Azure Data Architect

Our client is a global Christian nonprofit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive Bible studies worldwide. As a nonprofit, they value technical innovation aligned with their mission. They are in the process of bringing architecture expertise in-house to better serve their members and ensure mission-critical solutions are designed and maintained with high standards.

They are looking for a Data Architect who will play a key role in defining, designing, and overseeing data solutions for their ministry. The ideal candidate is a true architect, not just an engineer with architecture experience, and has hands-on knowledge of Azure-based data systems.

Role Overview:

As the Data Architect, you will be responsible for:

• Day 1:
• Working closely with software developers, business analysts, and other team members in technology to understand and speak their language.
• Reading business documents with scenarios and transforming them into well-structured data architectures.
• Designing, evaluating, and specifying data architectures to support organizational needs.
• By Day 60:
• Collaborating with developers to turn your data architecture designs into working software.
• Providing clear, detailed design documents that ensure alignment with technical and ministry requirements.
• By Day 120 and Beyond:
• Continually updating architecture to keep pace with business changes.
• Leading the effort to keep their technology and data architecture ahead of the curve while addressing technical debt.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Data Architecture & Design:
• Design and architect data solutions using SQL Azure, Power BI, Azure Synapse, Azure Data Factory, and potentially Microsoft Fabric in the future.
• Ensure all designs integrate seamlessly with front-end systems, currently built with React Native.
• Design and implement solutions that improve data access, reporting, and member engagement, specifically through improved systems for members to access weekly lessons.
2. Collaboration & Leadership:
• Collaborate with the software development teams to guide the architecture and ensure it meets functional needs.
• Communicate with outsourced vendors (currently based in India) to provide clear and actionable design documents.
• Partner with internal teams to ensure the architecture supports business and ministry goals.
3. Vendor Management:
• Oversee vendor-managed development while transitioning architecture capabilities in-house.
• Collaborate with vendors, ensuring design specifications are met with minimal oversight, and managing the relationship for efficient delivery.
4. Technical Oversight:
• Author architectural specifications and design documents.
• Act as a liaison between product owners, software development teams, and the business to ensure the design is implemented correctly.
• Perform testing and verification to ensure the solution matches design specifications.

Required Qualifications:

• Proven experience as a Data Architect with expertise in Azure SQL and Power BI.
• Strong understanding of Azure architecture and familiarity with tools such as Azure Synapse, Azure Data Factory, and Microsoft Fabric (or an eagerness to work with it in the future).
• Familiarity with cloud systems and experience working with React Native applications is a plus.
• Experience designing ministry or nonprofit solutions is preferred but not required.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with Microsoft's data and analytics tools, particularly in the Azure ecosystem.
• Proven ability to oversee teams of developers and software engineers while focusing on high-level architecture design.
• Demonstrated experience in working with outsourced vendors, particularly managing remote teams.
• Strong communication skills to convey complex technical requirements in a clear, concise manner across teams and with external vendors.

Additional Expectations:

• Ability to explain clear requirements and create documentation that is easy to follow by both in-house and outsourced teams, working with limited daily overlap.
• This role will focus on design and architecture and will not require hands-on development (very little to no coding).
• Must be comfortable working within a Christian nonprofit organization and aligning technical solutions with the ministry's mission.

Additional Requirements

• Must be local to DFW.
• Interested candidates must be prepared to align with their core values and Statement of Faith as part of the hiring process. If you are passionate about technology, data architecture, and ministry, and ready to take on a leadership role in designing cutting-edge solutions, we would love to hear from you!