Digital Enterprise: Data Architect

at  Syensqo

Syensqo is all about chemistry. We’re not just referring to chemical reactions here, but also to the magic that occurs when the brightest minds get to work together. This is where our true strength lies. In you. In your future colleagues and in all your differences. And of course, in your ideas to improve lives while preserving our planet’s beauty for the generations to come.
Join us at Syensqo, where our IT team is gearing up to enhance its capabilities. We play a crucial role in the group’s transformation—accelerating growth, reshaping progress, and creating sustainable shared value. IT team is making operational adjustments to supercharge value across the entire organization.
Here at Syensqo, we’re one strong team! Our commitment to accountability drives us as we work hard to deliver value for our customers and stakeholders. In our dynamic and collaborative work environment, we add a touch of enjoyment while staying true to our motto: reinvent progress. Come be part of our transformation journey and contribute to the change as a future team member.
As a strategic technology leader within Syensqo’s IT ecosystem, the Data Architect plays a critical role in shaping and driving the company’s data architecture strategy. This position is responsible for architecting and designing the framework for managing data across Syensqo’s various systems and platforms, ensuring seamless and efficient data integration, storage, and accessibility. The Data Architect ensures that the data strategies align with Syensqo’s overarching IT and business goals, facilitating a modern, flexible, and robust data architecture that supports rapid technological advancements, in particular with AI, and business needs.
Syensqo has become a new and independent company after the demerger of Solvay in December 2023. For next two years Syensqo will rely on Solvay through Transitional Service (TSA) agreements for the majority of its IT services. During this period Syensqo will have to build out its own independent IT landscape and organization. The separation is primarily done through a ”clone & clean” approach with some transformation for Network, security and workplace. The new organization will be built with focus on efficiency and agile value delivery to support the growth, innovation and customer obsession of Syensqo. Substantial work, in parallel to the separation work, will start to prepare and execute on the modernization and transformation of the IT landscape. This will require a full revision and modernisation of the enterprise architecture, e.g. including starting up the program to move to SAP S/4HANA, the creation of a lakehouse / data fabric infrastructure to seize the opportunities of our vast amounts of data and information, build a modern decoupled integration architecture, optimize the R&I digital landscape, integrating AI capabilities in our solutions, etc.
The role reports to the Data Lead

Key Job responsibilities and challenges, include:

• Architect and design the comprehensive strategy and systems architecture for developing Syensqo’s data fabric / lakehouse capabilities, ensuring it meets current and future demands, and that it is aligned with the company’s strategic goals and the broader IT landscape.
• Serve as a key liaison with IT delivery teams, business stakeholders, and external partners to forge and implement optimal data strategies.
• Lead the selection of advanced data management tools and technologies to build a scalable and advance data fabric / lakehouse platform.
• Oversee that as part of the implementation effort the architecture is pragmatically but correctly deployed to ensure ongoing business value delivery and operational excellence.
• Ensure compliance with relevant data protection, security standards, and regulatory requirements across all data strategies and implementations.
• Collaborate on modernization projects such as the migration to SAP S/4HANA and the flexible enablement of current and future AI capabilities, assuring that data architecture considerations are fully integrated.
• Foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and collaboration within the data management domain and throughout the IT organization.
• Design and orchestrate the comprehensive strategy for developing Syensqo’s data fabric, ensuring it meets current and future demands.
• Lead, recruit, and build a team of data specialists and engineers, fostering a culture of innovation, excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Engage with various stakeholders to comprehend evolving data needs, streamline data integration and accessibility, and advocate for data-driven decision-making practices.
• Manage the selection, deployment, and governance of leading data platforms and tools that align with our strategic goals.
• Guarantee a seamless, efficient flow of data within the organization, promoting automated processes to minimize redundancy and manual interventions.
• Monitor data systems and architecture, promptly addressing any challenges to maintain uptime and operational excellence.
• Remain on the forefront of emerging data technologies and practices, adapting our strategies to maintain a competitive edge.
• Create and maintain detailed documentation related to data architecture designs, processes, and standards to ensure clarity and continuity.
• Lead by example in creating a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement within the team.
• Manage the budget for the data domain initiatives, optimizing resource allocation to ensure the objectives are met within financial parameters

EXPERIENCE, SKILLS AND BEHAVIOUR:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Extensive experience in technology architecture with a focus on business intelligence, data and AI within a large, complex organization.
• Demonstrated experience in ETL processes and data integration technologies, proficiency in BI and analytics tools, familiarity with big data frameworks, cloud computing services related to data, knowledge of data governance and compliance regulations, n understanding of data security practices, experience with and a foundational knowledge of machine learning and AI capabilities, coupled with strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills.
• Prior experience in guiding and working alongside technical teams towards the successful delivery of enterprise wide data platforms
• Proficiency in agile methodologies; experience with SAFe is viewed favorably.

About us

• Syensqo is a science company developing groundbreaking solutions that enhance the way we live, work, travel and play. Inspired by the scientific councils which Ernest Solvay initiated in 1911, we bring great minds together to push the limits of science and innovation for the benefit of our customers, with a diverse, global team of more than 13,000 associates. Our solutions contribute to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable products found in homes, food and consumer goods, planes, cars, batteries, smart devices and health care applications. Our innovation power enables us to deliver on the ambition of a circular economy and explore breakthrough technologies that advance humanity.
• At Syensqo, we seek to promote unity and not uniformity. We value the diversity that individuals bring and we invite you to consider a future with us, regardless of background, age, gender, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, ability or identity. We encourage individuals who may require any assistance or accommodations to let us know to ensure a seamless application experience. We are here to support you throughout the application journey and want to ensure all candidates are treated equally. If you are unsure whether you meet all the criteria or qualifications listed in the job description, we still encourage you to apply.

• Architect and design the comprehensive strategy and systems architecture for developing Syensqo’s data fabric / lakehouse capabilities, ensuring it meets current and future demands, and that it is aligned with the company’s strategic goals and the broader IT landscape.
• Serve as a key liaison with IT delivery teams, business stakeholders, and external partners to forge and implement optimal data strategies.
• Lead the selection of advanced data management tools and technologies to build a scalable and advance data fabric / lakehouse platform.
• Oversee that as part of the implementation effort the architecture is pragmatically but correctly deployed to ensure ongoing business value delivery and operational excellence.
• Ensure compliance with relevant data protection, security standards, and regulatory requirements across all data strategies and implementations.
• Collaborate on modernization projects such as the migration to SAP S/4HANA and the flexible enablement of current and future AI capabilities, assuring that data architecture considerations are fully integrated.
• Foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and collaboration within the data management domain and throughout the IT organization.
• Design and orchestrate the comprehensive strategy for developing Syensqo’s data fabric, ensuring it meets current and future demands.
• Lead, recruit, and build a team of data specialists and engineers, fostering a culture of innovation, excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Engage with various stakeholders to comprehend evolving data needs, streamline data integration and accessibility, and advocate for data-driven decision-making practices.
• Manage the selection, deployment, and governance of leading data platforms and tools that align with our strategic goals.
• Guarantee a seamless, efficient flow of data within the organization, promoting automated processes to minimize redundancy and manual interventions.
• Monitor data systems and architecture, promptly addressing any challenges to maintain uptime and operational excellence.
• Remain on the forefront of emerging data technologies and practices, adapting our strategies to maintain a competitive edge.
• Create and maintain detailed documentation related to data architecture designs, processes, and standards to ensure clarity and continuity.
• Lead by example in creating a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement within the team.
• Manage the budget for the data domain initiatives, optimizing resource allocation to ensure the objectives are met within financial parameter