At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design and assurance of Benchmark's applications and collaborate with product teams.
- Company: Benchmark offers award-winning tech solutions for financial advisers, ensuring client-focused outcomes.
- Benefits: Enjoy a spacious campus with a gym, restaurant, and shuttle service to the train station.
- Why this job: Join a dynamic team in a supportive environment that values innovation and personal growth.
- Qualifications: Experience in software architecture, .NET, Azure, and strong leadership skills are essential.
- Other info: We prioritize diversity and inclusion, welcoming applicants from all backgrounds.
The predicted salary is between 54000 - 84000 £ per year.
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About Benchmark
Our award-winning, proprietary solutions cover regulatory, platform and investment services, and are designed to support advisers at every step of their journey – from starting and running a financial advice business more productively and effectively, to accelerating its growth and realising its value.
We support high quality financial advisers with our award-winning technology and support services. And with our own Financial Advice business, we help families find solutions to meet their needs and aspirations and achieve peace of mind. By providing access to higher quality solutions, we make it easier for them to meet and exceed their goals.
Ensuring good client outcomes, with the client’s interests central to decision making, is very important at Benchmark. Treating Customers Fairly principles are embedded within our organisation and we take responsibility for embracing and promoting our duty of care to all clients, including those who may be more vulnerable than others.
The base
You’ll be based at our Schroders Business Campus near Horsham in West Sussex. It has high standards and international reputation, without being in the city: a big, countryside campus means life will feel a little different. We support our offices by using cutting edge software and hardware and our spacious campus facilities mean there’s a great working environment for the team. With an on-site restaurant, coffee shop and gym, our campus has much to offer. And commuters can relax on our dedicated regular shuttle bus to and from Horsham’s main line train station.
What you’ll do
This position is responsible for the large parts design and assurance of both the current and future Benchmark Capital suite of applications, along with the associated processes, systems and integrations.
- As an expert work with in our scaled agile environment to lead the collaboration with product owners and product managers to determine functional and non-functional requirements for new features, new software or applications.
- At the value stream, lead the design to develop high-level Features and Enablers specifications.
- Lead as an expert the hands-on developing of spikes and proof of concepts for emerging technologies.
- Lead with fellow architects and principal developers/testers to promote alignment with the Architecture Governance Framework and associated processes and policies.
- Own some aspects of architectural, security and engineering related policies.
- Own when required the design and implementation of cloud infrastructure in Azure, providing guidance and review from an architectural, business and security perspective.
- Own the definition of some aspects of development from appropriate technology and workflow to coding standards.
- Lead the communication of all concepts and guidelines to the business stakeholders, other architects and development teams.
- Oversee progress of the Safe Train to ensure consistency with initial design through to delivery.
- Lead technical guidance and coaching to architects and principal developers.
- Define how the products and software meets all requirements of quality, security, modifiability, extensibility etc.
- Lead in the communication of architectural concepts and requirements to key stakeholders, articulate decisions and strategies whilst responding to challenges.
- Define and develop an in-depth knowledge of the business’s processes, strategy and products and align the architectural designs accordingly.
- Work with 3rd party vendors to buy in solutions where appropriate.
- Attend meetings with Schroders to collaborate in joint initiatives.
- Assist the business as required in pre-sales meetings to provide possible technical solutions to help progress the project.
- Proactively keep up with the latest industry thinking and technologies and feed them back to the Architectural Runway to help shape the future of the company’s architectural solutions.
- Work within an Agile environment and be able to facilitate emergent design sessions with the development teams as well as upfront designs when necessary.
- Provide cost and/or resource estimates to enable quick and well-informed business decisions.
The knowledge, experience and qualifications you need
- Proven experience as a solution/software architect, with strong knowledge of .NET, ASP.NET and Azure Technologies.
- Experience in software development and coding in various languages, primarily C#.
- Excellent knowledge of software and application design, architecture and patterns (Solid, DDD, TDD, SOA, Service Design thinking and Distributed Systems).
- Proven experience of implementing Event Driven Architectures.
- Good understanding of cloud design patterns and implementations in Azure.
- Experience of integrating with third party/external systems, and the appropriate integration patterns.
- Understanding of software quality assurance principles.
- A technical mindset with great attention to detail.
- High quality organizational and leadership skills.
- Outstanding presentation abilities.
- Excellent interpersonal, time management and communication skills- both written and oral.
- Customer focused and can present ideas and concepts in user-friendly language.
- Flexible and willing to work outside core business hours as required.
What you’ll be like
The ideal candidate is energetic, motivated with a ‘can do’ attitude, possesses good analytical and problem-solving abilities, and is keen to take on a role in a department with development and advancement opportunities. Due to the unpredictable nature of the IT industry, it is also important for this person to be willing to expand their Architecture, Software and IT knowledge, and to upgrade their skills set as and when required. The role will involve working in a small team in an environment of open information-sharing to assure cross-training and cover within the department.
We’re looking for the best, whoever they are
Our purpose is to provide excellent investment performance to clients through active management. Diversity of thought facilitated by an inclusive culture will allow us to make better decisions and better achieve our purpose. This is why inclusion and diversity are a strategic priority for us and why we are an equal opportunities employer: you are welcome here regardless of your age, disability, gender identity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, socio-economic background or any other protected characteristics.
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Principal Architect employer: ENGINEERINGUK
Contact Detail:
ENGINEERINGUK Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Architect
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarize yourself with Benchmark's core values and mission. Understanding their commitment to client outcomes and Treating Customers Fairly principles will help you align your responses during interviews and discussions, showcasing that you share their values.
✨Tip Number 2
Highlight your experience with .NET, ASP.NET, and Azure Technologies in conversations. Be prepared to discuss specific projects where you've successfully implemented these technologies, as this will demonstrate your hands-on expertise and relevance to the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Stay updated on the latest trends in software architecture and cloud design patterns. Being able to discuss recent advancements or emerging technologies during your interactions can set you apart as a forward-thinking candidate who is eager to contribute to Benchmark's innovative environment.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to showcase your leadership and communication skills. Since the role involves guiding teams and collaborating with stakeholders, think of examples from your past experiences where you successfully led projects or facilitated discussions to achieve common goals.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Architect
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Principal Architect position. Tailor your application to highlight your relevant experience in software architecture, particularly with .NET, ASP.NET, and Azure technologies.
Highlight Relevant Experience: In your CV and cover letter, emphasize your proven experience as a solution/software architect. Include specific examples of projects where you've implemented Event Driven Architectures or integrated with third-party systems.
Showcase Soft Skills: The job description mentions the importance of interpersonal and communication skills. Make sure to provide examples of how you've effectively communicated complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders in your previous roles.
Align with Company Values: Benchmark values customer focus and diversity. In your application, express your commitment to these principles and how you can contribute to an inclusive culture that supports high-quality client outcomes.
How to prepare for a job interview at ENGINEERINGUK
✨Showcase Your Technical Expertise
Be prepared to discuss your experience with .NET, ASP.NET, and Azure technologies in detail. Highlight specific projects where you implemented these technologies and how they contributed to the success of the project.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
Since this role involves leading teams and guiding other architects, share examples of how you've successfully led projects or teams in the past. Emphasize your ability to communicate architectural concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
✨Emphasize Customer Focus
Discuss how you prioritize client needs in your architectural decisions. Provide examples of how you've ensured good client outcomes and how you align your work with the principles of Treating Customers Fairly.
✨Stay Updated on Industry Trends
Show your enthusiasm for continuous learning by discussing recent industry trends or technologies that excite you. Explain how you plan to incorporate new knowledge into your work at Benchmark to help shape future architectural solutions.