Junior Data Solution Architect

About us

Halfords is on a journey - building the future of motoring and cycling and looking for people who want to help shape what comes next. We’re a place for cocreators: people who want to make a real impact, take ownership and be part of something that’s still evolving.

Technology at Halfords is at a turning point. We’re modernising our foundations, sharpening our delivery, and ensuring every technology decision is connected to real commercial and customer outcomes.

We're looking for people who act as trusted advisors to the business, take end-to-end accountability for outcomes, and can balance pace with long-term architectural integrity. Innovation here means practical, scalable solutions, not ideas that stay on whiteboards.

Halfords operates a hybrid working policy – this position will be based 3 days per week at our support centre in Redditch, West Midlands.

About the role

As a Junior Data Solution Architect within our Technology Architecture function, you'll support the design of end-to-end data solutions that deliver real business value across our Technology delivery portfolios. Working closely with Data Solution Architects and Lead Solution Architects, you'll help translate business requirements into structured data flows, models, integration patterns, and solution designs that support successful project delivery.

You’ll collaborate with Data Architects, Platform Architects, Business Process Consultants, Data Engineers, and delivery teams to ensure data solutions are designed securely, scalably, and in line with enterprise standards. From data modelling and integration design through to architecture documentation and governance activities, you’ll gain broad exposure across the full solution lifecycle while building your expertise in modern data architecture practices.

This role offers the opportunity to work on large-scale transformation programmes, gain hands‑on experience with Azure and Databricks, and develop into a fully‑fleshed Data Solution Architect while working across a diverse data landscape spanning retail, digital, customer, loyalty, supply chain, and operational data.

Key responsibilities

• Support the design of data‑centric solutions, creating data flows, architecture artefacts, solution diagrams, and models that enable delivery teams to build effectively
• Translate business and data requirements into structured solution designs aligned to enterprise standards, governance requirements, and platform architectures
• Collaborate with Data Architects, Data Engineers, and wider technology teams to design data ingestion, transformation, integration, and consumption patterns
• Contribute to data modelling activities, helping define data structures, lineage, ownership, and transformation requirements
• Review APIs, ETL/ELT processes, pipelines, and integration designs to ensure alignment with architectural principles and non‑functional requirements
• Support architecture governance processes by producing documentation, participating in design reviews, and responding to feedback from architecture forums
• Identify and elevate data quality concerns, technical risks, dependencies, and architectural challenges throughout the delivery lifecycle

About you

• Experience working with modern data platforms, with Azure and Databricks experience essential
• Strong understanding of data modelling, ETL/ELT processes, data pipelines, and integration patterns
• Experience translating business requirements into technical designs, data flows, solution components, or architecture artefacts
• Good understanding of cloud‑based data solutions and the technologies used to support data ingestion, transformation, and consumption
• Knowledge of data governance, lineage, security, privacy, and data quality principles, with an appreciation of how these should be incorporated into solution design
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to communicate technical concepts to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders
• Experience gained within data engineering, analytics, business intelligence, or solution architecture environments, ideally within a retail or data‑rich organisation
• A fair and competitive salary evaluated against market data, car allowance, annual discretionary bonus scheme, pension, life assurance, 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and enhanced family leave.
• Commitment and dedication to your ongoing personal and professional development. We help you to own and grow your potential so you can be at your best in your current role and to support your future career aspirations.
• We offer hybrid working with a blend of working in our Support Centre and from home.
• You will have access to a wealth of employee discounts across the Halfords suite of products and services.
• Wellbeing and inclusion are at the heart of our colleague experience. We offer resources and ongoing support to enhance your wellbeing at work and active Colleague Networks supporting inclusion initiatives across Halfords.

Not sure you meet all the criteria? We'd encourage you to take the wheel and apply anyway! At Halfords we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for our colleagues. We're an equal opportunities employer and proud to welcome applications from all backgrounds and embrace diversity within our one Halfords Family.

Note: Halfords operates a hybrid working policy – this position will be based 3 days per week at our support centre in Redditch, West Midlands.

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