This position will be hybrid a work environment including three days onsite and two days work from home

Functional Title 
Head of Data Architecture 

Locations preference 

Buffalo NY, Wilmington DE, Bridgeport CT 

About the Team 

Our team is on a mission of unleashing the power of data to support decision making. Our team builds enduring data products, provides platforms to access & derive insights from data, enables confidence in decision making with appropriate data governance, delivers actionable insights through use of data science and activates value for the business by innovatively solving problems with data. We operate with a sense of urgency, build data analytic products at scale, and innovate solutions on behalf of our customers. We work hard but value the need for downtime to unplug and recharge. We embrace our differences and view them as a key driver of innovation. We are Enterprise Data and Analytics @ M&T 

About the Role 
We are seeking an experienced Senior Data Architect to join our team and lead the design, development, and implementation of our data architecture solutions. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of data management principles, a proven track record of designing scalable data architectures, and the ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver impactful solutions. 

The Head of Data Architecture drives thought leadership and execution capability as we advance the M&T data journey. 

Key responsibilities include 

• Lead the design and development of scalable, high-performance data architectures that meet business requirements. 

• Build, lead and manage a team of architectural specialists in service of these objectives. 

• Establish and enforce best practices for data modeling, database design, and data integration. 

• Provide thought leadership and execution capability in Data Model selection, enhancement and implementation. 

• Partner with Enterprise Data Management to define data standards, policies, and procedures to ensure data integrity, security, and availability. 

• Collaborate with business stakeholders to understand data requirements and translate them into technical solutions. 

• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior members of the data architecture team. 

• Work closely with data engineers and developers to implement and optimize data pipelines and ETL processes. 

• Communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels of the organization to articulate technical concepts and recommendations. 

• Participate in Agile ceremonies to lead the partnership with delivery teams and domain leadership on data architecture areas to include business, application, data, Cloud/infrastructure, security, integration, operations and support, in preparation for S3/S4 meetings and Data Product Working Group meetings. 

• Identify risk-related issues needing escalation to management. 

• Promote an environment that supports diversity and reflects the M&T Bank brand. 

• Maintain M&T internal control standards, including timely implementation of internal and external audit points together with any issues raised by external regulators as applicable. 

• Additional Duties as assigned. 

About you 

You are a leader, highly capable of navigating ambiguity and using your existing expertise and informal influencing capabilities to drive consensus and progress. 

Key skillsets and experience include: 

Data Modeling: Proficiency in designing conceptual, logical, and physical data models using industry-standard techniques and tools. 

Database Management: Extensive experience with relational and non-relational databases, including SQL, NoSQL, and distributed database systems. 

Data Integration: Expertise in designing and implementing data integration solutions, including ETL processes, data pipelines, and data warehousing. 

Big Data Technologies: Familiarity with big data technologies such as Hadoop, Spark, Kafka, and Hive for processing and analyzing large volumes of data. 

Cloud Platforms: Experience working with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP, including services like S3, Redshift, BigQuery, and Azure Data Lake. 

Data Governance: Knowledge of data governance principles and practices, including data quality, metadata management, and data lineage. 

Analytical Thinking: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to analyze complex data-related issues and propose effective solutions. 

Leadership: Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to lead cross-functional teams, mentor junior team members, and drive projects to successful completion. 

Communication: Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate technical concepts effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. 

Minimum Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree and 9 years of relevant work experience, or in lieu of a degree, a combined minimum of 13 year's higher education and/or relevant work experience 

• Experience negotiating, influencing, and achieving alignment with senior technology and business leaders 

• 9 or more years of experience in developing and integrating applications using relevant software architecture principles and patterns 

• Experience in architecture modeling to strategically plan capabilities within domains 

• Work experience in software engineering, software delivery and solution architecture 

• Experience in driving and delivering innovation within the realm of Cloud 

• Experience in utilizing architectural frameworks 

• Experience working with enterprise architecture tools 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Graduate degree in business or technical discipline 

• Certification and experience working with Cloud technologies and vendors 

• Experience working in an Agile environment 

• Certification in enterprise architecture frameworks 

• Experience working in the financial services industry 

• Experience working in three or more technical roles related to banking technical design and roadmap planning 

• Experience in banking, application, data, Cloud and infrastructure, cybersecurity, and integration architecture 

• Experience in driving and delivering innovation opportunities, within the realm of banking, to senior leadership