Chief Data Architect

Vanguard • Malvern, PA

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Chief Data Architect Come join the newly created Enterprise Data Architecture function in the Chief Technology Office (CTO)! Vanguard aims to become an AI-driven organization, and achieving this ambition requires AI-ready data. The establishment of this new department is crucial for driving our maturity and transformation into a data driven organization. This new group will be responsible for defining, aligning, and governing enterprise-wide data architecture strategies that enable IT, business, and client outcomes. It is a fantastic opportunity to join our growing team at the ground floor of a journey that will partner across operational and analytical teams spanning all IT subdivisions. Together, we will enhance our data and analytics capabilities through strategic thought leadership, world class architecture, strong platform engineering, applied technology research, effective communication, change management, operating model optimization, project planning and enablement. This role will play a key role in elevating the maturity of Vanguard’s Enterprise Architecture practice, by helping effectively connect our strategy to world class execution. As a Chief Data Architect, you will be: Responsible as a senior enterprise lead in developing complex data architecture across the organization, providing expertise, and resolving difficult problems in data architecture projects by analyzing business needs and managing the quality of deliverables created. You will drive alignment on data architecture principles, foster cross-functional collaboration, and ensure that data capabilities are scalable and aligned with enterprise goals.

Requirements

• Deep expertise in data modeling (conceptual, logical, physical), ontology engineering, and metadata architecture.
• Proficient in tools such as Collibra, Alation, Atlan, FINOS Legend, Erwin, Lucidchart, AtScale, Stardog, TopBraid, Protégé, or other semantic/metadata platforms.
• Knowledge of semantic web standards (RDF, OWL, SKOS, SPARQL) and their practical application in enterprise data ecosystems.
• Familiarity with domain-driven design, data mesh principles, and knowledge graph architecture.
• Experience integrating business glossaries, taxonomies, and metadata systems into data platforms and AI pipelines.
• Ability to bridge business needs with technical architecture using clear, model-driven communication.
• Strong collaboration skills, working cross-functionally with data product owners, engineers, data scientists, and governance teams.

Responsibilities

• Define data domains, subdomains, and key data subject areas across Vanguard.
• Design and evolve enterprise-level semantic data models, including logical and conceptual models, ontologies, and domain definitions.
• Lead the standardization of metadata practices across domains, enabling discoverability, lineage, and governance.
• Partner with product, data, and engineering teams to define domain-driven data contracts that support AI, analytics, and operational needs.
• Architect and implement reusable taxonomy and ontology frameworks that align business meaning with technical implementation.
• Enable scalable and interoperable semantic layers across data platforms (e.g., Lakehouse, Knowledge Graphs, Data Warehouses).
• Collaborate with governance, AI/ML, and metadata teams to support computational governance and automated metadata enrichment.
• Provide strategic guidance on data modeling techniques (3NF, dimensional, Data Vault, RDF/OWL) and drive adoption of best practices.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees