Data Architect - Enterprise Data Strategy & Architecture

We are seeking an experienced Data Architect to lead the development of an Enterprise Data Strategy and establish a scalable, secure, and governed data architecture capability. The successful candidate will partner with business stakeholders, IT leadership, security teams, architects, and data owners to define a future-state data environment that enables digital transformation, advanced analytics, AI, data science, and business intelligence initiatives. This role combines strategic data leadership with hands-on architecture, governance, and roadmap development. ResponsibilitiesEnterprise Data Strategy • Develop and define an enterprise-wide data strategy aligned to business objectives. • Assess current data capabilities, maturity, and opportunities. • Create a multi-year roadmap for data transformation and modernization. • Identify and prioritize strategic data initiatives that drive business value. • Align data strategy with organizational policies, standards, privacy, and compliance requirements. • Develop current-state and target-state enterprise data architectures. • Create conceptual, logical, and high-level physical data models. • Define enterprise data architecture principles, standards, and best practices. • Design architecture patterns for data integration, storage, governance, and consumption. • Assess existing data platforms and recommend future-state technologies. • Identify opportunities to improve data pipelines, data flows, and information management processes. Data Governance & Data Management • Establish enterprise data governance frameworks and operating models. • Define data ownership, stewardship, and accountability structures. • Develop recommendations for data quality management and controls. • Define metadata management and master data management requirements. • Recommend data classification, retention, security, and access management standards. • Ensure compliance with regulatory, privacy, and information security requirements. Stakeholder Engagement • Facilitate workshops and interviews with business and technology stakeholders. • Collaborate with executive leadership, architects, data owners, and vendor partners. • Present findings, recommendations, and strategic roadmaps to senior management. • Build alignment across business units on enterprise data priorities and governance standards. Discovery & Assessment • Current-State Data Landscape Assessment • Data Flow and Integration Assessment • Data Maturity Assessment • Gap Analysis and Opportunity Assessment • Enterprise Data Strategy • Data Maturity Development Plan Governance • Data Governance Framework • Data Ownership Model • Data Stewardship Model • Data Quality Framework Recommendations • Data Security and Classification Framework • Target-State Data Architecture • Data Architecture Principles and Standards • Technology and Platform Recommendations • Data Integration Improvement Recommendations Qualifications • Matric and a Bachelor's Degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or related discipline. • TOGAF • DAMA CDMP • AWS Data & Analytics Certifications • Google Cloud Data Certifications Experience • Minimum 8-10 years' experience in Data Architecture, Data Management, or Enterprise Architecture roles. • Strong experience establishing Data Governance frameworks and operating models. • Experience conducting Data Maturity Assessments and roadmap development. • Experience engaging senior business and executive stakeholders. • Strong understanding of data security, privacy, compliance, and risk management. • Experience supporting AI, advanced analytics, business intelligence, data science, and digital transformation initiatives. Technical Expertise Strong knowledge of: • Data Governance & Data Management • Data Modeling (Conceptual, Logical, Physical) • Master Data Management (MDM) • Metadata Management • Data Quality Management • Data Warehousing & Data Lakes • Data Integration & ETL/ELT Solutions • Data Security & Privacy Frameworks • Business Intelligence & Analytics Platforms • Data Strategy and Transformation Programs • Strategic Thinking • Executive Communication • Stakeholder Management • Consulting & Advisory Skills • Problem Solving • Business Acumen • Change Management • Documentation & Presentation Skills Create a job alert for this search Data Architect - Enterprise Data Strategy & Architecture KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa #J-18808-Ljbffr