Job Description

Data Architecture & AI Strategy Lead

Location: Sydney (Hybrid)

Salary: $180,000 - $210,000 + super (depending on level and experience)

(Hands-on | AI & Unstructured Data)

We’re looking for a senior hands on data leader who still enjoys building, not just talking about it. Someone who can combine hands-on data architecture with strategic AI thinking to turn ideas into autonomous, agentic systems that create real business impact. You’ll work with a strong, senior data engineering team and existing data science capability - your role is to provide the missing layer of AI architecture, data governance, and strategy.

The opportunity
This scaling FinTech business has already built a robust data foundation. What’s missing is a clear layer for AI and agentic systems, particularly around:

• Making unstructured data usable: turning emails, transcripts, documents, and other unstructured sources into actionable insights.
  
  
• Building AI-ready data foundations: designing end-to-end architectures to support LLMs, RAG workflows, vector databases, and graph-style data models.
  
  
• Turning AI concepts into practical outcomes: translating strategy into testable experiments, enabling autonomous AI agents to deliver measurable results.
  
  
• Data governance: establishing frameworks and practices to ensure data is accurate, consistent, and accountable, especially when powering AI systems.
  
  

You’ll need

• Hands-on experience architecting and building data systems, not just using them.
  
  
• Experience designing solutions that prepare and serve unstructured data for LLM-enabled use cases, including vector stores, graph-style models, and RAG architectures.
  
  
• Strong understanding of:
  
  
  • Unstructured data pipelines
    
    
  • LLM workflows / RAG-style architectures
    
    
  • Trade-offs between structured and unstructured data
    
    
  • AI / agentic system architectures
    
    
• Ability to design solutions first, then choose tools - not the other way around.
  
  
• Data governance expertise: implementing policies and practices that ensure quality, reliability, and compliance.
  
  
• Strong stakeholder and leadership experience: influencing without ego, coaching teams, and guiding decision-making.
  
  
• Clear communication, humility, and comfort saying:
  
  
  • “This won’t work — here’s why.”
    
    
  • “Here are three options and the trade-offs.”
    
    

What success looks like
You’ll take ownership of shaping the AI architecture, designing experiments, and building frameworks that make unstructured data usable. You’ll bridge strategy and execution, helping the business move from isolated AI experiments to fully autonomous, agentic systems that deliver real value.

Why join
This is a chance to lead the next wave of AI innovation in a scaling FinTech business with a collaborative, high-trust culture. You’ll work alongside experienced data engineers and scientists who are committed to building best-in-class systems, with the freedom to shape strategy and see your ideas come to life.

If this sounds like you and you've got the relevant skills hit apply or reach out to ailbhe@theonset.com.au