Senior Data Architect - Worldwide

The Global Finance Data Architect will play a leading role supporting the transformation, continuous improvement and governance of the Global Finance function processes, data taxonomies and data architecture across the Dentons network. The Global Finance Data Architect will focus on the design, delivery and governance of finance data standards, taxonomies, architecture and related policies aligned with the financial policies, process and functional solution areas including Order to Cash; Procure to Pay; Risk, Compliance and Controls; Record to Report. The role holder will work closely alongside enterprise, technology and application architects, product owners as well as global, regional and local keyholders across the global network.

Initially the role will report to the Global Program Director - Finance Transformation. They will interface with key global, regional and local member firm stakeholders and teams to ensure the successful implementation of the data elements of the Firmwide Finance Transformation program (FFT). The role holder will transition to an operational position in the Global Finance team supporting the Program during future phases of the global delivery as well as leading the governance and continuous improvement program of Global Finance data architecture and infrastructure.

The Firmwide Finance Transformation program is a truly global program designed to support the transformation of Dentons' finance teams into the business partnering function of the future. It will support the business by offering true business insight, efficient and effective processes while maintaining the necessary compliance and controls. Working within a polycentric organization such as Dentons this role will interface with global and regional leadership, global and regional subject matter experts, global and regional product owners and change teams to support both the global delivery and the regionally aligned requirements and adoption of the future policies and processes.

Why Dentons is different:

The legal profession is changing rapidly and Dentons is leading the way in advancing change for the benefit of clients. We are driven to challenge the status quo, delivering consistent and uncompromising quality and value to our clients in new and innovative ways. With over 17,000 individuals in more than 179 offices the opportunity is huge.

Dentons continues to receive external awards and recognition, including for our continued international expansion over the last 12 months; for ground-breaking innovation through the development of Nextlaw Labs and Nextlaw Global Referral Network; and for success in advising clients across multiple regions. Dentons is also a leader on the Acritas Global Elite Brand Index and a BTI Client Service 30 Award winner.

Against such rapid growth and change across the Firm, this role offers the successful individual the chance to play a leading role and make their mark in driving the successful implementation of this global program and influence the transformation of the global finance function as part of the “largest to leading” business strategy of the Firm.

Key Deliverables

Accountable for the ownership and governance of the end-to-end global finance data strategy and architecture to ensure that they are designed and continue to support the global and regional businesses; the evolving business objectives of Dentons; the global and regional data and information security requirements and external statutory / regulatory requirements.

Accountable for the globally ratified Finance data standards providing common ways of working in line with accounting guidelines, financial controls, standard operating procedures and reporting.

Close collaboration with business solution, application and global reporting leads/architects as well as technical architects to develop and maintain a clearly articulated data and reporting strategy and infrastructure to meet the global, regional and local requirements of the Firm.

Delivery and maintenance of activities, plans and necessary documentation to support the transition to business-as-usual operations and governance of the global finance business and data solutions.

Chairing of an effective Global Data Governance Authority with cross functional and cross regional representation to govern the design and deliver common and consistent policies, standards and processes.

Supporting Finance organizational design changes resultant from the Global Design.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Management

• Understand and as required, input to the global Dentons business strategy that defines how the global Firm achieves its strategic goals.
• Work closely with the Global Transformation Directors, Global Chief Finance Officer and senior Global Finance team as well as their regional equivalents and other stakeholders to understand the global finance data requirements and be accountable to defining the various policies and governance processes to meet these requirements.
• Act as the global champion for standard global finance data architectures, policies, processes and working practices across the Dentons’ network and communicating at the most senior levels of the organization.
• With other data and reporting architects and leads promote the development and continuous improvement of data management standards for the firm.
• Partner with global and regional stakeholders across the organization, as well as system implementation partners, to inform the global finance data centric vision, strategy and priorities.
• Work with appropriate business and technology peers to identify and promote the best solutions (across technology and process) and with functional colleagues across other transformation programs and global departments to ensure best practice business data governance standards make the most effective and efficient use of the solutions deployed and comply with global data and information security policies including retention, decommissioning and archiving policies.
• Support regional data architects and their teams to ensure that their organization’s systems and data taxonomies and artefacts are designed and aligned in accordance with the appropriate global data architecture and data governance standards.
• Ensure that all capabilities are fully aligned with the wider finance strategy and identify opportunities for standardization and consolidation across the various finance capabilities.

