A vocational education network in Belgium, with five training centres and 24 campuses across Flanders and Brussels, is preparing a shared approach to data management, reporting and analytical services. The Senior Data Architect will shape the future data operating model and data architecture, using data governance and analytics strategy to support collaboration and information exchange across the network.
The mission
The programme starts by documenting the existing data organisation, data flows and governance structures across the five training centres and 24 campuses. The target model must provide a common basis for data sharing, reporting, analytics and information management, while clarifying how data is owned and maintained. This work will establish the principles and structures needed for more consistent use of data across the organisation. It is planned as a multi-year programme focused on progressively professionalising data management.
You will assess the current landscape and translate your findings into a future data operating model and common data architecture. Your scope will include defining data ownership, roles and responsibilities, developing data quality and metadata management guidelines, and establishing data stewardship frameworks. You will also formulate recommendations for master data management, reporting and analytics, ensuring that the proposed approach can support practical collaboration between the different entities in the network.
Your responsibilities
- Assess the current data organisation, data flows and governance structures to establish a reliable baseline for the target architecture.
- Define the future data operating model, including ownership, decision rights, roles and responsibilities for managing data.
- Design a common data architecture and information modeling approach that supports collaboration, data exchange and analytical services.
- Establish principles for data quality management, data lifecycle management, metadata management and data stewardship frameworks.
- Recommend suitable approaches to master data management, reporting and analytics, aligned with the organisation’s needs.
- Translate architectural findings into clear governance guidance, priorities and a practical roadmap for implementation.
Your profile
Essential skills
- Bring senior-level experience as a Data Architect or in a comparable enterprise data role, with the ability to work across organisational entities.
- Develop and communicate a coherent data architecture and future data operating model from an assessment of existing structures.
- Apply DAMA-DMBOK principles to data governance, data ownership, data quality and data lifecycle management.
- Establish workable data stewardship frameworks, including clear roles, responsibilities and decision processes.
- Advise on master data management, metadata management, information modeling, reporting and analytics strategy.
- Connect architectural recommendations to operational requirements and explain complex data topics clearly to both business and technical stakeholders.
- Work independently, structure ambiguous information and produce recommendations that can guide multi-year organisational change.
Languages
- English: professional working proficiency
- Dutch: professional working proficiency