Data Engineering Lead, Lloyds Banking Group

This review offers an in-depth look at the Data Engineering Lead opportunity within the Consumer Servicing & Engagement (CS&E) Platform at Lloyds Banking Group. For aspiring data leaders, this role presents a compelling chance to shape the future of digital customer experiences in a large, established financial institution. We'll explore the key advantages and considerations for candidates looking to advance their careers in data engineering.

About the Role:

The Data Engineering Lead will be instrumental in driving the technical vision for data within the CS&E Platform. This involves collaborating with diverse engineering teams to deliver critical data programs, championing industry best practices, and contributing to the overarching data strategy. A significant aspect of the role includes developing and implementing new cloud-native data patterns, simplifying and optimizing the existing data estate, and ensuring adherence to financial industry data classifications. You will also represent the CS&E function in broader data forums and lead data working groups.

Key Advantages for Candidates:

• Strategic Impact: This role offers a prime opportunity to influence data strategy at a group level, moving beyond tactical execution to strategic design and implementation. You'll be at the forefront of shaping how data drives customer engagement and financial well-being.
• Innovation and Modern Technologies: The emphasis on creating new cloud-native data patterns and working with technologies like Google Cloud, Kafka, containers (Docker, Kubernetes), and event-driven architectures means you'll be working with cutting-edge tools and methodologies.
• Career Growth and Development: Lloyds Banking Group is undergoing a significant transformation, investing heavily in data and technology. This creates a fertile ground for learning, skill enhancement, and career progression. The mention of "countless new ways for our people to work, learn, and thrive" is a strong indicator of the developmental opportunities available.
• Hybrid and Flexible Working: The role explicitly supports flexible working, including hybrid arrangements (two days per week in the Bristol office) and the possibility of part-time or job-share arrangements. This offers a great balance between collaborative in-office work and personal flexibility.
• Competitive Compensation and Benefits: With a salary range of £90,440 - £106,400, this role is financially attractive. The comprehensive benefits package, including a generous pension contribution, annual bonus, share schemes, ample holiday, and extensive wellbeing initiatives, further enhances the overall value proposition.
• Inclusive Culture: Lloyds Banking Group demonstrates a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, evident in their initiatives and their status as a Disability Confident Leader. This signifies an environment where individuals are encouraged to be themselves and are supported to perform at their best.
• Meaningful Work: The opportunity to "help Britain prosper" and make a difference to millions of customers, businesses, and communities provides a sense of purpose and impact.

Key Considerations for Candidates:

• On-Call Requirement: Be aware that the role includes an on-call component, which is common in leadership positions within critical operational environments.
• Hands-On Technical Leadership: While strategic, the role requires "hands-on proven experience" in delivering systems design, development, testing, and operational stability. Candidates should be comfortable bridging strategic thinking with practical technical execution.
• Breadth of Experience: The ideal candidate will possess a broad range of skills, including proficiency in programming languages (Python, PL/SQL), cloud platforms (GCP, Azure, AWS), distributed systems, event-driven architecture, and containerization. Experience with Kafka and data architecture working groups is also highly valued.
• Data Lifecycle Management: A strong understanding across the entire data lifecycle is essential, from architecture and design to implementation, optimization, and governance.
• Industry Knowledge: Familiarity with financial industry data classification and working with business and technology teams on adoption will be beneficial.
• Mentorship and Coaching: The role involves coaching teams on best practices and data strategy alignment. Candidates with strong leadership and mentorship skills will excel.

Career Path Guidance:

This Data Engineering Lead position is an excellent stepping stone for seasoned data professionals looking to elevate their careers. It offers the chance to move into a more strategic and influential leadership role, directly impacting the direction of data within a major financial institution. The experience gained in shaping data strategy, implementing modern data architectures, and driving adoption of best practices will be invaluable for future senior leadership opportunities within data engineering or architecture. Furthermore, the exposure to large-scale data challenges and the company's commitment to innovation make this a dynamic environment for continuous learning and professional growth.

For those passionate about leveraging data to create exceptional customer experiences and drive business success, this role at Lloyds Banking Group presents a significant and rewarding career opportunity.