Head of BI/Senior BI Architect

Senior BI Architect

Birmingham

Reporting into the CTI as a key member of our newly formed Data Engineering team, the Senior BI Architect will lead the design, development, and ongoing enhancement of Compass Community's data and reporting infrastructure. You will be the strategic owner of our Azure Data Platform, overseeing services such as Azure Data Lake, Data Warehouse, Data Factory, Databricks, and Power BI.

This role combines technical leadership, agile delivery, and stakeholder engagement to drive data-driven decision-making across departments including safeguarding, education, residential care, HR, finance, and compliance. Your work will directly contribute to improving outcomes for children and ensuring operational excellence.

Core Responsibilities

Strategic & Technical Leadership

• Shape and evolve the BI and data platform strategy to meet business, compliance, and care objectives
• Lead a multi-disciplinary data engineering team using Agile (Scrum) methodologies
• Oversee the development and scalability of the strategic data platform
• Manage the BI function and ensure alignment with business goals

Platform Ownership & Governance

• Administer and govern the Azure Fabric Platform, including:
• Azure Data Lake & Data Warehouse (storage)
• Azure Data Factory (data integration)
• Databricks (data transformation and modelling)
• Power BI (analytics and dashboards)

Ensure data integrity, access control, platform monitoring, and incident resolution

Explore AI capabilities to enhance data presentation and consumption

Agile Delivery & Operational Oversight

• Act as Scrum Master for data engineering sprints
• Translate business needs into actionable user stories and deliverables
• Balance sprint workload between new development and support tasks
• Oversee testing, small changes, and continuous integration

Stakeholder Engagement & Insight Development

• Collaborate with Data Insight Leads and business teams to create impactful dashboards
• Support internal and external reporting (e.g., Ofsted, Local Authorities)
• Promote data literacy and self-service analytics across the organisation

Quality Assurance & Compliance

• Maintain high standards of data quality, consistency, and availability
• Develop and manage a comprehensive data dictionary
• Ensure GDPR compliance and responsible data usage, especially around child protection
• Support statutory and operational reporting with accurate, timely data

Key Skills & Competencies

• Deep expertise in Azure BI architecture and cloud services
• Strong grasp of data modelling, integration, and warehousing best practices
• Proven experience in Agile/Scrum delivery and full development lifecycle
• Ability to translate complex data into actionable insights for non-technical audiences
• Familiarity with safeguarding and compliance in social care or education settings
• Passion for using data to improve outcomes for children and families

Education & Experience

• 3–5 years in BI architecture and team leadership
• Degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field
• Extensive hands-on experience with Azure Fabric, SQL warehousing, and Databricks
• Track record in MI/BI product development using Agile and Waterfall methods
• Experience managing cross-functional teams and sprint activities
• Background in social care, childcare, or education is desirable

Success Measures

• Delivery and evolution of a secure, scalable Strategic Data Platform
• High-performing team with clear objectives and development plans
• Reliable data models supporting business and regulatory reporting
• Measurable business impact via Power BI dashboards
• Positive feedback from stakeholders and customer satisfaction surveys
• Strong adoption of BI tools and self-service analytics
• Full compliance with GDPR and safeguarding protocols
• Ownership of up-to-date technical documentation

General Expectations

• Operate with professionalism, purpose, and pace
• Embody Compass Community's REACH values in all activities
• Maintain confidentiality and adhere to data protection standards
• Comply with company policies including Equal Opportunities, IT usage, and Health & Safety
• Be flexible and responsive to evolving business needs
• Travel to Compass Community locations as required

Salary/Package

• Basic salary of £75k-£80k
• Discretionary company bonus
• Share Option Scheme
• 4% Pension
• Life Insurance 3 x salary
• 25 days annual leave plus stautory - 1 x extra day every year for the first 3 years
• Blue Light Card
• Medicash - includes discounted gym memberships etc.