Senior Data & BI Architect Microsoft Fabric / Power BI

Project overview

Performance Description

As part of the project, an existing self-service BI solution based on Microsoft Fabric and Power BI will be further developed and technically optimized.

The solution provides sales data from the sales data warehouse (VDWH) for self-service reporting and analytics. The data chain includes upstream data preparation within the Open Data Platform (ODP) in the VDWH, subsequent integration and processing in Microsoft Fabric, and the provision of business-prepared data via Power BI Semantic Models.

The goal of the project is the further development of a scalable, performant, and sustainably maintainable end-to-end data and BI architecture. A consistent and standardized data basis should be created that can be reused for different self-service reporting and analysis requirements.

A significant part of the project is the optimization of the business and technical demarcation between the individual architecture layers. Transformations and business logic should be implemented where they are most sensible in terms of performance, maintainability, and reusability.

Technical Landscape:

The technical environment includes in particular:

In addition to technical further development, the project includes the establishment and further development of standards for data structures, data quality, naming conventions, reusability, and technical documentation.

Task Description:

The external specialist supports the end-to-end further development and management of the data chain from the sales data warehouse via Microsoft Fabric to the Power BI Semantic Models.

Data Provision and ODP:

Microsoft Fabric:

Data Modeling and Power BI:

End-to-End Architecture:

Coaching and Knowledge Transfer:

• Sales Data Warehouse (VDWH)
• Open Data Platform (ODP)
• dbt and SQL
• Apache Airflow
• Snowflake and the prospective further development towards Databricks
• Microsoft Fabric
• Power BI and Power BI Semantic Models
• Dimensional data models according to star schema principles
• DAX-based metrics and business logic
• Management and further development of the ODP as upstream data preparation for the self-service BI solution
• Consolidation and preparation of the required dimensions and facts for downstream data models
• Development, maintenance, and optimization of transformation logic with dbt and SQL
• Management and further development of data processing and orchestration processes with Apache Airflow
• Analysis and optimization of existing data structures and transformation processes regarding performance, data quality, and maintainability
• Coordination of necessary changes at the interface between VDWH and the self-service BI solution
• Consideration of the further development of the underlying data platform from Snowflake towards Databricks
• Conception, further development, and optimization of the existing data architecture in Microsoft Fabric
• Integration of data provided from VDWH and ODP
• Selection and use of suitable Microsoft Fabric components and integration patterns
• Optimization of data flows between VDWH, Microsoft Fabric, and the semantic layer
• Reduction of unnecessary data redundancies and multiple transformations
• Further development of standards for data structures, naming conventions, data quality, and reusability
• Analysis and optimization of end-to-end performance
• Conception, further development, and optimization of Power BI Semantic Models
• Development of dimensional data models according to star schema principles
• Modeling of facts, dimensions, relationships, and hierarchies
• Development and optimization of DAX Measures, KPIs, and time intelligence
• Optimization of Semantic Models regarding performance, scalability, and user-friendliness
• Implementation of consistent and reusable metrics and business logic
• Provision of suitable semantic structures for self-service reporting and analytics
• Analysis and optimization of the data chain from VDWH and ODP via Microsoft Fabric to the Semantic Model
• Optimization of the business and technical demarcation of the individual architecture layers
• Evaluation and optimization of dependencies between components
• Consulting on architecture decisions and the further development of the technical target architecture
• Creation and maintenance of technical concepts, architecture decisions, and documentation
• Ensuring maintainability, reusability, and scalability
• Recording and analysis of business requirements and their translation into suitable data models and technical solutions
• Business collaboration with departments, data engineers, BI developers, and other stakeholders
• Business consulting on data modeling, Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, and self-service BI architectures
• Documentation of developed solutions and architecture decisions
• Knowledge transfer to internal employees

Requirements

Desirable:

Working Method and Competencies:

Language Skills:

About the Client

• Several years of practical experience with data warehouse, data engineering, and BI architectures
• Very good knowledge of SQL as well as relational and dimensional data modeling
• Practical experience with dbt
• Practical experience with Apache Airflow or comparable orchestration tools
• Practical experience with Snowflake
• Profound practical experience with Microsoft Fabric
• Very good knowledge of Power BI Semantic Models and dimensional modeling
• Very good knowledge of DAX, Measures, Time Intelligence, and performance optimization
• Experience with Star Schema or Dimensional Modeling
• Experience in analyzing and optimizing complex end-to-end data flows
• Experience with Databricks or with the further development of Snowflake-based data platforms towards Databricks
• Experience with Data Governance, Data Quality, and Standardization
• Knowledge of CI/CD and deployment processes for data and BI solutions
• Experience with agile working methods, ideally SAFe
• Knowledge of Python and/or Spark
• Strong analytical and conceptual skills
• Very good understanding of end-to-end data architectures
• Ability to translate business requirements into sustainable data models and technical solutions
• Structured, self-reliant, and solution-oriented way of working
• Ability to comprehensibly document architecture decisions and transfer knowledge
• Very good German skills (at least C1)
• Good English skills (at least B2)

Project details

01.01.2027

End: 30.06.2027 plus option for extension

Utilization: approx. 40 hours per week

Essen | 100% remote

Info: Only candidates from the nearshore area may be offered

• Start: flexible
• Remote: remote
• Location: Essen, Deutschland, DE
• Languages: German, English