Lead Data Architect (Azure Data Platform) – Part-Time Contract
Ghent, Belgium (On-site)
Duration: 4 months (11 May 2026 – 1 September 2026)
Workload: 1 day per week
We are looking for a Lead Data Architect to define, design, and guide the implementation of a modern, enterprise-grade data platform. This role ensures alignment between business, IT, and data teams while delivering a scalable, secure, and future-proof architecture.
Key Responsibilities
* Define and design the overall Azure-based data platform architecture (compute, storage, networking, security)
* Lead the implementation of modern data platform patterns and standards
* Establish and enforce DevOps practices (CI/CD pipelines, environments, monitoring, alerting)
* Ensure security, access control, and compliance (IAM, secrets management, GDPR-by-design)
* Define and oversee automation of platform operations to improve reliability and reduce manual effort
* Ensure the platform is production-ready, resilient, and operationally robust
* Monitor platform performance, reliability, and cost efficiency
* Align architecture with DevOps, DataOps, and MLOps practices across analytics and AI workloads
* Act as key technical advisor between ICT, governance, and data teams
Required Experience
* Extensive experience designing and delivering cloud-based data platforms, preferably on Azure
* Strong background in enterprise data architecture and modern data platform design
* Proven experience with CI/CD pipelines and platform automation
* Experience working within enterprise ICT governance, security, and compliance frameworks (GDPR, IAM, etc.)
Key Skills
* Strong expertise in Azure (networking, storage, compute, security)
* Solid experience with Data Modeling, ETL/ELT, and Data Architecture principles
* Hands-on knowledge of Databricks, SQL, MySQL, Power BI, and Git
* Experience with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Bicep, ARM) and CI/CD tools (Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions)
* Strong understanding of DataOps concepts and modern data platform architecture
* Experience with IAM, network segmentation, private endpoints, and secrets management
* Ability to define and align architectural roadmaps
Profile
* Strong architectural leadership mindset with hands-on capability when needed
* Strong focus on automation, scalability, and long-term platform stability
* Pragmatic problem solver with enterprise delivery experience
* Strong collaboration skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders
* Structured, disciplined, and documentation-driven approach
* Strong sense of accountability for platform quality and governance
Languages
* English: Full professional proficiency (required)
* Dutch: Nice to have
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