Data Architect

VaynerMedia LLC•New York, NY

About The Position

We're looking for a Data Architect who thrives on building something from the ground up. Not maintaining what already works—but creating the foundation that transforms how an organization uses data. Our data infrastructure is at an exciting inflection point. We're evolving from fragmented data systems to a unified, trusted platform that empowers decision-making across the organization. This is your opportunity to design the target-state architecture, establish governance frameworks, implement best practices, and build the systems that enable true self-service analytics. You'll be joining a lean, high-performing team and working closely with stakeholders across Finance, Work Management, and Reporting functions. This role combines strategic architecture design with hands-on implementation—you'll define the vision and build it. This isn't a role where you'll be handed a roadmap and told to execute. You'll create the roadmap. You'll make consequential decisions. You'll establish credibility through delivered results. And you'll get your hands dirty implementing what you design—because in a growing team, architects who only strategize don't create impact. If you've successfully built data architecture from scratch or led transformation initiatives, if you can explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, and if you'd rather build something new than maintain something established—this is your role.

Requirements

You've built data architecture from scratch or led transformation initiatives. You've been the person who established standards, created governance, and designed scalable systems. You can point to specific examples where you did this.
You're hands-on. You write SQL and Python. You build pipelines. You don't just design—you implement. You're comfortable in Snowflake (or similar cloud data warehouses) and can architect and execute.
You build trust with stakeholders. You've worked with business users and earned their confidence through communication, delivery, and visible improvements. You explain technical concepts without the jargon.
You thrive in growing teams. You're self-directed, wear multiple hats, and create structure where it doesn't exist. Ambiguity energizes you rather than paralyzes you.
You're pragmatic. You balance ideal architecture with business realities. You prioritize ruthlessly and deliver iteratively. You know when good enough is good enough.
Snowflake mastery (or equivalent cloud data warehouse like BigQuery, Redshift). You understand warehouses, compute, storage optimization, and how to design for scale.
Data modeling expertise. You know dimensional modeling, normalization, slowly changing dimensions, and when to use which approach. You design clean, performant schemas.
Modern data stack experience. You've worked with ETL/ELT tools like Matillion, Fivetran, Airbyte, Alteryx, or dbt. You understand orchestration (Airflow or similar). You know how the pieces fit together.
Strong SQL and Python. You write complex queries, create efficient transformations, and script automation. You can code your way through challenges.
AWS knowledge (strongly preferred). Our infrastructure lives in AWS and understanding cloud services is valuable.
Exceptional communicator. You translate complex technical concepts into language stakeholders understand. You write clear documentation. You build consensus.
Systems thinker. You see how everything connects. You understand downstream impacts. You design for the whole, not just the parts.
Change agent. You drive adoption of new standards and processes. You influence effectively. You make things happen.
Builder mentality. You get energy from creating new systems and solving complex problems. Greenfield opportunities excite you.
Quality-focused but practical. You care about doing things right, but you also ship. You deliver value iteratively.

Nice To Haves

Experience with enterprise systems like NetSuite (Finance/Accounting), HiBob (HR), Salesforce (CRM), or similar platforms
You've implemented data catalogs, semantic layers, or data mesh concepts
You've led data governance initiatives from inception
Experience with BI tools (we use Tableau)

Responsibilities

Design target-state architecture for our Snowflake data warehouse, defining schema structures, data layers, naming conventions, and quality standards
Implement data models that balance performance, scalability, and business needs
Build reusable frameworks, pipeline templates, and quality checks that accelerate development
Create comprehensive documentation—architecture diagrams, data flows, standards guides, and data dictionaries
Define data governance framework including ownership models, policies, and processes
Establish architecture review process ensuring new data products meet standards and align with overall strategy
Create and maintain business glossary with standardized definitions for key metrics and terms
Partner with application administrators (NetSuite, Salesforce, HiBob, etc.) to optimize data quality at source systems
Build searchable data catalog enabling self-service data discovery
Implement semantic layer defining business metrics consistently across all tools
Create data products (Customer 360, Financial Performance, Campaign Analytics) serving specific business needs
Train stakeholders on self-service capabilities and best practices
Define and monitor SLAs for critical data pipelines
Work hands-on with SQL, Python, and Snowflake—implementing the architecture you design
Partner with Finance, Work Management, and Reporting teams to understand requirements and deliver solutions
Review and approve architecture decisions for new data products
Mentor team members on architectural patterns and best practices
Build trust through clear communication, delivered commitments, and measurable improvements