Lead Data Engineer

Role: Lead Data EngineerSalary: £85,000 - £95,000 + bonus (flexible for the right hire)Location: South Kensington, LondonWorking Policy: Primarily office-based (4 days a week) - some flexibility possible

I'm working with a global player in the shipping and commodities market, helping businesses move goods like oil, coal and grain by sea. Their clients rely on fast, reliable insights into ship movements, prices, weather, and more - and this team transforms complex datasets into clear dashboards and predictive models to give brokers an edge in the market.

They're now looking for a Lead Analytics/Data Engineer to take ownership of building and scaling their centralised data platform (likely Snowflake), manage a junior engineer, and drive the design of future data flows, architecture and analytics across the business. You'll work closely with research and senior leaders, giving you autonomy to shape the company's data strategy and propose new ideas.

The role will involve:

• Leading on data engineering projects, building out the Snowflake-based data warehouse and pipelines
• Managing and mentoring a junior engineer
• Supporting research, analytics, and finance teams with structured, reliable data solutions
• Migrating legacy SQL Server systems into modern, scalable data platforms
• Contributing to data science and predictive modelling projects with the research team
• Linking multiple business datasets (finance, CRM, broker data, ship ownership) into a central, accessible system

What you'll bring:

• Excellent SQL and Python skills
• Proven experience building centralised data platforms (Snowflake, Azure Data Factory, or similar)
• Strong data warehousing and ETL experience
• Ability to work in fast-paced, less structured environments and propose scalable solutions
• Experience mentoring or managing juniors (or ready to step into that responsibility)
• Background in commodities, trading, finance, or shipping highly desirable
• Bonus: DBT experience, data governance knowledge, and exposure to analytics/data science workflows

This is a hands-on role in a collaborative, face-to-face culture - perfect for someone who thrives in energetic environments and wants real autonomy to shape data strategy at the core of the business.

If you're a proactive Analytics/Data Engineer ready for a lead role, apply today or get in touch to discuss further.