Senior Data Architect

Title : Data Architect Location :: Minneapolis, MN (3-4 Days Onsite in a Week) Position : Contract Job Summary We are looking for a highly skilled Data Architect with strong Technical Program Management (TPM) capabilities, deep data modeling expertise, and hands-on experience with Azure Cloud. The ideal candidate will architect scalable data solutions, manage cross-functional programs, and ensure the delivery of enterprise-grade data platforms that enable analytics, AI/ML, and business intelligence initiatives. ________________________________________ Key Responsibilities Define and own the data architecture strategy leveraging Azure cloud services (Azure Synapse, Data Factory, Databricks, Data Lake, Cosmos DB, etc.). Design, implement, and optimize conceptual, logical, and physical data models to support data warehouse, lakehouse, and transactional systems. Partner with business stakeholders, product owners, and engineering teams to translate requirements into scalable architecture. Act as a Technical Program Manager (TPM) to oversee planning, execution, and delivery of large-scale data programs, managing dependencies and risks. Ensure adherence to data governance, security, compliance, and performance standards. Provide architectural guidance for ETL/ELT pipelines, data integrations, and API-driven architectures. Collaborate with enterprise architects, cloud engineers, and data scientists to enable advanced analytics and AI/ML workloads. Mentor and guide data engineers and modelers in best practices. Monitor emerging technologies and propose enhancements to improve scalability and efficiency. Required Qualifications 10+ years of experience in data architecture and engineering, with at least 3+ years in a TPM or leadership capacity. Strong expertise in Azure Cloud Services: Azure Synapse, ADF, Databricks, Data Lake, SQL Database, Cosmos DB. Advanced knowledge of data modeling techniques (dimensional, relational, star/snowflake schema, NoSQL). Proven experience leading large-scale data programs/projects with cross-functional teams. Proficiency in SQL, Python, and/or PySpark for data processing and modeling validation. Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and program leadership skills. Preferred Qualifications Experience in BFSI, Wealth Management, or Telecom domains. Azure Certifications (Data Engineer Associate, Solutions Architect, or Data Scientist). Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practices, and automation for data solutions. Knowledge of BI/Analytics tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or Looker. Education Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or a related field.