Cape Town Region: Head AI and Data Engineer posted by Hire Resolve

A digital intelligence firm that specialises in the development, management, and utilisation of big data technology, is seeking a Senior Data Engineer to step into the hands-on leadership role of Head of Data Platform & AI . You will take full ownership of their data infrastructure, elevating the architecture behind their proprietary Data Management Platform (DMP). Responsibilities: Own and manage our entire GCP-based Data Platform, including core services like BigQuery, Cloud Functions, Composer, Dataflow, and Pub/Sub . Architect, build, and manage robust ETL/ELT pipelines to ingest structured and unstructured data from dozens of internal and external sources. Optimize the cost, speed, and performance of data storage, pipelines, and compute resources. Implement and enforce best practices across data validation, deduplication, enrichment, security, and governance. Create and enforce technical documentation, processes, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) across the data team. Lead root-cause analysis of pipeline failures and ensure high data accuracy and uptime, including being available for after-hours escalations during mission-critical incidents. Mentor and coach data engineers and analysts; oversee technical delivery, quality, and team growth. Collaborate with AI, analytics, marketing, and operations teams to design high-impact data products that directly drive decision-making and revenue. Build internal tools and dashboards for reporting and marketing analytics teams. Minimum Requirements: 5 years of experience as a Data Engineer or in a Data Platform Leadership role. Advanced proficiency in Google Cloud Platform (GCP) , specifically: BigQuery, Dataflow, Pub/Sub, Cloud Storage, and Composer. Strong coding skills in Python (with experience in SQLAlchemy or similar ORM), SQL , and demonstrable expertise in either Java or PHP . Extensive experience with data modelling, schema design, and performance tuning of large datasets. Proven ability to manage complex data workflows, including edge-case debugging and strict data security protocols. Comfortable with cloud cost optimisation and designing highly scalable, production-ready architecture. Bonus: Experience in lead generation, digital marketing, or performance media . Proven track record of building or scaling a proprietary DMP (Data Management Platform) or CDP (Customer Data Platform) from scratch. Familiarity with marketing data integrations like Salesforce, Meta Conversions API, or Google Analytics . A GCP Professional Data Engineer Certification . Benefits: Competitive salary based on experience (salary can potentially be more based on experience/skills) IF you meet the above requirements and want to make a career-changing move, apply today by emailing your CV to [Click here to apply]