Lead Data Migration Engineer & Architect -Contract Role

Vistra is a global leader in corporate services, and we're in the middle of one of the most ambitious payroll transformation programs in our history. Our purpose is progress: we remove the complexity of global business so our clients can move forward without friction.

Right now, we're migrating pure payroll client entities from our legacy middleware application - OverseasConnect (OSC) - into our target iiPay global payroll platform; a complex, high-stakes program that demands more than a lift-and-shift. It requires someone who can architect the migration end-to-end and then execute it hands-on: deep data transformation expertise, solution design thinking, relentless attention to detail, and a drive to deliver outcomes without waiting to be told.

We are looking for a proactive, hands-on Lead Data Migration Engineer & Architect (10–15 years experience) to own and drive the end-to-end migration of client payroll data from OSC into iiPay. This is not a simple data port. You will design the solution architecture, define the data models and transformation logic, and then execute hands-on: building and running the data mapping, transformation, and validation processes to ensure payroll entities are accurately restructured for iiPay's data model, across multiple concurrent global clients, under tight program deadlines.

You will report into a matrixed reporting structure, working closely with the Migration Project Manager and work directly with leadership team members such as EVP Operations and Payroll, EVP Business Applications, Global, etc.. This is a high-visibility role where your work directly impacts client outcomes and critical roadmap success. We need someone who takes ownership, communicates with precision, and delivers without excuses.

Key Responsibilities

• Own, drive, and deliver end-to-end data migration approach and delivery from OSC to iiPay across multiple concurrent global payroll clients
• Proactively align with Program and Operations leads on client prioritization, sequencing, dependencies, and delivery timelines
• Extract and profile payroll client data and documents from the OSC legacy .NET platform and underlying SQL databases
• Design and implement data mapping and transformation logic between OSC's data structures and iiPay's target data model (this is not a like-for-like migration; structural and semantic transformation is required)
• Develop and optimize SQL queries and ETL pipelines for data transformation, cleansing, and validation to automate loading into iiPay
• Build and execute rigorous data reconciliation processes with robust control frameworks, exception reporting, and audit trails to guarantee data integrity
• Investigate and resolve data quality issues, migration blockers, and cross-functional dependencies with urgency and minimal escalation
• Deliver client migrations on time in a high-pressure, deadline-driven program environment; you set the pace, not follow it
• Proactively identify, flag, and mitigate data risks, issues, and upstream/downstream dependencies before they become blockers
• Present progress, risks, and outcomes with clarity and confidence to senior stakeholders up to C-suite level; no hand-holding required
• Define the end-to-end solution architecture for each client migration: data flows, system integration points, transformation layers, and target-state data models in iiPay
• Produce technical design documentation (HLD/LLD, data flow diagrams, entity-relationship mappings) that serve as the blueprint for execution
• Evaluate and recommend tooling, patterns, and approaches for each migration wave (e.g., parallel-run vs. phased cutover, batch vs. near-real-time sync)
• Design for non-functional requirements: data security, auditability, rollback capability, and scalability across growing client volumes
• Build scalable, repeatable migration frameworks and playbooks that accelerate future client waves
• Architect the data migration strategy approach and roadmap for subsequent phases, including additional services beyond core payroll

Technical & Architecture Competencies

• Proven track record designing and delivering data migration architectures end-to-end, including data profiling, mapping, transformation, validation, and reconciliation methodologies
• SQL Server mastery including advanced T‑SQL, performance tuning, schema analysis and data extraction; complex queries, multi-table joins, stored procedures, performance tuning, and large-scale data reconciliation
• DB2 LUW expert proficiency including SQL PL, tablespaces, sequences, triggers, and optimisation
• DB2 performance tuning for high‑volume workloads
• Automation & scripting using Python, PowerShell, or Bash
• Migration Architecture — Designs and governs the full SQL Server → DB2 migration framework, including ETL, validation, cutover, and stabilisation
• Cross‑Platform Conversion — Architects translation of SQL Server schemas, stored procedures, and identity logic into DB2 SQL PL and existing DB2 structures.
• Informatica ETL Architecture — Builds high‑performance Informatica pipelines using reusable transformations, partitioning, and pushdown optimisation.
• Global Payroll Data Architecture — Designs multi‑country payroll data flows, multi‑currency handling, and statutory data structures.
• Hands-on experience with ETL/ETL tools (Azure Data Factory, AWS Glue, Informatica, Talend, or similar) and strong Python scripting for automation and data manipulation
• Advanced Excel proficiency for large-dataset analysis, pivot tables, XLOOKUP/INDEX-MATCH, and reconciliation reporting
• Ability to build clear, structured executive-level presentations that communicate migration status, risks, and decisions
• Working knowledge of middleware, integration platforms, and API-based data exchange patterns between payroll systems
• Experience designing data architectures: schema design, data modeling (conceptual, logical, physical), and entity-relationship mapping for complex payroll/HR domains
• Ability to produce clear technical design artifacts: solution architecture diagrams, data flow diagrams, HLD/LLD documentation
• Exposure to cloud-native data platforms and services (Azure, AWS) for scalable migration pipeline design

Delivery, Leadership & Communication

• Track record of successfully delivering complex, multi-client data migration programs across geographies with measurable outcomes
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple parallel client migrations simultaneously without dropping quality or timelines
• Obsessive attention to data integrity and detail; you catch errors others miss
• Self-directed with strong ownership mentality; you don't wait for instructions, you drive the work forward
• Thrive (not just survive) in fast-paced, high-pressure, ambiguous environments where priorities shift and deadlines are non-negotiable
• Exceptional communication skills; able to translate complex data concepts into clear business language for both technical teams and non-technical executives

Who You Are

• A doer, not a delegator. You roll up your sleeves and get into the data yourself
• Proactive by default. You identify what needs to happen next and make it happen without being asked
• Comfortable with ambiguity. You can work with incomplete specs and figure out the right path forward
• Relentlessly detail-oriented. Payroll data has zero tolerance for error, and neither do you
• Equal parts architect and engineer: you can design the big picture and then get your hands dirty building it
• A clear communicator who can say what needs to be said, concisely, to any audience
• Systems thinker who sees how data flows across platforms and anticipates downstream impacts before they surface

Role Minimum Requirements

Baseline Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Engineering, or a related discipline (Master's degree preferred)
• 10–15 years of progressive experience in data migration, data engineering, or data architecture roles, with at least 8 years leading migration workstreams
• Based in India (hybrid from Mumbai office or fully remote within India); must be available for overlap with UK/EU business hours as needed
• Well versed with API-based integrations between payroll systems and/or middleware platforms
• Demonstrated experience in global Payroll & HR, or financial services data environments
• Fluent in English with excellent written and verbal communication skills

Desirable

• Direct experience with migrations onto global payroll SaaS platforms
• Experience with .NET-based legacy system decommissioning and data archival strategies
• Understanding of multi-country payroll data structures, statutory requirements, and cross-border data considerations
• Familiarity with business change management processes in large-scale enterprise transformation programs

Why Vistra

This is a career-defining opportunity. You will be at the center of a global transformation program with direct visibility to senior leadership. At Vistra, we offer flexible working arrangements and prioritize the growth of our people.

We invest in continuous learning, mentorship, and career progression. You will sharpen your expertise across global payroll, data engineering, and enterprise transformation while working alongside some of the best in the industry.

If you're the kind of person who runs toward complexity, takes pride in getting things done right, and wants your work to matter, we want to hear from you.