Head of Architecture

Team: Architecture

Directorate: Digital

About Team: The Digital Directorate delivers cross-cutting digital components and services which support delivery across CDP. This aims to achieve a shared vision of a modern, digital and collaborative organisation.

Reporting to: Chief Digital Officer

Purpose of Role:

A newly created role, the Head of Architecture is responsible for technology enterprise and solution architecture, defining the vision and helping steer the technology roadmap across the organisation to ensure that our systems are designed and implemented in a way that meets the needs of our business.

Accountabilities:

Lead the enterprise, solution, data, and infrastructure architecture practice across CDP, introducing required patterns, standards, methodologies, and artefacts to deliver scalable technology solutions adhering to best-practice architectural principles

Direct Reports and Main Stakeholders (internal and external):

• Directors, Senior Managers, Members, external bodies and partners, to build effective relationships, represent the service, and to provide expert advice and guidance on sensitive and highly complex issues.
• Ability to deal with confidential, challenging and highly sensitive issues / situations, which involve significant negotiation, persuasion and influencing skills. Manage relationships with customers / delivery partners / contractors.
• Deal with people at all levels confidently, sensitively and diplomatically. Interaction with others and the ability to successfully influence, negotiate and motivate are fundamental to the role. The ability to set and create the right working climate is critical to the success of the role.
• Consult with stakeholders to identify requirements. Lead partnership working with internal and external services / organisations. Chair internal / external working groups. Influence their decisions.
• Collaborate with the CDO and Head of Engineering to define the overall technology strategy
• Lead and manage a small team of solution architects.

Budget Responsibilities:

Own architecture budget, incl. resource allocation, tools, technologies(c. £3 million)

Examples of Tasks /Activities associated with the Role:

• Responsible for the creation, maintenance and management of the enterprise technology landscape, North Star vision, and technology roadmap that is consistent and aligned with business needs and technology strategies
• Lead and manage a small team of solution architects in co-creation of solution blueprints and detailed designs (incl. technology selection and integration approach) aligned to architectural guiding principles, tech roadmap, business requirements
• Define, maintain, and ensure adherence to architecture principles, standards, patterns
• Govern and lead the Technical Design Authority to review and make key architectural decisions
• Own creation and maintenance of key architectural assets (e.g. enterprise architecture map, solution architecture designs, NFRs, data model)
• Work with the engineering team to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues
• Provide insight into latest technology trends to help deliver new and innovative digital and enterprise solutions
• Work with the CDO and HR to recruit, onboard and manage talent

Key Skills/Abilities and Behaviours required for the Role:

• Proven track record in defining and establishing architectural principles, standards, and guidelines across multiple agile engineering squads and enterprise technology teams, distributed across multiple domestic and international locations
• Experience designing a global, high performing, external and internal user facing platform
• Experience building and managing teams of enterprise and solution architects
• Experience in developing and communicating the architectural vision and roadmap aligned with the organization's business objectives
• Strong understanding of Microsoft Azure & cloud native architecture and other cloud computing platforms
• Experienced working with CRM / ERP tools & Dynamics 365
• Excellent analytical & problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, able to explain complex technical solutions to non-technical audiences
• Experience in complex multi-product data driven companies
• Strong experience with systems and data platform & integration frameworks
• Degree in computer science, related field or equivalent professional experience
• Experience working with charities, NGOs, or similar organisations preferred
• Knowledge, interest, and passion for the environmental and / or sustainability space will be an advantage

How to apply:

Please submit your CV and a covering letter detailing how your skills and experiences align with requirements of the role. To apply, click on the following link:

Job Application for Head of Architecture at CDP (greenhouse.io)