Company Summary
Come join one of America’s fastest growing insurance companies with a stable history of 175 years. At National Life Group (“NLG”), we offer a flexible work environment with opportunity for growth. As a mission-driven business, our promises are as important as the products we sell. We encourage our associates to live our values: Do Good. Be Good. Make Good.
Our mission extends beyond the insurance and annuities policies that we sell. Our cause is also to make the world a better place through grants from our charitable foundation, paid time for our employees to volunteer, environmentally sustainable and healthy work sites, and events that promote the work of nonprofits in our own backyard.
We invite you to explore what we have to offer and to join our cause.
Role Summary
The Data Solution Architect role is essential to success of the NLG’s data journey. It aims to address specific data problems and requirements. DSA is the link between business needs, data engineers, and analytics.
Data Solution Architect is responsible for architecting the full data supply chain solution. It includes the platform selection, design of the technical architecture, design of the data model for business solution, deployment approaches and implementation methods. As a key contributor to the NLG Data Governance initiatives, this role will provide data architecture solutions for delivery of trustworthy, high quality and timely data and insights to address specific business objectives. DSA will work with the Data Governance Office, Data Engineers, stakeholders and SMEs across business and IT teams to help define an appropriate solution, including data flows, data quality, governance, security and compliance.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Collaborate with stakeholders, enterprise architects and translate high-level business objectives into technical requirements and data solution designs
- Understand and oversee technical implementation and processes, including hardware and software, to implement the Data Strategy
- Architect and design a high performing data analytics platform that is aligned to the overall enterprise architecture strategy and create a proper foundation for data initiatives
- Develop architectural patterns to simplify data solutions and deliver high quality business outcomes
- Use data modeling and data analytics skills to understand and leverage relationships among data elements
- Lead or participate in technical proofs-of-concept
- Lead a team of data modelers and analysts, providing guidance and support throughout the project lifecycle
- Detect core issues to be addressed before major time and money investment
- Communicate clearly and consistently about data architecture across NLG IT and business, so that all stakeholders know how to use it effectively
- Facilitate quality solutions that are secure, performant, compliant, cost effective, and support business continuity objectives. Collaborating with enterprise architecture, application, infrastructure, and security teams to deliver shared outcomes
- Develop database solutions to ensure NLG’s information is stored effectively and securely
- Produce documentation, artifacts and designs for technical and non-technical audiences
- Stay current and provide insight on cutting edge data software approaches, architectures and vendors. Bring thought leadership around recent trends and provide insight into how technology can impact our business and drive competitive advantages
- Leverage interpersonal savvy and communication skills to explain technical benefits and trade-offs of proposed data solutions to gain buy in from diverse audiences
- Leverage strategic partnerships and vendor relationship management skills to accelerate and improve quality of solutions
Minimum Qualifications
- Hands-on experience with solutions and data architecture
- Solid foundation in key data modeling methodologies and approaches
- 7-10 years of working experience with major data warehousing solutions and database technology, such as SQL Server, Databricks, Snowflake
- Firm understanding of programming languages like SQL, Python (libraries like Pandas, NumPy, PySpark), Java, PHP, R
- Expertise in ETL/ELT architecture, implementation and performance tuning of mappings, jobs, transformations
- Hands-on experience working with ETL tools such Talend or others
- Proven track record of designing solutions for data warehouses with a good understanding of cluster and parallel architecture as well as high-scale or distributed RDBMS and knowledge of NoSQL platforms
- Experience with Data, Big Data and Analytics architecture and ecosystem on premise, hybrid or cloud-based environments
- Deep understanding of Azure, AWS, Snowflake, DataBricks and other cloud technologies
- Experience with cloud computing and database technologies, including evaluating platform and stack architecture along with knowledge of industry best practices
- Knowledge of key Business Intelligence and Data Analytics tools, such as Tableau, PowerBI, Alteryx and others
- Experience with data profiling, lineage and metadata management techniques and tools
- Understanding of data governance, data quality and metadata management fundamentals and technologies
- All other duties as assigned.
The role of a data solution architect is technical but should also have skills that are important in designing the right architecture for the right need.
- BA or BS in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Management, Engineering or equivalent work experience. Relevant advanced degree is a plus
- Minimum of 5 or more years of experience in programming, systems analysis or other related field, including at least 3 years in a technical leadership role
- Excellent knowledge of data management principles, data acquisition and modeling, data warehousing, data lakes, business intelligence, metadata management, data security, and data governance
- Experience with software development methodologies and software engineering principles, with an emphasis on data related development techniques
- Strong leadership skills in the technology domain and a high level of drive, initiative and assertiveness, including up-leveling and mentoring
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, capable of using common office productivity software
- Ability to benchmark data systems, analyze bottlenecks and propose solutions to eliminate them
- Ability to clearly articulate pros and cons of various technologies and platforms
- Ability to document use cases, solutions and recommendations
- Experience performing detailed analysis of business problems and technical environments and use this in designing the solution
- Ability to work creatively and analytically in a problem-solving environment
- Strong collaboration skills and ability to work in teams in a fast-paced agile development environment
This position currently offers an onsite hybrid work schedule, with the expectation that you are in the office four days per week during onsite core days. Our current onsite core days are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The work schedule type and core days are subject to change with advance notification and manager discretion.
Benefits
- Your benefits start day one and are flexible and customizable to your and your family’s specific needs. Check out the BENEFITS of a Career at National Life!
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#LI-Hybrid
The base compensation range represents the low and high end of the range for this position. Actual compensation will vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors including but not limited to qualifications, skills, competencies, location, and experience. The range listed is just one component of our total compensation package for employees.