Head of Enterprise Architecture in Reading

Head of Enterprise Architecture

Closing date: 10th August 2026

Location: RG7 4PR, located between Reading and Basingstoke, with free onsite parking.

Package: A competitive salary aligned with the seniority and impact of this role.

Working Pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight, with every other Friday as a non-working day. For this role, employees are required to work fully onsite. We support flexible working arrangements where possible, including part-time and varied working hours, while maintaining an onsite presence. Please let us know if you would like us to consider an alternative working pattern as part of your application.

Ready to play your part? As Head of Enterprise Architecture, you will lead AWE’s enterprise‑wide architecture function, defining and assuring standards, policies and governance across all domains. Reporting into the Change pillar, you will provide strategic oversight of architectural alignment and assurance for all digital and data initiatives, ensuring solution designs are secure, scalable and strategically aligned. Domain‑embedded architects remain functionally aligned to this role, supporting consistent, mature architecture practices across the organisation.

Key Accountabilities

• Align enterprise architecture with business goals and digital transformation priorities.
• Define and maintain enterprise‑wide architecture standards, frameworks and policies across all architecture domains.
• Lead architecture governance forums (e.g., Design Authority Board, Architecture Review Board), ensuring only compliant and strategically aligned designs are approved.
• Assure architectural decisions and artefacts meet standards for interoperability, scalability, security and sustainability.
• Maintain architectural traceability between strategic intent and programme outcomes.
• Drive consistency, best practice and maturity across all architects, ensuring common ways of working and aligned outputs.
• Ensure coherence and integration across shared platforms, services and architectural components.
• Own and evolve the enterprise architecture roadmap in line with business needs and technology trends.

Who are we looking for?

• Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related discipline.
• Experience leading enterprise architecture in a complex, regulated environment.
• Expertise in architecture domains including application, data, infrastructure, and security.
• Strong working knowledge of TOGAF or similar architecture frameworks.
• Demonstrable experience in architecture assurance, governance, and secure‑by‑design principles.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills across technical and business audiences.

Work hard, be rewarded: We ask a lot and set the bar high because our work truly matters.

In return we offer balance, with award winning benefits including:

• 9‑day working fortnight – meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.
• Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).
• Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
• Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).
• Discounts – access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

Important things you need to know

• You will need to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. This will be funded by AWE.
• The nature of our work does mean you need to be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.
• We want you to feel comfortable and able to shine during our recruitment process. Please let us know on your application form if you need any adjustments/accommodations during the process.
• Our interviews typically take place over Teams and for most roles are a 1 stage process.
• Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work.
• We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants.
• Any inclusion information you provide will be stored in accordance with GDPR and kept separate from your application form and CV, and the information will not be shared with anyone involved in interviewing or making hiring decisions.
• Please note that you must be a British Citizen to apply for a role with us.

We are an Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award Employer.

We will do this while continuing to deliver the Trident programme as well as managing ambitious state‑of‑the‑art capital and construction projects – some of which have never been done before.

Find out more on our website.

Service Leavers, Veterans and Reservists

Visit the Service Leavers page to find out more.

Early Careers

To register your interest in our Apprentice, Graduate and undergraduate, please visit Early Careers.