Western Cape: Head AI and Data Engineer posted by Recruit-It

We are seeking to employ a Senior Data Engineer as the Head of Data Platform & AI to take ownership of our full data infrastructure and elevate the architecture behind our proprietary DMP (Data Management Platform). You’ll work alongside a team of data engineers, analysts, and AI developers, and report directly to senior leadership.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who thrives on optimisation, standardisation, and real-time, revenue-driving execution. If you’re a self-starter who understands how to turn unstructured data into scalable pipelines and measurable outcomes, let’s talk.

What You’ll Do

• Own our GCP-based Data Platform (BigQuery, Cloud Functions, Composer, Dataflow, Pub/Sub, etc.)
• Architect, build, and manage robust ETL/ELT pipelines to ingest structured and unstructured data from dozens of sources
• Implement best practices across data validation, deduplication, enrichment, and governance
• Optimise the cost, speed, and performance of data storage, pipelines, and compute
• Build tools and dashboards for internal reporting and marketing analytics teams
• Create and enforce documentation, processes, and standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• Lead root-cause analysis of pipeline failures and ensure data accuracy and uptime
• Collaborate with AI, analytics, marketing, and ops teams to design data products that drive decision-making
• Mentor data engineers and analysts; oversee technical delivery and team growth
• Be available for after-hours escalations during mission-critical incidents

Requirements

Skills & Experience We’re Looking For:

5+ years of experience as a Data Engineer or Data Platform Lead
Advanced proficiency in Google Cloud Platform, especially BigQuery, Dataflow, Pub/Sub, Cloud Storage, and Composer
Strong coding skills in Python (SQLAlchemy or similar ORM), SQL, and either Java or PHP
Experience with data modelling, schema design, and performance tuning
Familiarity with AI/ML concepts and tools like Gemini (bonus)
Proven ability to manage complex data workflows, edge-case debugging, and data security
Comfortable with cloud cost optimisation and scalable architecture design
Strong communicator with high professional accountability
Bonus Points For:
Experience in lead generation, digital marketing, or performance media
Building or scaling a proprietary DMP/CDP from scratch
Familiarity with Salesforce, Meta Conversions API, or Google Analytics integrations
GCP Professional Data Engineer Certification

Company Description

Headquartered in London (UK), the company is a digital Intelligence firm that specialises in the development, management and utilisation of big data technology to drive measurable growth and revenue by using machine learning, complex automation, and big data to enable high-velocity data-driven sales optimisation and marketing solutions through:

Cross-organisational data insights’ availability
Facilitating the implementation of the data mesh paradigm
Sales optimisation
Measurable marketing
Machine learning / Big data intelligence