Principal Data Architect

Location: Brand: RS Group Function: Digital & Technology Work Location: Virtual Location : This is a remote role, offering the flexibility to work virtually from anywhere within Poland. Contract Type : full-time (contract of employment) The Opportunity We are seeking a highly skilled Principal Data Architect to define and drive the technical architecture and strategy of RS's Enterprise Data Platform (EDP), built on Snowflake. This is a key leadership role combining hands-on architectural expertise, governance, and line management of Data Architects. Working within the Group Data function, you will ensure our data platform delivers scalable, high-quality analytics capabilities that support business growth and transformation. Partnering closely with Enterprise Architecture, Data Engineering, Business Intelligence, Data Governance, and business stakeholders, you will help shape a data ecosystem that enables trusted insights and delivers value across our global organisation. What You Will Be Doing Define and evolve the architecture of our Snowflake-based Enterprise Data Platform, setting standards, design patterns, and governance practices. Lead the technical strategy for our modern data stack, driving best practices across tools such as Snowflake, dbt, Dagster, and Airbyte. Ensure the platform is scalable, secure, cost-efficient, and delivers high-quality data for analytics and business decision-making. Provide hands-on technical leadership in data modelling, pipeline design, orchestration, and platform optimisation. Partner with engineering, analytics, and architecture teams to design and deliver robust end-to-end data solutions. Act as the technical authority for data architecture, guiding solution design and ensuring alignment with enterprise standards. Lead and develop a team of Data Architects, fostering technical excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement. Work closely with senior business and technology stakeholders, translating complex requirements into effective data platform capabilities. Drive architecture for major transformation initiatives, supporting large-scale migrations and platform evolution. Champion the adoption of AI-powered capabilities and emerging technologies to improve engineering efficiency and business outcomes. What You’ll Bring Proven experience in a senior or lead Data Architecture role, with a strong track record of designing and delivering scalable data platform solutions. Deep expertise in cloud data platforms, ideally Snowflake, and modern data technologies including dbt, Dagster (or similar), and Airbyte (or equivalent). Strong knowledge of data modelling, ELT/ETL architectures, data pipelines, and distributed data systems. Experience optimising the performance, scalability, and cost efficiency of cloud-based data platforms. Previous experience leading, mentoring, or developing technical teams, with a collaborative and delivery-focused approach. Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence technical and business audiences. The ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on technical leadership and pragmatic decision-making. Experience delivering global data and analytics solutions; exposure to SAP S/4HANA transformations would be advantageous. Fluent English, with excellent communication skills and the ability to engage effectively with global stakeholders. We Are RS At RS, we are making amazing happen for a better world. As a global product and service solutions provider, we help industrial customers operate more efficiently and sustainably. Operating in 33 markets, we support around one million customers worldwide with more than 875,000 stocked products, access to over five million additional products, and a range of service solutions designed to help businesses thrive. What sets us apart is our people. More than 8,500 colleagues around the world bring technical expertise, digital innovation, and a customer first mindset to everything we do. Guided by our values – We are one team, We deliver brilliantly, We do the right thing, and We make every day better, we're creating an environment where our people can grow, contribute and make a meaningful impact. Join us and help make amazing happen. Rewards Our Reward Strategy Philosophy is designed to offer market competitive base salaries and provide all of our people the opportunity to participate in a short-term incentive, enabling them to share in the success of the Company. Our total reward package is more than just the cash; our recognition and benefit offering provide the opportunity for us to recognise, reward and enable the wellbeing of our people at all stages of their journey with RS. Our rewards and benefits vary by country, but in Poland include: Financial – pension scheme, annual bonus Wellbeing – private medical care (Allianz), subsidy for Multisport card, holiday allowance Lifestyle – lunch card, subsidy for learning English language, employee referral scheme Spotlight – our global recognition programme provides a platform to highlight and recognise people role modelling our values Ready to Make Amazing Happen? Join over 8,500 colleagues and help us shape the future of our industry. Whoever you are, wherever you are – it all starts here. Apply now and make RS a part of your journey. #LI-REMOTE #LI-BK1