Head of Data Engineering

The Head of Data Engineering will be a foundational leader in evolving our data platform and data strategy. You will be responsible for leading the design, development, and maintenance of the core data infrastructure that powers our enterprise data products and analytics capabilities. This role is crucial for enabling a modern Data Mesh operating model, which empowers domain teams across the organization to own, serve, and utilize high-quality data products independently.

You will directly manage and mentor a diverse, talented team of Data Engineers across multiple geographies (UK, Czechia, India), fostering a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous learning. By partnering closely with Data Product Management and business SMEs, you'll ensure our data platform roadmap aligns with measurable business outcomes and the company's overall strategic vision for Data and AI.

This opportunity is unique because you'll shape the technical direction, drive the adoption of modern cloud technologies like Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and implement DataOps/FinOps best practices in a complex, hybrid cloud environment. You'll move beyond traditional data warehousing to build robust, scalable, and self-service data infrastructure.

Product & Technology plays a pivotal role in aligning the organization with its strategic objectives and enhancing shareholder value. Product & Technology is responsible for establishing unified standards and governance practices throughout the company. Additionally, we oversee the development and maintenance of core applications essential for the seamless operation of various functions across the organization. We are committed to driving and executing future roadmaps that are in line with the overall strategic direction of RWS.

With a global reach, Product & Technology provides support services to over 7500 end users worldwide. We take pride in managing the information security operation and safeguarding all our assets. Our core functions encompass Enterprise & Technical Architecture, Network & Voice, Infrastructure, Service Delivery, Service Operations, Data & Analytics, Security & Quality Compliance, Transformation, Application Development, Enterprise Platforms, With a dedicated team of over 500 staff, Product & Technology ensures a strong presence across all regions, enabling efficient and effective support to our global operations.

• Lead the technical design and oversight for the development of core data platform infrastructure, enabling the shift to a Data Mesh operating model.
• Directly manage, coach, and mentor a global team of Data Engineers (UK, Czechia, Poland, India), facilitating personal development and fostering a culture of technical ownership, collaboration, and high quality.
• Define and execute the technical strategy and architecture decisions across on-premise and cloud-based implementations, including evaluating new technologies (e.g., GCP, BigQuery, Dataform) through Proofs of Concept (POCs).
• Champion Data Mesh principles by building robust self-service data infrastructure that enables domain teams to independently own and serve their data products.
• Partner effectively with Product Managers, Engineering Managers, and the business teams to refine and execute the data platform roadmap.
• Contribute as a core member of the Data Governance working group to establish standards, protocols, and discovery mechanisms for secure, reliable data-as-a-product exchange.
• Oversee project execution using Agile methodologies, managing technical risks and dependencies while ensuring the team's adoption of modern DataOps and FinOps practices for automation and cost efficiency.

• Experience leading engineering teams (3+ years preferred) focused on developing and maintaining data infrastructure or data platforms.
• Strong architectural understanding of distributed data systems, data warehousing, and modern data architecture patterns.
• Significant hands‑on proficiency with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) services, including BigQuery and related data ecosystem tools, demonstrated through project delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to coach and develop technical teams, drive engineering best practices (Agile, testing, CI/CD, documentation), and manage technical quality.
• Experience delivering major data platform features, managing technical risks, and ensuring the stability and performance of production data systems.

• Conceptual or practical experience with a Data Mesh operating model, including decentralised domain ownership, data‑as‑a‑product concepts, and federated governance.
• Experience designing or implementing shared platform components, such as automated provisioning, data product scaffolding, or discovery portals.
• Familiarity with data contracts, APIs for exposing data products, and managing complex hybrid cloud/on‑premise data environments.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Data Stack and Azure cloud services, including SQL Server.

Life at RWS - If you like the idea of working with smart people who are passionate about growing the value of ideas, data and content by making sure organizations are understood, then you’ll love life at RWS.

Our purpose is to unlock global understanding. This means our work fundamentally recognizes the value of every language and culture. So, we celebrate difference, we are inclusive and believe that diversity makes us strong. We want every employee to grow as an individual and excel in their career.

In return, we expect all our people to live by the values that unite us: to partner, putting clients fist and winning together, to pioneer, innovating fearlessly and leading with vision and courage, to progress, aiming high and growing through actions, and to deliver, owning the outcome and building trust with our colleagues and clients.

RWS embraces DEI and promotes equal opportunity, we are an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind. RWS is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at RWS are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, sex, age, disability or sexual orientation. RWS will not tolerate discrimination based on any of these characteristics.

Agencies: RWS Holdings PLC does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward any unsolicited resumes to any RWS employees. Any unsolicited resume received will be treated as the property of RWS and Terms & Conditions associated with the use of such resume will be considered null and void.