Supporting Banking & Payments COO Leaders

Lead Data Architect in Payments – London, Manchester or Edinburgh (Hybrid, Permanent)

A Tier 1 UK bank, with a newly appointed Head of Payments Architecture, is seeking a Lead Data Architect to help define and deliver the future of payments technology. This is a high-impact role for someone who is passionate about modern data architecture and skilled in designing enterprise-level systems where data underpins every decision and service. You will lead architectural direction, guide a high-calibre team, and remain close to the technology, ensuring solutions are both strategically sound and technically excellent.

What You’ll Do

• Lead architecture strategy for the payments domain, ensuring data-centric design is embedded at the core.


• Drive the enterprise architecture vision, aligning technology and business outcomes.


• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to other architects and engineers.


• Design and deliver service-oriented, cloud-native technology services.


• Architect and oversee the implementation of real-time, event-driven systems using Kafka.


• Model systems and design solutions that are scalable, secure, and resilient.


• Collaborate closely with engineering teams, remaining hands-on with technical implementation.


• Champion modern architectural approaches such as data mesh for scalable data management.

What We’re Looking For

• Strong enterprise architecture knowledge with a data-centric approach.


• Understanding of data architecture, data modelling, and technical design principles.


• Engineering background with deep understanding of the full SDLC.


• Proven expertise in event-driven, real-time systems, ideally within payments.


• Ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders across business and technology.

This is a permanent role based in London, Manchester or Edinburgh with hybrid working.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Information Technology