Sr Data Modeller

Job Summary

NCS is seeking an experienced Data Modeler with strong hands-on Databricks Lakehouse expertise to design and govern the logical and physical data models underpinning a major enterprise data platform engagement. The role owns the modelling backbone of the Medallion architecture - from raw ingestion through curated Gold-layer marts - ensuring the platforms data structures are accurate, performant, well-governed, and fit for downstream reporting and analytics consumption (including Power BI).

The successful candidate will work closely with Data Engineers, BI Developers, and business stakeholders to translate business and reporting requirements into robust dimensional and Lakehouse-native models, while enforcing data modelling standards, naming conventions, and goverce controls across the platform.

Key Responsibilities Data Modelling Architecture

• Design conceptual, logical, and physical data models for the Databricks Lakehouse, following Medallion architecture principles (Bronze Silver Gold).

• Define dimensional models (star schema, snowflake schema, fact/dimension design) for the Gold/curated layer to support enterprise reporting and self-service analytics.

• Design and implement Slowly Changing Dimensions (SCD Type 1/2) and other historisation strategies appropriate to business requirements.

• Produce and maintain source-to-target mappings (STTM), entity-relationship diagrams, and data dictionaries for all modelled domains.

• Model for both batch and near-real-time ingestion patterns, ensuring designs support Delta Live Tables pipelines and downstream consumption needs.

Databricks Platform Goverce

• Implement and manage data models within Unity Catalog - including catalog/schema/table structuring, access controls, and lineage tracking.

• Define and enforce data modelling standards: naming conventions, key structures, partitioning strategy, and Delta table optimisation (Z-ordering, clustering, file compaction).

• Collaborate with Data Engineers to translate models into Delta Live Tables pipelines and validate that physical implementation matches design intent.

• Establish data quality and integrity rules (constraints, expectations) at the modelling layer to catch issues before they reach the Gold layer.

Stakeholder Collaboration Enablement

• Work with BI Developers to ensure Gold-layer models are optimised for Power BI semantic models, DAX performance, and report usability.

• Engage business stakeholders and data owners to gather requirements, validate business rules, and confirm model designs meet reporting and analytical needs.

• Review and provide modelling guidance during design walkthroughs, peer reviews, and architecture goverce forums.

• Document and communicate data model changes clearly to technical and non-technical audiences, including impact assessments for downstream consumers.

Mandatory Skills Experience Data Modelling (Must Have)

• Strong hands-on experience in dimensional data modelling - star/snowflake schema design, fact and dimension table design, and SCD Type 1/2 implementation.

• Proven experience designing data models for a Lakehouse or modern data warehouse platform, ideally following Medallion architecture (Bronze/Silver/Gold layering).

• Working proficiency with data modelling tools (e.g. ERwin, SqlDBM, dbt docs, Lucidchart, or equivalent) for producing ERDs and data dictionaries.

• Strong SQL skills for validating and testing model implementations, and for writing complex transformation logic.

Databricks (Must Have)

• Hands-on experience with the Databricks ecosystem: Unity Catalog, Delta Lake, Delta Live Tables, and Databricks SQL.

• Practical understanding of Delta table optimisation techniques (partitioning, Z-ordering, clustering) as they relate to model design decisions.

• Experience structuring catalogs, schemas, and access controls within Unity Catalog for a multi-domain enterprise platform.

Experience Level

• Minimum 5-8 years of relevant experience in data modelling or data architecture roles.

• At least 2-3 years of hands-on experience modelling on Databricks or a comparable Lakehouse platform (Snowflake, Synapse, BigQuery).

• Experience supporting BI/reporting migration or modernisation programmes is highly advantageous.

Good to Have Skills

• Familiarity with Power BI semantic model design (star schema alignment, relationship cardinality, RLS) to ensure Gold-layer models translate cleanly into reporting layers.

• Experience with AWS or Azure data services (S3/ADLS, Redshift/Synapse) in a hybrid or migration context.

• Exposure to data goverce frameworks and metadata management tools (e.g. Unity Catalog lineage, Collibra, Purview).

• Familiarity with dbt for transformation modelling and testing within a Lakehouse environment.

• Knowledge of telco industry data domains (billing, customer, network, revenue) is an advantage.

• Exposure to Agile/Scrum delivery in a consulting or client-engagement context.

Professional Technical Certifications

• Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate/Professional (preferred)

• Databricks Certified Data Analyst Associate (advantageous)

• Any recognized data modelling certification (e.g. CDMP) (advantageous)

Soft Interpersonal Skills

• Strong analytical and logical reasoning - able to translate ambiguous business requirements into clean, extensible data models.

• Attention to detail and rigour - catches modelling inconsistencies and data quality risks before they propagate downstream.

• Ownership and delivery accountability - takes responsibility for model accuracy, performance, and documentation quality.

• Collaborative mindset - works effectively with data engineers, BI developers, and business stakeholders to align on design decisions.

• Clear written and verbal communication - documents models and communicates design trade-offs clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Disclaimer: This job posting has been aggregated from external source. Role details, content, and availability are subject to change. Applicants are advised to confirm the latest information directly on the company website before applying.