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Forge Holiday Group

Director of Data

Chester·Hybrid·1w ago·Closes 20 May 2026

Salary

Competitive salary

Work type

Hybrid

Level

lead

Category

Data Leadership

About the role

Role Details:

💰 Salary: Competitive (Plus Bonus and incentives)
📍 Location: Head Office - One City Place, Chester (Hybrid)
🤝 Reporting to: Group CTO

About Us

Forge Holiday Group is a leading UK holiday lettings business, connecting millions of customers with great holiday experiences. With award-winning brands like Sykes Holiday Cottages and Forest Holidays, we’re 1,700+ people strong and powered by four values: One Business One Team, Keep it Simple, Grow & Learn, Sustainable Impact.

Data is already central to how we operate - and we’re now investing to take it further.

We’re building a modern, AI-ready data platform to create a single, trusted view of our business - powering insight, decision-making, and over 300 AI agents already in use.

The Role

This is a builder’s role - not maintenance.
As Director of Data, you will define and deliver our end-to-end data strategy, platform, and capability.

You will:

  • Architect and scale a modern data platform (data vault, knowledge graph, insight layer)
  • Enable AI, analytics, and product innovation through trusted data
  • Build and lead high-performing data teams
  • Build the Future of Data at Scale -Define the strategy, infrastructure, and operating model that will power data across multiple brands and markets.
  • Drive a true data-first culture across the organisation
  • Drive Real Commercial Impact - Every initiative will connect directly to revenue growth, customer experience, and owner success.
  • Join a Strong Technology Leadership Team - Work alongside senior leaders driving product, platform, and AI transformation across the group

Why Now?

We’re moving from fragmented data to a single version of the truth - trusted, accessible, and compounding in value over time

Strong foundations are already in place - now we need the right leader to accelerate and deliver.

Our Approach: Grow and Learn

One of our core values is Grow and Learn.

We’ve applied that directly to this search - listening, refining, and evolving the role based on what we’ve learned.

We welcome both new applicants and those who have previously applied.

What You’ll Bring

Essential:

  • Experience delivering large-scale data platform transformations
  • Deep expertise in modern data architecture (data vault, lakehouse, semantic layers)
  • Cloud data platform experience (Microsoft Fabric highly advantageous)
  • Experience supporting AI/ML or agent-based systems
  • Proven leadership and stakeholder management capability

Desirable:

  • Experience in travel, e-commerce, or marketplace businesses
  • Knowledge of knowledge graphs and data democratisation
  • Strong commercial acumen

Why Join Us

  • A transformational, CEO-sponsored programme
  • A business already leveraging AI at scale
  • The opportunity to build a platform and team from strong foundations
  • A culture that lives its values - including Grow and Learn

Forge Holiday Group Benefits:

💰Annual STIP Company-wide Bonus Scheme offering up to an additional 30% of your salary through our performance-based bonus program
✈️ 33 days’ holiday (including bank holidays), plus up to 5 extra with long service.
🌴 Option to purchase extra holiday days if you wish.
🎂 A day off for your birthday
✋🏻 2 volunteering days per year.
🍼 Enhanced parental leave (24 weeks maternity, 3 weeks paternity at full pay).
🔒 Pension scheme with employer contributions
🏠 Discounted and last-minute stays at Forest Holidays and Sykes Cottages for you, your friends & family.
🛍️ Special offers and discounts designed to enhance your overall wellbeing.
❤️‍🩹Health cash plan & life assurance.
📈 Training & development opportunities.
💛 24/7 mental health support.
🏋🏻‍♂️ On-site gym and parking at Chester HQ (near train station).
🐖 Employee savings scheme
🎉Long service awards and company events

Tech stack

MS FabricAI/ML