Deeplight is a specialist AI and data consultancy dedicated to transforming the regional corporate landscape through bespoke, high-impact intelligent systems. We combine deep quantitative expertise, cutting-edge cloud architecture, and modern MLOps to engineer secure, scalable, and resilient platforms designed to power enterprise AI and digital solutions at scale.

With deep roots across the financial services and retail banking sectors in the UAE, we help major financial institutions bridge the gap between complex digital transformation roadmaps and execution. We don't build temporary fixes—we engineer bulletproof, banking-grade data architectures for high-stakes enterprise programs.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an authoritative, highly articulate Data Architecture Lead to serve as the ultimate Design Authority for the enterprise data estate across our major banking engagements in Dubai.

In this role, you will define and govern the target data architecture, preventing structural fragmentation across parallel project streams, legacy core platforms, and modern cloud ecosystems. Operating across Retail Banking Group (RBG) modernizations, mobile banking backends, and real-time digital customer journeys, you will hold formal sign-off authority over solution designs, evaluate the architectural validity of change requests, and present confidently to senior C-level stakeholders—defending design integrity and standing up to challenge from project teams and external vendors.

What You’ll Do

• Serve as Estate Design Authority: Act as the ultimate design authority for the enterprise data estate, ensuring architectural alignment and actively preventing fragmentation across parallel delivery streams.
• Define Strategy & Reference Models: Define, document, and maintain the enterprise target data architecture, data modeling standards, and multi-year data roadmaps aligned with digital banking modernizations.
• Run Design Authority Governance: Establish and lead the formal Design Authority board—reviewing, challenging, and approving all solution designs before build execution begins.
• Power Mobile & Digital Customer Journeys: Architect high-throughput, low-latency data pipelines and event-driven architectures supporting real-time mobile banking app interactions and personalized digital customer flows.
• Assure SteerCo Content & Challenge Designs: Review and assure the architectural content within all Steering Committee (SteerCo) packs, actively challenging any proposed designs or technical approaches that diverge from the target state.
• Audit Change Requests & Resolve Delays: Rigorously evaluate cost estimates and Change Requests (CRs) to verify architectural justification, conduct root-cause analysis on technical delays, and flag cross-project trade-offs for Sponsor escalation.

As an AI consultancy, our greatest asset is the expertise of our people.
While technical mastery is the foundation of what we do, the ability to bridge the gap between complex data science and actionable business value is what defines your success with Deeplight.
We're looking for individuals who are not only world-class in their fields of specialism, but also compelling communicators and persuasive advocates for their own skills.
You will be the face of our firm, tasked with building trust, articulating the "why" behind your technical decisions, and effectively "selling" your vision to high-level stakeholders.
If you thrive on the challenge of presenting cutting-edge solutions as much as you do on building them, you will fit right in.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven Architecture Leadership: 10+ years of data architecture experience defining enterprise data strategies within top-tier consultancies or major financial institutions.
• Retail Banking Expertise: Solid background architecting enterprise data solutions within Retail Banking (RBG) environments.
• Digital Journeys & Mobile Apps: Demonstrated experience supporting client-facing mobile banking applications, high-concurrency microservices data layers, or end-to-end digital customer journey modernizations.
• Exceptional Communication & Presentation: World-class verbal, written, and visual presentation skills; adept at translating complex data models into clear, compelling executive narratives.
• Senior Stakeholder Gravitas: Proven ability to present to C-level executives (CTO, CDO, CIO), defend design choices under scrutiny, manage technical pushback constructively, and guide strategic decisions.
• Commercial & Governance Rigor: Ability to evaluate cloud compute/storage costs, bill-of-materials, and vendor change requests on architectural grounds to protect contract margins.

What Gives You an Edge

• GCC / UAE Banking Exposure: Direct experience leading data architecture initiatives for major banks in the UAE or GCC region.
• Architecture Certifications: TOGAF Certified, AWS Certified Data Analytics / Solutions Architect – Professional, Azure Solutions Architect Expert, or Databricks Certified Architect.

Why Deeplight?

At Deeplight, you will hold strategic authority over enterprise-scale data transformations. You will work alongside world-class technical peers, lead governance frameworks, and serve as the trusted architectural partner to executive bank sponsors.