Operational Management

• To work with fellow global and regional architects and senior stakeholders to iterate the solution design and own a continuous improvement and enhancement program for the relevant data policies and processes within Finance solution scope.
• Work with appropriate global and regional stakeholders to ensure the integrity of the design is maintained through the appropriate governance process of design authority and executive board and is governed through PMO managed processes for change control.
• Work across global and regional functions to establish appropriate governance structures to maintain global data design.
• Chair the Global Finance Data Governance Authority.
• Represent global finance data requirements at the Global Finance Business and Technical Design Authority.
• Support global and regional leads to specify how data services will be delivered, roles and responsibilities, effort and how to measure success of the services delivered.
• Support regional and global stakeholders to design and implement the data-centric operating model changes appropriate to support the global design.
• Work with fellow architects, product owners and other stakeholders to develop and execute the enterprise business and data solutions roadmap. Ensure alignment of solutions to include enhancements and new requirements agreed by the design authority.
• Work with global program and operational colleagues to ensure that design decisions are made in a timely fashion and that effective change management, data mapping and conversion, testing and trainings programs are developed and delivered.
• Work closely with solution, application and technical architects supporting them to deliver the application and solution elements of the global program and subsequent continuous improvement initiatives.
• Work with change and training teams to develop global templates for regions to adapt to ensure the global solution is successfully embedded globally and within the regions.
• Liaise between business and technology stakeholders to facilitate effective communication and working practices.

• Work with testing teams to establish a structured approach to continuous testing of the global data models and solutions.
• Leadership of a small team of data analysts. Ensuring that team priorities, resource plans and tracking of work items, issues and risks through the team are managed professionally.

• Identification and ownership of risk, issues and appropriate escalation to senior executives.

About You

• Extensive experience and a proven track record in/as:
• Business international level of English – both written and oral.
• Highly collaborative and able to work in a global environment, accommodating the different cultures and time zones. Only team players will be considered.
• Experience of working in a senior management role on technology / finance / business / data transformation programs or a similar role in an international center of excellence is essential.
• Experience of shaping holistic business views and solutions in a business transformation situation.
• Knowledge and experience of governance frameworks.
• Extensive experience working in a team-oriented, global, multi-cultural, collaborative environment but also able to work alone as required.
• Prior experience of working within a law firm is desirable as well as systems delivery or management experience of systems including Elite 3E, the Intapp suite, Chrome River, Tagetik.
• Be adept in responding to challenges and issues as they arise.
• Be able to thrive working under pressure and be able to multi-task.

• Proven experience in a Business Data Architecture role, in a large and complex organization
• Demonstrable expertise developing conceptual, logical and physical architectures and applying architectural principles.
• Strong knowledge and experience of Financial best practice and business processes.
• Strong background designing and owning data management principles and applying them in a complex global organization.
• Developing and setting data standards. Communicating the benefits of data standards, championing and governing the standards across the organization.
• Strong background/knowledge of applying technology to meet finance business requirements.
• Strong stakeholder management, across both business and technology
• Experience defining and applying data management and architectural principles to business change.
• Experience modelling data using a variety of tools and techniques.
• Experience defining and promoting the benefits of metadata repositories and their use across different areas of the business.
• Experience of working within traditional waterfall and agile project environments
• Excellent communications, influencing, organizational and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent presentation skills with ability to conduct presentations comfortably to large groups.
• Excellent experience as a user of MS Office suite, including MS Project, MS Teams as well as Azure DevOps or equivalent.
• Experience of the Azure analytics and data platforms and their applications is a definite benefit.
• Impeccable attention to detail and ability to work with a wide variety of people and projects in a collective and collaborative manner.

You will possess:

1. Excellent communications, influencing, organizational and stakeholder management skills.
2. Excellent presentation skills with ability to conduct presentations comfortably to large groups.
3. Excellent experience as a user of MS Office suite, including MS Project, MS Teams as well as Azure DevOps or equivalent.
4. Experience of the Azure analytics and data platforms and their applications is a definite benefit.
5. Impeccable attention to detail and ability to work with a wide variety of people and projects in a collective and collaborative manner.

• Be adept in responding to challenges and issues as they arise.
• Be able to thrive working under pressure and be able to multi-task.

Essential Qualifications / Experience

• 5 years + experience working in a similar data architect or data lead role within a global finance organization or transformation initiative with responsibilities for the data solutions design and maintenance.
• Experience working on international projects or within global finance departments.
• Prince 2 / Agile experience
• A recognized Data Architecture Practitioner Certification would be advantageous.

Applications from current residents in the following countries, will be considered:

South Africa, Canada, Poland, Scotland, Ireland

Disclaimer:

Please ensure when applying for this role you are legally eligible to work/live in your location. Visa sponsorship or relocation costs will not be provided.

Diversity Inclusion:

Essential to our success as a global law firm is our ability to attract and retain the best talent from a diverse range of backgrounds. We want a work environment where everyone can reach their potential and we have an inclusive culture which respects individual differences.

We undertake and support a number of internal and external initiatives aimed at increasing diversity within the profession and we encourage all our partners and staff to get involved.

Equal Opportunities:

Dentons is committed to providing equal opportunities for all.

Reward and Recognition:

Remuneration and benefits package will reflect the successful candidates’ experience and country where hired.

Applications from individuals directly, should be sent to Global Recruitment Team: bianca.moodley@dentons.com

Originally posted on Himalayas