Head of Data Engineering

SUMMARY:
-

POSITION INFO:

Location: Cape Town (Hybrid)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Industry: FinTech | Data & Analytics | Financial Services

About the Role

WatersEdge Solutions is partnering with a fast-growing, technology-driven financial services organisation to find a Head of Data Engineering. This senior leadership role is ideal for an experienced data professional ready to drive platform innovation, team excellence, and strategic delivery. You'll oversee a mature cloud-based data environment while contributing to broader tech strategy at the executive level.

You will lead and evolve a core data function spanning Data Engineering, Analytics Engineering, and Machine Learning Engineering, shaping the organisation’s data strategy, governance, and innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and grow high-performing teams across Data Engineering, Analytics, and ML Engineering

• Embed best practices for scalable, secure, high-performance systems

• Define and execute a business-aligned data strategy and roadmap

• Architect and maintain modern cloud-based platforms (e.g., Snowflake, Azure)

• Ensure strong compliance with privacy laws and data governance (POPIA, GDPR)

• Oversee data pipeline design, platform performance, and team delivery

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, and Business stakeholders

• Manage budgets, SLOs, SLAs, and vendor relationships

What You’ll Bring

• Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or similar (Master’s preferred)

• 8–10+ years of experience in Data Engineering with advanced cloud expertise

• 3–5+ years of leadership experience in data teams, governance, and compliance

• Proven track record with cloud-based data platforms, ELT, and CI/CD pipelines

• Hands-on experience enabling MLOps and delivering operational data products

• Strong grasp of data privacy regulations and implementation frameworks

• Experience within product-aligned, agile environments

Nice to Have

• Experience in financial services or banking

• Deep familiarity with Snowflake, Azure, and DBT

• Exposure to event streaming tools like Kafka

• Experience with legacy platform modernisation

Technology Environment

Snowflake, Azure, Azure SQL (MSSQL), Postgres, Airbyte, Airflow, DBT Cloud/Core, Kafka, Azure ML, Terraform

What’s On Offer

• Executive-level influence on data and technology direction

• Leadership over a high-impact, cloud-first data function

• Access to cutting-edge AI and data innovation initiatives

• Hybrid working environment based in Cape Town

• Collaborative, product-focused technical culture

Company Culture

The company champions ownership, technical excellence, and commercial awareness. Teams work with a strong product mindset and collaborate across disciplines to deliver customer-focused, data-driven solutions. As part of the leadership group, you’ll contribute to innovation at scale in an environment that encourages forward thinking and real-world impact.

If you have not been contacted within 10 working days please consider your application unsuccessful.