Lead Enterprise Architect

Working hours: This role is available on a part-time, job-share or full-time basis. Location: Fareham/Swindon/hybrid working from home.

The opportunity:

An excellent opportunity has arisen to join the Zurich UK IT Architecture team as a Lead Enterprise Architect. As an experienced architect, you will drive the engagement of architecture on significant change programmes and in support of projects through ideation, high-level design and delivery. You will work collaboratively with architects spanning the different architecture domains and using your experience will occasionally guide and mentor less experienced staff where appropriate (including project or line management responsibilities as required).

Often acting as the face of architecture on key assignments and activities, you will possess excellent written and verbal communication skills and ensure architecture thinking is considered at the very start of design-level conversations. Working with multi-disciplined teams and cross-site locations, you will foster a spirit of collaboration but also lead from the front and be empowered to challenge traditional thinking and promote new ways of doing things where appropriate whilst ensuring that key decisions are documented and options fully considered.

You will develop architecture roadmaps within specific domain areas, balancing longer-term strategy with more immediate tactical needs, always ensuring a pragmatic and practical approach is applied. You will possess a strong business acumen, which is supported by a deeply rooted background in technology and have the skills and ability to cut through the noise and get right to the heart of how technology can resolve business challenges. You will have a strong inquisitive nature, be tenacious in navigating the right outcome in your engagements and consider the wider scenarios and how these may influence or impact the direction of travel you set.

You will remain current and up-to-date with technology trends and methods through evidenced continued professional development and have a real passion for how architecture and associated technology can truly be an enabler for the business. You will leverage your industry-wide connections and experience to bring accelerated insights into your thinking and overarching design constructs. You will contribute to the management and maintenance of the applications repository and ensure core strategic needs around application reconciliation. Decommissioning can be accurately reported whilst being ruthless with offering up new opportunities of rationalisation/consolidation or to otherwise reduce the ongoing cost of IT to the organisation.

If you are interested in working in a dynamic and challenging environment, for a company that recognizes and rewards your creativity, passion, initiative and contributions, just simply click "Apply online".

What will you be doing?

• Work collaboratively with other architects, project teams and members of the business to deliver solutions that meet business needs.
• Work with, inform and influence all key stakeholders: IT, business and senior executives.
• Prepare business design documents, presentations and other materials using established formats and standard software & templates.
• Working with the wider architecture team to help shape future strategy.
• Help with the conceptualisation phase of Operational Transformation and Change programmes (architects the change).
• Help identify business improvement opportunities that can be better aligned and/or centrally operated.
• Participate in mastering business standardisation across the segment/function whenever possible, leveraging available and necessary enablers (Activity Framework, Process Framework, Logistics, high-level configuration/organisation design).
• Ensure proper documentation of the as-is and to-be architecture for the different Enterprise Architecture domains (i.e. business, application, data and technology).
• Monitor market trends to identify innovation opportunities and propose best of breed solutions that bring value to the business.
• Promote the defined principles, models, standards, guidelines and plans to both business and IT stakeholders and provide information, advice, guidance, and consulting to the local and global IT community.
• Lead or contribute to regular or ad-hoc architectural reviews.
• Contribute to the definition of the Enterprise Architecture framework, and associated corporate solution design and delivery methods, thus improving “proactive alignment”.
• Interact with internal as well as external stakeholders including business and IT executives, strategy, program and project managers / PMO, BU, segment and function architects, security & compliance, portfolio management as well as vendors.

What are we looking for?

• Excellent stakeholder management experience, ability to understand stakeholder issues and provide solutions to become a trusted advisor to the respective business area.
• Excellent communication skills to be able to talk to technical teams, business teams, other architects and senior stakeholders. With an ability to understand the application of technologies and provide an explanation of a solution and subsequent business impacts against the overall strategy.
• Experience in working across diverse architecture teams in the successful delivery of strategy and solution outcomes.
• Experience in defining the strategic architecture direction for an organisation or a significant business domain/unit.
• TOGAF qualified or equivalent industry-recognised architectural qualification.

As an inclusive employer, we want to ensure that all candidates feel comfortable and can perform at their best during the interview. You’ll have the opportunity to let us know of any reasonable adjustment or practical support needed when you apply.

What will you get in return?

Everyone’s different. That’s why at Zurich, we offer a wide range of employee benefits so our people can choose what fits them and their life. Our benefits provide real flexibility so our people can make considered choices and tailor their benefits throughout the year. Our benefits include 12% defined non-contributory pension scheme, annual company bonus, private medical insurance and the option to buy up to an additional 20 days or sell some of your holiday.

Who we are:

At Zurich we aspire to be one of the most responsible and impactful businesses in the world and the best global insurer. Together we’re creating a brighter future for our customers, our people and our planet. With over 55,000 employees in more than 170 countries, you’ll feel the support of being part of a strong and stable company who are a long-standing player in the insurance industry.

We’ve made a promise to each other and every employee; to focus on sustainable impact, to care about each other’s wellbeing, to use our diverse expertise to be curious and optimistic and to develop the skills needed for our future.

If you’re interested in working in a dynamic and challenging environment for a company that recognises and rewards your creativity, initiatives and contributions - then Zurich could be just the place for you. Be part of something great.

Our Culture:

At Zurich, our sense of community is strong and we’re particularly passionate about diversity and inclusion, which we’ve won numerous awards for. We want our people to bring the whole of themselves to work and ensure everybody is made to feel welcome, regardless of their background, beliefs or culture. We want our employees to reflect the diversity of our customers, and so are committed to treating all of our applicants fairly and with respect, irrespective of their actual or assumed background, disability or any other protected characteristic.

We’ve an environment that places a real importance on our people’s wellbeing from a physical, mental, social and financial perspective. We work with our wellbeing partners and industry experts to provide the best advice and access to a wealth of lifestyle support. We’re also committed to continuous improvement, and we offer access to a comprehensive range of training and development opportunities.

We’re passionate about supporting employees to help others by getting involved in volunteering, charitable and community activity. Our charitable arm, Zurich Community Trust, is one of the longest-established corporate trusts in the UK. In that time, we’ve awarded grants and volunteered time to deserving causes in the UK valued at over £90 million.

So make a difference. Be challenged. Be inspired. Be supported, Love what you do. Work for us.