ERP Data Migration Lead - RetailOutside IR35

We are seeking an experienced ERP Data Migration Lead to join the technology and data team of a fast-growing UK retailer. This is a hands-on opportunity for an experienced data migration professional with a strong background in ERP data migration, data transformation, data integration and complex enterprise data environments, ideally gained within the retail, e-commerce or FMCG sector.

The successful candidate will take ownership of the ERP data migration workstream, working across business, technology and data teams to ensure that data is accurately extracted, transformed, cleansed, validated and migrated into the target ERP environment. This is not a purely programme management or coordination role; we are looking for someone who is technically hands-on, comfortable working directly with data, writing SQL, investigating source systems, developing transformation logic and resolving complex data issues.

This is an Outside IR35 contract opportunity and will suit an experienced ERP Data Migration Lead who enjoys working close to the detail, taking ownership of complex migration challenges and delivering high-quality migration solutions within a fast-paced retail environment. You will be responsible for the end-to-end data migration lifecycle, from initial discovery and source-system assessment through to data profiling, extraction, source-to-target mapping, transformation, cleansing, loading, validation, reconciliation, testing, cutover and post-migration support. You will work closely with ERP programme teams, business SMEs, technical architects, application teams and data engineers to understand how data is currently structured and used across the organisation and how it needs to be represented within the target ERP platform.

A key part of the role will be translating complex business and technical requirements into practical and robust data migration solutions. You will need to understand both the underlying data structures and business processes, identifying dependencies, data ownership issues, data quality concerns and migration risks throughout the programme. You will develop and maintain detailed source-to-target mappings, transformation rules and migration specifications, working directly with source and target data to identify and resolve issues. You will be expected to take a hands-on approach to data profiling, extraction, transformation, cleansing, validation and reconciliation, ensuring that migrated data is complete, accurate, consistent and fit for purpose.

You will use SQL extensively to investigate source data, profile datasets, validate transformation rules, identify anomalies and reconcile source and target systems. You should be comfortable working with large and complex datasets and be capable of tracing data issues through to root cause rather than relying on short-term fixes. Experience with Python and modern data engineering technologies would also be beneficial, particularly where these have been used to automate migration, transformation, validation or data quality processes. 

Experience with technologies such as Databricks, Apache Spark, PySpark, Azure, AWS, GCP, data warehouses, data lakes, ETL/ELT platforms, dbt, Airflow, Git, CI/CD and APIs would be advantageous, although the key requirement is strong practical experience delivering enterprise data migration solutions.

Strong experience working on ERP data migration or ERP implementation programmes is essential. Experience with platforms such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Infor, NetSuite or other enterprise ERP technologies would be valuable, but the specific ERP platform is less important than your ability to understand complex enterprise data structures, business processes and migration requirements. You should be able to work comfortably between business and technical teams, understanding how data is used operationally and how it needs to be transformed and structured within the target ERP environment.

Previous experience within retail, e-commerce, FMCG or another high-volume consumer environment is strongly preferred. The ideal candidate will have an appreciation of the complexity, scale and pace of retail environments and will have experience working with large volumes of data across multiple applications and legacy systems. Experience within a multi-site, multi-channel or high-volume retail organisation would be particularly valuable, especially where you have been responsible for migrating data from multiple source systems into a new ERP or enterprise platform. The ability to understand the commercial and operational impact of data migration is important, as migration activity will need to be delivered while the wider business continues to operate.

Data quality and reconciliation will be a significant part of the role. You will establish and execute appropriate validation and reconciliation controls, identify discrepancies between source and target environments and drive issues through to resolution. This will include defining data quality rules, identifying anomalies and inconsistencies, developing cleansing and standardisation logic, validating record counts and key business measures, supporting business-led data validation and resolving migration defects. You will work closely with data owners and business SMEs to ensure that technical migration decisions remain aligned with business requirements and that the target data is fit for operational use.

You will also play an important role in the planning and execution of migration activities, including migration strategy, migration sequencing, mock migrations, dress rehearsals, cutover and post-migration validation. You will work with programme and technical teams to understand migration dependencies, data readiness requirements, source-system constraints, data freeze requirements, migration windows and cutover sequencing. You should be comfortable operating within a complex ERP transformation programme where migration timelines are business-critical and where issues need to be investigated and resolved quickly and pragmatically.

Although this is a highly technical role, strong stakeholder management and communication skills are essential. You will work with ERP programme leads, solution architects, data architects, business SMEs, application owners, data owners, developers, data engineers and implementation partners, explaining complex data issues clearly and challenging assumptions where necessary. You will be expected to take ownership of migration issues, work collaboratively to identify root causes and drive practical solutions through to completion.

You will also be responsible for producing clear and robust technical documentation covering source-to-target mappings, transformation logic, data flows, migration designs, data quality rules, reconciliation approaches, migration runbooks, testing requirements, cutover activities, technical decisions, risks and dependencies. You should be comfortable working within established data governance and engineering practices while maintaining the pace and pragmatism required within a large-scale ERP transformation programme.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced ERP Data Migration Lead, Data Migration Architect or Senior Data Migration Consultant who combines strong hands-on technical data skills with proven experience delivering complex ERP migrations. You will have strong SQL skills, extensive experience with source-to-target mapping and transformation, a solid understanding of data profiling, cleansing and reconciliation, and experience working with complex ERP and enterprise application data. You will be comfortable operating across discovery, build, testing, cutover and post-migration support and will have a proven ability to work independently, take ownership of complex technical problems and collaborate effectively across business and technology teams.

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