Head of Data Engineering

Context

One of the world's most recognised food and beverage brands is making the largest single investment in its data function in company history. Aiming to build a single trusted source of truth that powers confident commercial decision-making across every market it operates in.

The Head of Data Engineering is one of the three most critical hires on the programme. You will lead the data engineering workstream end to end, working directly with the Global Director of Data and Systems and delivering against a fixed nine-month timeline with full board-level visibility.

The Stack

• Snowflake - medallion architecture already in production
• dbt - transformation layer
• Fivetran - replacing Legacy Mulesoft
• Azure cloud platform
• Legacy Microsoft SQL - staged migration via SQL mirroring
• Source systems: Oracle Symphony, Deliverect, CommerceTools, Workday, Manhattan, and multiple SaaS providers

What You Will Be Doing

• Leading the data engineering workstream end to end across a 25-role transformation programme
• Managing and developing a team of data engineers (contractors and FTE)
• Accelerating data migration off Legacy SQL into Snowflake via the medallion architecture
• Building scalable ELT pipelines using dbt and Fivetran
• Reporting directly into the Global Director of Data and Systems
• Presenting regularly to CIO and CEO-level stakeholders
• Building it and owning it afterwards

What We Need

• Hands-on coding experience this is a builder role, not a slide deck architect position
• Real line management experience where you have genuinely managed and developed engineers
• Deep expertise in Snowflake and dbt
• Fast-paced, high-velocity delivery background - scale-up or equivalent strongly preferred over large corporate
• Agile delivery mindset operating in two week sprint
• UK right to work - no sponsorship available

Nice to Have

• Fivetran and Azure experience
• QSR, retail, or food and beverage domain background
• Experience migrating off Legacy SQL estates at scale
• Experience building a data engineering function from scratch

Why This Role

• Largest investment in data in the company's history
• Board-level visibility direct access to Global Director, CIO, and CEO
• Build it and own it you are not handing this off when it is done
• A genuine team-building opportunity at one of the world's most recognisable brands
• Fixed nine-month programme with clear deliverables and no ambiguity about what success looks like

Why?

• Lead the engineering delivery of a major, board-visible modernisation programme at one of the UK's best-known consumer brands.
• Build and run a high-performing data engineering function from the ground up, on a modern Snowflake/dbt/Fivetran/Azure stack.
• Direct reporting line to the Global Data & Systems Director, with regular exposure to the CIO.
• Competitive base salary, bonus, benefits including private medical, pension, life assurance