Job description

We are currently recruiting for an Enterprise Data Architect to join our Architecture, Data & Engineering team within IT in London.  This Senior Manager level role will ensure A&O has focus on and maintains an enterprise data governance framework for data policies, processes, standards, and practices, across A&O, to achieve the required level of consistency and quality to meet A&O business needs.

The role will be the custodian of data, setting the vision for A&O’s use of data and will manage A&O’s data/application catalogues, matrices and diagrams to improve the quality and value of core data assets, respond to regulatory requirements as well as support strategic functional and non-functional requirements.

The role will manage the way that people and programs engage with data, ensuring that data can be turned into valuable insights that inform business decisions. The role holder will consistently communicate the business benefits of data standards and will champion and govern those standards across the firm. The role holder will ensure internal procedures keep pace with evolving data regulation and compliance.

Role and responsibilities

• Ensure data is discoverable, well understood, and trusted
• Govern and manage the A&O data and information lifecycle across all data assets
• Help establish best practice, rules and ownership of A&O’s taxonomy and ontology
• Manage and govern a unified view of A&O data, its data provenance, gravity and lineage
• Drive innovation and growth through the use of data, unlocking data for insightful business decisions
• Build and maintain excellent working-relationships across A&Os Data Stewards to ensure internal stakeholders and leaders are informed and aligned
• Create a Data Governance and Quality function, including processes and tools to achieve A&Os data objectives
• Define a proactive approach to the management of data models, definitions, data governance, ethics and data processing rules to provide timely, appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information at the point of need
• Actively use patterns and trends in data quality and data governance to drive positive change in people, process, technology and governance
• Develop and be responsible for the standards, policies and procedures for the on-going implementation of data governance
• Ensure alignment between data governance best practice, Data Privacy procedures and requirements and the IT Information Security strategy
• Work closely with and set direction for the Trusted Data Platform team, staying close to opportunities and solutions that exist within A&O, provide guidance on new products, approaches and supplier relationships that could impact data collection, processing and analytics

Key requirements
Business Competencies

• Commercial acumen, including an understanding of the overall picture of IT service costs and how IT adds value to the business
• Adept at building business cases and selling these to senior stakeholders
• An enthusiasm and passion for technology. The ability to promote technology within the firm, using business friendly language, and seek out opportunities with tangible business benefits
• High level of personal credibility, impact and influence with proven ability to work effectively and persuasively at all levels of the business
• Having an open mind to consider all alternatives when making technology decisions
• Develops excellent working relationships across the breadth of the IT function and effectively shares knowledge between individuals and teams to contribute to the overall effectiveness of the department
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present at a level suitable to the audience
• Experience of working in a global environment working across international locations and borders with an appreciation of the complexity and difficulties this may bring

Knowledge & Experience

• Knowledge and awareness of business and technology issues related to the management of enterprise wide data
• Expert level data modelling experience. Including a deep understanding of relational, taxonomical and ontological modelling approaches
• An expert in information management practices including requirements gathering, information lifecycle management, data profiling, master data management and data audits
• Strong recent experience of developing and managing an enterprise data catalogue and modern data architecture.
• Proven experience of developing, implementing and managing a Data Governance and Data Quality Management Framework and associated processes
• Demonstrable experience in building, delivering and managing detailed data quality measurement frameworks
• Comfortable presenting complex data models, flows and relationships to non-data peers and colleagues
• Clear knowledge and experience relating to the application of data governance, data privacy and data ethics principles to support and drive data strategy
• Evidence of establishing governance processes, with engaged teams, leading and implementing enterprise-wide data governance and demonstrable improvements in data quality
• Experience of unstructured, semi-structured and structured data and associated processing approaches.
• Analytical with strong numeracy and good statistical skills with an ability to deal with complexity quantifying uncertainty and develop probability models providing rationale to enable simple decision-making
• Experience of Agile ways of working with product, project, service and platform teams
• Results orientated to ensure change and delivery metrics are meaningful and supported with robust business data
• Experienced in managing, versioning and automating data and systems
• Knowledge and experience relating to MLOps, testing and quality management
• Experienced at using regulatory frameworks such as GDPR and other data privacy regulations to drive data governance ethics
• Preferable: Experience of real world problem-solving using informed and uninformed search strategies, and applying beyond classical and adversarial search techniques. NLP and Machine learning experience a distinct advantage.
• Preferable: Experience using automated approaches to manage and support data privacy compliance

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of Allen & Overy’s recruitment team who will work with you to provide any reasonable adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic

At Allen & Overy, we recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, private medical insurance, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing an onsite gym, wellbeing centre and GP service, emergency back-up care support, parental and special leave, holiday entitlement increasing with length of service, holiday trading, season ticket loans and online discounts and lifestyle management services.


Additional information - External

Allen & Overy is a leading global law firm operating in over thirty countries. We work on some of the most challenging and important deals and have built a reputation for delivering exceptional legal solutions that help our clients grow, innovate and thrive. The legal industry is changing, and we're committed to leading that change, putting our people first, embracing new ways of thinking and integrating technology into our everyday work. Our business teams work hand-in-hand with our lawyers, Consultants and other specialist teams, and are ambitious, driven and leaders in their field.

With us, you will constantly be learning and growing. We invest in you by offering exceptional professional and personal development – providing training, mentoring and practical support. We offer rewarding careers that are built around your strengths and designed to ensure you can achieve your personal and professional goals, recognising that those may look different for everyone.

We have a powerful commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We’re determined to play our part in advancing a workplace where progress is made by harnessing our differences – whatever defines you, we ask you to bring your whole self to work.

What truly defines a career at Allen & Overy? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. We provide challenge, support and a place for you to belong. And together we excel, working on meaningful projects of global significance.