Principal Data Architect

Principal Data Architect
£80,000 - £90,000 plus great benefits (Work level 4) 
Manchester city centre - in this role you’ll work in a hybrid way splitting your time between home and the office once or twice per month (find out more about our hybrid working policy at

We’re open to applications from people who may require flexible working arrangements. There’ll be an opportunity to discuss your flexible working requirements during the interview process, and at offer stage.

We’re reshaping our Digital, Technology and Data function for the future, creating new opportunities, strengthening our capability, and building clearer, more resilient ways of working so we can deliver even better services for our Co-op, our colleagues, members and customers.

At Co-op, data helps us make better decisions, create better experiences and deliver more value for our members, customers and colleagues. We're looking for a Principal Data Architect to help shape the future of protect, understand, manage and exploit the value of data across our organisation, combining strategic thinking with deep technical expertise to guide our data transformation.

Why this role matters

As a senior leader in our data community, you'll influence decisions across the business, provide architectural direction on major initiatives and help grow our capability through coaching, collaboration and the sharing of best practice. By creating strong foundations for how we manage and use data, you'll help unlock value across Co-op now and in the future.

What you'll do

• Shape and evolve Co-op's enterprise-wide data architecture, including conceptual, logical and physical data models
• A data architecture operating model and agentic AI enablement as a strategic driver
• Provide data leadership and architectural guidance across strategic programmes, transformation initiatives and complex data projects
• Partner with engineering, platform, solution architects and business teams to deliver secure, scalable and sustainable data solutions
• Coach and mentor data architects and specialists, helping to grow capability and strengthen our data architecture community
• Influence data platform strategy, governance and long-term investment decisions
• Data & Ai platform solution design and hands on logical & low level design

What you'll bring

We’re committed to making our roles as accessible as possible, so we only ask for the minimum criteria. To thrive here, you’ll need to bring:

• Experience designing and delivering enterprise-scale data architecture, with expertise across data modelling, governance, integration and strategy
• Strong architectural judgement, with the ability to balance business value, technical complexity, risk, cost and compliance considerations
• Practical MDM and metadata management experience, specifically Databricks/Lakehouse platform
• Experience providing technical leadership and influencing decisions across large-scale programmes, transformation initiatives and diverse stakeholder groups
• A collaborative approach, with a passion for coaching, mentoring and developing others
• Excellent relationship-building and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex concepts into clear, practical guidance.
• A strategic mindset and genuine enthusiasm for shaping the future of data and driving positive change across an organisation

We know some people may hesitate to apply if they don’t meet every requirement. At Co-op, we’re committed to building diverse and inclusive teams, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly, we still encourage you to apply. 

Why Co-op?

At Co-op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:

• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays 
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions 
• Private healthcare
• Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ) 
• 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands 
• Stream – early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it 
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice 
• 24/7 colleague support service 
• Training and support for your development and career progression
• Cycle-to-work scheme

A place you’ll belong

We’re building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.

We’re proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we’ll support you.

Learn more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process and our inclusion commitments at jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion.