World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, seeks a Lead Specialist, Azure Data Solutions.

The Lead Specialist, Azure Data Solutions is responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining data solutions using Azure services. This role involves collaborating with others to develop data models and pipelines, integrating various data sources, and ensuring data quality and integrity. The specialist also creates and manages Power BI reports and dashboards to provide actionable insights, optimizes data solutions for performance and reliability, and stays updated with the latest Azure data services and best practices.

Salary Range: $126,600 to $181,900

Please note: Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship.  In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. 

*All applicants must submit a cover letter

**This position is NOT eligible for relocation

***This position is hybrid  - 2 days per week at our DC office

• Design, implement, and maintain solutions leveraging Microsoft Fabric’s data experiences (Data Factory, Data Engineering, Data Science, Real-Time Analytics, and Power BI) integrated with Azure Data Services.
• Collaborate with architects and engineers to develop Fabric lakehouse architectures and semantic models that support scalable pipelines and analytics.
• Integrate diverse sources into OneLake, Azure Data Lake, and Azure SQL Database to create a single source of truth.
• Develop and maintain ETL/ELT pipelines using Fabric Data Factory and Azure Data Factory.
• Build Power BI and Fabric-native dashboards to deliver actionable insights to executives and program teams.
• Ensure data quality, lineage visibility, and governance through validation, cleansing, and metadata management.
• Continuously monitor and optimize Fabric and Azure solutions for performance, scalability, cost-efficiency, and reliability.
• Apply AI-assisted coding practices (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Fabric Copilot, Azure AI tools) to accelerate development, improve code quality, and enhance automation.
• Act as an evangelist for Fabric-first adoption, ensuring WWF capitalizes on Microsoft’s unified platform strategy while staying current with Azure service innovations. 

Key Competencies

Core capabilities for this role include analytical thinking, problem solving, communication skills, and business knowledge. Specifically, the following competencies are essential:

• Interpersonal Communication and Collaboration - collaborate effectively with colleagues, and receive and incorporate feedback well.

• Technical Adaptability - Embraces new technologies, adjusts to workflow modifications, and thrives in dynamic environments.

• Data analysis/Analytical Thinking - Ability to investigate a problem and find the ideal solution in a timely, efficient manner; Ability to read, understand, and interpret data to solve business challenges or create a compelling narrative to inform business decisions.

• Big Picture Thinking - the ability to solve complex problems with a “big picture” perspective and a sensitivity to many moving parts.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field
• MUST HAVE:
  • minimum 8 years of relevant data experience.
  • expertise in Microsoft Fabric (OneLake, Data Factory, Data Engineering, Real-Time Analytics, Power BI) and Azure services (Data Lake, SQL Database, Synapse, Databricks). 
  • Strong applied experience in SQL development and optimization. 
  • Proficiency in Python for automation, advanced analytics, and AI-assisted solutions. 
  • Demonstrated experience with AI-assisted coding tools and AI-powered data solutions to enhance efficiency, governance, and insights. 
  • Strong problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills. 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.  Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of the organization; ability to communicate difficult concepts, new technology, and new ways of working.
• Willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies and methodologies.
• A self-starter that brings the energy and resilience to continually drive improvements and change. 
• Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion within and across teams.
• Preferred:
  • Infrastructure-as-Code / DevOps experience for automated deployment and governance. 
  • Advanced governance knowledge: metadata, lineage, data quality, and cataloging — especially as applied in Fabric or open-source tools (e.g., OpenMetadata). 
  • Cloud cost optimization (FinOps) skills to manage and monitor Fabric + Azure consumption. 
  • Experience integrating AI/ML workflows into Fabric and Azure environments (e.g., Azure ML, Cognitive Services, AutoML pipelines).
  • Data security and compliance expertise, with ability to design role-based access, audit logging, and compliance frameworks across Fabric and Azure.
• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values:  
  • COURAGE – We demonstrate courage through our actions, we work for change where it’s needed, and we inspire people and institutions to tackle the greatest threats to nature and the future of the planet, which is our home.
  • INTEGRITY – We live the principles we call on others to meet. We act with integrity, accountability, and transparency, and we rely on facts and science to guide us and to ensure that we learn and evolve. 
  • RESPECT – We honor the voices and knowledge of people and communities that we serve, and we work to secure their rights to a sustainable future. 
  • COLLABORATION – We deliver impact at the scale of the challenges we face through the power of collective action and innovation.  

To Apply: 

• Submit cover letter and resume through our Careers Page, Requisition #25050 

• Due to the high volume of applications, we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone 

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) promotes equal employment opportunities for all qualified individuals regardless of age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.