NFI

Overview

Are you passionate about shaping the future of enterprise data? Do you enjoy leading high-performing teams and architecting scalable data models that empower analytics, AI, and innovation? We’re looking for a Manager of Data Design and Modeling to drive the design of our modern data ecosystem and support business transformation through trusted, well-architected data assets.

In this pivotal role, you’ll lead and grow a talented team responsible for building and evolving our enterprise data models in Azure Synapse Analytics, while also advancing our capabilities in data solution design for AI/ML and advanced analytics. You’ll work closely with engineers, analysts, and business stakeholders across the organization to ensure our data foundation is robust, future-ready, and aligned with strategic goals.

If you’re a technical leader who can zoom out to see the big picture while still rolling up your sleeves to guide design decisions, we’d love to meet you.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of conceptual, logical, and physical data models to support enterprise analytics and operational reporting.
• Manage and mentor a team of data modelers and solution designers, providing direction, coaching, and performance management.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to translate analytical and operational needs into scalable data solutions.
• Partner with data engineering, analytics, and AI teams to design data structures optimized for performance, flexibility, and usability.
• Ensure consistent application of modeling standards, documentation practices, and metadata management.
• Champion data quality, data governance, and stewardship in model and solution design.
• Drive adoption of modern architecture patterns such as lakehouse, medallion architecture, and real-time data flows.
• Participate in strategic planning for data platforms and architecture evolution, ensuring alignment with future AI/ML needs.
• Evaluate and recommend tools and technologies to enhance modeling, documentation, and design practices.
• Communicate technical concepts and data architecture vision to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Qualifications

• • Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to clearly and concisely explain technology solutions in business terms.
  • Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, and problem solving skills
  • Proven expertise in data modeling techniques, with a strong emphasis on dimensional modeling (Kimball) and third normal form (3NF) for enterprise data warehouses.
  • Demonstrated experience leading the design and implementation of robust data models in Azure Synapse Analytics or comparable cloud data warehouse platforms.
  • Skilled at translating business and analytical requirements into high-quality conceptual, logical, and physical data models.
  • Ability to lead and mentor data modelers and engineers in data architecture best practices, ensuring data models are scalable, maintainable, and performant.
  • Ability to lead and mentor a team of data modelers and solution designers; experience in hiring, coaching, and performance management.
  • Experience working within or closely alongside Agile development teams, integrating modeling tasks into iterative delivery.
  • Proven success in collaborating with data platform engineers, analysts, and data scientists to ensure models meet a wide range of analytical and operational needs.
  • Deep understanding of Azure Data Services, including Azure Data Factory, Data Lake Storage (Gen2), SQL Serverless + Dedicated Pools, and Azure Databricks.
  • Strong understanding of data governance principles, including data lineage, metadata management, and reference/master data integration.
  • Ability to design and evolve models that support advanced analytics and AI/ML use cases, including event-driven architectures, feature stores, and semantic layers.
  • Familiarity with modern data architecture concepts, such as medallion architecture, data lakehouse, and real-time/streaming data integration.
  • Experience defining and enforcing modeling standards and practices, including naming conventions, documentation, and change management.
  • Demonstrated ability to evaluate and select modeling tools and platforms to support evolving organizational needs (e.g., ER/Studio, erwin, MS Purview, etc.).
  • Strong communication skills to effectively present data designs and strategies to technical teams, business stakeholders, and executive leadership.
  • Ability to balance tactical project delivery with strategic planning, guiding the evolution of the organization’s data architecture to enable long-term AI-readiness.

Expected Competencies:

• Functional Expertise: Possesses the skills and knowledge needed to perform essential functions efficiently and effectively.
• Communication and Collaboration: Communicates openly and honestly. Follows through on commitments. Takes ownership and does not misrepresent information. Supports colleagues and team efforts.
• Development: Takes an active role in self-development, seeking to grow job related knowledge and skills. Empowers and challenges team members to reach their full potential.
• Analysis and Decision Making: Uses all available resources to make good decisions. Knows when and how to partner with others when facing a problem.
• Results Focus: Action oriented. Assumes appropriate level of accountability for goals, critical issues, and performance.
• Managing Change and Continuous Improvement: Demonstrates an entrepreneurial mindset towards change. Takes risks, creates new, and better ways for the organization to be successful.

We are excited to share that the base salary range for this position is $107,299.14-$143,065.52.

This position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, targeted at 3%. NFI takes into consideration applicants' qualifications, experience, education, and geographic location when determining a starting rate of pay.

Employees are also eligible for a robust benefit program, which includes Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401k Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off, and Paid Parental Leave, among other benefit plan options.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

LA County Applicants: The Company will consider qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable state and local laws.