Location: Dubai, UAE (Hybrid) — client-facing, MENAP engagements Engagement context: Leads discovery, advisory, and solution design for enterprise clients unifying regional data (performance marketing, e-commerce, social) into central analytics platforms (e.g. Databricks).
Role Overview We are looking for a Principal Solution Architect — Data & Analytics to lead client-facing discovery and advisory engagements focused on data unification, gap assessment, and lakehouse architecture extension. This is not a build-only role — you will lead executive workshops, own the as-is/to-be assessment, and produce the roadmap and business case that becomes the implementation SOW. You will work alongside a Marketing/Digital Analytics Specialist and, where scope requires it, an AI Automation & Data Extraction Specialist — but you own the client relationship and the technical narrative.
Key Responsibilities Discovery & Gap Assessment
- Lead stakeholder workshops with regional analytics, marketing, and e-commerce leads to map current data landscape.
- Classify data gaps precisely — connectivity (no pipe exists), governance (mapping/master data unresolved), or access (data exists but sits with a third party) — since each has a different fix and cost.
- Assess existing central platform capabilities (e.g. Databricks Lakeflow Connect, AI Search/RAG, Delta Lake, Clean Rooms) to determine what can be extended vs. what needs new tooling.
Architecture & Solution Design
- Design end-to-end data unification architecture spanning structured (ERP/CRM) and previously-missing sources (performance marketing, social, e-commerce).
- Favor native platform capabilities over third-party tooling where a supported native path exists, to avoid unnecessary tool sprawl and stay aligned with the client's own platform strategy.
- Produce architecture blueprints, technical documentation, and a phased implementation roadmap.
Business Case & Roadmap
- Translate technical gaps into a business case with clear ROI framing — tied to concrete use cases (e.g. campaign performance visibility, regional reporting parity with global).
- Define success metrics and phased delivery plan (pilot domain first, then rollout).
Client Advisory
- Act as the primary technical advisor to the client's regional analytics/marketing leadership throughout discovery.
- Where appropriate, help the client's internal sponsor build the case to secure budget or sign-off from central/global stakeholders.
Presales & Handoff
- Convert discovery findings into a scoped, fixed-fee proposal for the next phase (pilot or full implementation).
- Bring in specialist skillsets (marketing/digital analytics, AI automation/extraction) only where discovery confirms the need — avoid over-scoping upfront.
Required Skills & Experience
- 10–15 years of experience in Solution Architecture, Data Engineering, or Analytics, with genuine depth in at least one modern lakehouse/cloud data platform (Databricks strongly preferred; Microsoft Fabric, Snowflake, Azure Data Services acceptable).
- Direct experience with Databricks-native ingestion and unification capabilities (Lakeflow Connect, Delta Lake, AI Search/RAG, Clean Rooms) — able to speak to these specifically, not just generically about "the lakehouse."
- FMCG/CPG or retail domain experience — comfortable with SKU/product master data, trade promotion structures, and regional-vs-global data ownership models.
- Proven discovery/advisory experience — workshop facilitation, as-is/to-be mapping, business case and ROI development.
- Working understanding of the marketing/e-commerce data landscape (ad platform APIs, marketplace seller APIs, social listening tools) — deep enough to scope accurately, even if a specialist handles hands-on build.
- Strong executive communication — able to engage credibly with both technical stakeholders (data science background) and commercial sponsors.
Preferred Qualifications
- Databricks certification (Solutions Architect or equivalent).
- Experience with clients running centralized global data platforms with regional onboarding gaps (multinational FMCG, retail, or consumer goods).
- TOGAF or equivalent enterprise architecture certification.
- Prior experience shaping the business case for data/analytics engagements that convert from paid discovery into full implementation.
Success Measures
- Accurate gap classification (connectivity vs. governance vs. access) validated by the client.
- Roadmap and business case that converts into a signed implementation engagement.
- Architecture recommendations that align with, rather than duplicate, the client's existing platform investment.
- Client trust — measured by willingness to expand scope (additional markets, additional data domains) after Phase 1.
Syscort Technologies