Job Description

Purpose of the role

To define, direct and govern the bank’s target data architecture (inc. shared data environment, data model and standards) in support of business strategy, ensuring that data is accurate, secure and accessible to meet the needs of stakeholders. 

Accountabilities

• Development of the banks data architecture strategy, including the translation of bank-wide goals and objectives into target data architecture and transition plan.
• Collaboration with stakeholders, including data operations, engineers and analysts, to provide subject matter expertise and share knowledge to promote standardised, consistent, safe and value-driven data usage.
• Development and maintenance of the banks data architecture governance, standards and protection policies, regarding data models, authoritative data stores, and data capabilities, to support data quality, accuracy and consistency and the protection of sensitive information.
• Management of the alignment of projects to the target data architecture through the provision of guidance, data solutions and monitoring of progress.
• Definition of the shared reusable data capabilities, assets, tools and technologies required to connect disparate data sources, optimise data storage and provide seamless data access.
• Custodianship of an overarching data model that directs how data is logically and physically structured within the banks physical data resources, e.g. database, interfaces and reports.
• Monitoring applicable regulatory standards and industry developments for potential impact on the banks operations, controls and application portfolio.
• Identification and selection of best-in-class data technologies and ongoing assessment of compliance with the bank's service level agreements and quality standards.

Director Expectations

• To manage a business function, providing significant input to function wide strategic initiatives. Contribute to and influence policy and procedures for the function and plan, manage and consult on multiple complex and critical strategic projects, which may be business wide..
• They manage the direction of a large team or sub-function, leading other people managers and embedding a performance culture aligned to the values of the business. Or for an individual contributor, they lead organisation wide projects and act as deep technical expert and thought leader, identifying new ways of working and collaborating cross functionally. They will train, guide and coach less experienced specialists and provide information affecting long term profits, organisational risks and strategic decisions..
• Provide expert advice to senior functional management and committees to influence decisions made outside of own function, offering significant input to function wide strategic initiatives.
• Manage, coordinate and enable resourcing, budgeting and policy creation for a significant sub-function.
• Escalates breaches of policies / procedure appropriately.
• Foster and guide compliance, ensure regulations are observed that relevant processes in place to facilitate adherence.
• Focus on the external environment, regulators, or advocacy groups to both monitor and influence on behalf of Barclays, when appropriate.
• Demonstrate extensive knowledge of how the function integrates with the business division / Group to achieve the overall business objectives.
• Maintain broad and comprehensive knowledge of industry theories and practices within own discipline alongside up-to-date relevant sector / functional knowledge, and insight into external market developments / initiatives.
• Use interpretative thinking and advanced analytical skills to solve problems and design solutions in often complex/ sensitive situations.
• Exercise management authority to make significant decisions and certain strategic decisions or recommendations within own area.
• Negotiate with and influence stakeholders at a senior level both internally and externally.
• Act as principal contact point for key clients and counterparts in other functions/ businesses divisions.
• Mandated as a spokesperson for the function and business division.

All Senior Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others.

All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass, helping us do what we believe is right. They will also be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.

The Head of Data Schema is accountable for defining, governing, and evolving the Investment Bank’s canonical data schemas, ensuring that business meaning, regulatory intent, and technical implementation remain consistently aligned across platforms, products, and regions.

The role acts as the accountable owner for IB-wide trade data model and related governance, bridging business data definitions, regulatory requirements, and engineering delivery.

This role is a critical control point for model-driven governance, supporting regulatory defensibility, platform rationalisation, and scalable data product delivery.

Key responsibilities:

• Own the IB canonical trade data schemas, including core client, product, transaction, reference, and risk data models, aligned to Group standards where applicable.
• Enforce IB data modelling standards, patterns, and conventions (conceptual → logical → physical).
• Lead trade data, including approvals for schema changes and domain extensions.
• Ensure schemas explicitly support regulatory reporting, controls, and evidencing, including clear lineage from business definition to physical implementation.
• Partner with Risk, Compliance, Finance, and Legal to ensure schema decisions are regulatorily defensible and auditable.
• Embed schemas into the delivery lifecycle, ensuring alignment between models, code, interfaces, and deployed data products.

Key required skills:

• Deep, hands-on experience in enterprise and domain data modelling (conceptual, logical, physical).
• Strong understanding of IB trade schema modelling, and physical schema implementation and controls
• Proven experience operating at scale in complex, regulated financial services environments.
• Demonstrated ability to design and operate data governance frameworks that are practical and delivery-aligned.
• Experience balancing federation and standardisation without stifling delivery.
• Experience with model-driven engineering, schema registries, or metadata-driven platforms.
• Familiarity with financial services standards (e.g. ISO 20022, FpML, FIX, BCBS 239 concepts).