Director, Data Engineering

Job Title:                    Director of Data Engineering  

Business Unit:          RJO Technology

Location:                    London / Hybrid                      

Reports To:               Chief Data Officer (CDO)

Full Time/Part Time: Full Time

About Us:

R.J. O’Brien (RJO) is the oldest and largest independent futures brokerage and clearing firm with more than a century of experience serving traders in the derivative and equity markets. In the United Kingdom, RJO is a premier global independent broker.  Our offices are in the major financial centres in the world, including London, Chicago, New York, Paris, Dubai, Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore, and Toronto.

Our longevity and success as a brokerage firm are the result of continually focusing on three guiding principles - independence, integrity, and service. We have a “startup” mindset that allows us to remain relevant, dynamic, and capable of reinventing ourselves to meet the demands of the marketplace.

Position Summary:

The Director of Data Engineering is a strategic leadership role charged with ensuring that data is an asset for use throughout RJO for business decisions, operational efficiencies, and regulatory adherence.  Reporting to the CDO based in the US, this role is responsible for managing a high performing Data Engineering team based in the UK and the US, delivering best-in-class data solutions to the global enterprise.  As a senior leader in London, this role collaborates with other senior leaders based in the EMEA region as a representative of the global technology organisation.  

Duties & Responsibilities:

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Leadership and Strategy:
  1. Set Data Engineering vision and goals in line with RJO’s overall strategy
  2. Hire, mentor, and develop a high-performing Data Engineering team
  3. Collaborate with other departments to ensure alignment and successful data product delivery
• Planning and Execution:
  1. Oversee the execution of Data Engineering projects for timely delivery within budget
  2. Manage Data Engineering resources, including staffing, budgeting, platforms, and infrastructure
  3. Implement processes and standards to maintain high levels of data product quality, reliability, and security
• Collaboration and Representation:
  1. Communicate effectively with senior leadership, stakeholders, and peers involved in the data lifecycle
  2. Consult with stakeholders regularly to understand their data needs and usage
  3. Act as a consultant to data analysts and data scientists to follow engineering practices
• Culture and Innovation:
  1. Create an environment that encourages innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement
  2. Provide opportunities for Data Engineers to expand their skills and knowledge
  3. Ensure the Data Engineering team stays current with industry trends and emerging technologies
• Data Evangelism: 
  1. Educate business and data stakeholders on data management principles and initiatives
  2. Be passionate about data, analytics, and automation
  3. Promote DataOps principles

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in data science, computer science, information systems, or equivalent practical experience 
• Over ten years of engineering experience, including at least five years of hands-on coding experience
• Over five years of engineering leadership experience, including at least three years directly managing and guiding Data Engineering teams
• Deep understanding of data management concepts
• Demonstrated track record of servant leadership
• Strong technical acumen and ability to lead an implementation process
• Effective communication skills, both written and oral, to clearly convey complex technical ideas, regardless of the technical capacity of the audience
• Success in garnering consensus and executing projects among a globally distributed workforce
• Experience in large-scale implementations of data products in a public cloud
• Expertise in implementing solutions in hybrid (cloud & on-prem) environments
• Experience with Microsoft-centric data platforms, including SQL Server Enterprise, Azure Data Factory, Azure Databricks, and Fabric, is highly desirable 
• Experience in Financial Services is highly desirable, and experience specifically in Exchange Traded Derivatives is especially valuable

It is the policy of RJO to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Search Firm Representatives please read carefully:

RJO is not seeking assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this employment opportunity. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at RJO via-email, the Internet or directly to hiring managers at RJO in any form without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of RJO, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired as a result of the referral or through other means.