Data Architect

About the job

Intro

We are pleased to present an exciting opportunity for a Data Architect to join our Data Architecture TSG team. This role is offered as Full Time Employee, with the benefit of hybrid working arrangements.

Who we are

Railpen is responsible for the safekeeping and investment of around £34 billion in assets and the administration of several pension schemes, including the Railways Pension Scheme, one of the UK's largest and longest established pension funds.

Our heritage of looking after the pension needs of the rail industry and its employees gives us our name and our unique outlook on how we serve our members. Railpen takes a holistic view, focusing on how we serve members today and how we can positively impact the communities and the world they will retire into.

The role

The core purpose of the Data Architect role is to provide architectural leadership across Railpen’s data ecosystem, shaping the design, governance, and evolution of data platforms supporting Member Services, Finance, and Pension Investment Management (PIM).

The role is responsible for defining and governing enterprise data architecture standards, including modelling approaches, integration patterns, and platform design, ensuring solutions are scalable, secure, and aligned to Railpen’s wider technology and AI strategy.

As the role will support investment data capabilities, the successful candidate must be comfortable working with investment data concepts and engaging with Investment business stakeholders to translate requirements into robust, scalable data models and platform designs.

This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.

The person

We are looking for a hands-on Data Architect who can design practical, business-focused data solutions and work confidently with both technical and business stakeholders.

You should have:

• Strong hands-on experience with MS SQL Server 2016+ and Microsoft Fabric, or similar modern data platforms
• Proven experience designing data models for reporting, analytics, data warehousing or operational use
• Good understanding of investment management data, including areas such as securities, holdings, prices, transactions, valuations, benchmarks, performance, risk or reference data
• Experience designing data solutions that support investment operations, investment reporting, analytics or regulatory requirements
• Good understanding of data integration, ETL/ELT, data warehousing and platform design
• Ability to work with business stakeholders, engineers and delivery teams to translate requirements into scalable data solutions
• Strong communication skills and the ability to explain technical concepts clearly
• Good attention to detail, with a focus on high-quality, maintainable solutions
• Exposure to Python, Azure Data Factory or the wider Microsoft data stack would be beneficial
• A collaborative mindset aligned to integrity, community and constructive challenge

What we can offer you

Rewarding you

• A competitive salary
• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Generous annual bonus plan
• We provide membership of the Railways Pension Scheme, a Defined Contributions arrangement under which you get a pension for life and a lump sum when you retire, based on your length of service and pay
• Life Assurance cover
• Colleague referral scheme

Heath & Wellbeing

• Employee assistance programme
• Heath cash plan
• Eye care vouchers
• Flu vaccination

Lifestyle

• We support hybrid and flexible working
• Buy and sell holidays
• Give as you earn scheme
• Paid volunteering days
• Flexible half days leave
• Electric vehicle leasing
• Cycle to work scheme

Next Steps

Please apply by 5pm on Thursday 14th July 2026.

Railpen is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse environment, we value diversity and welcome people from all backgrounds and walks of life