Head of GenAI Architecture

Head of GenAI Architecture

Full-Time 130000 - 150000 £ / year (est.) Hybrid
A

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead the strategy for Generative AI and emerging technologies in a customer-focused organisation.
  • Company: Join Aviva, a forward-thinking company transforming AI for better outcomes.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, generous pension scheme, 29 days holiday, and flexible working options.
  • Other info: Inclusive culture with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of AI while mentoring talent and driving innovation.
  • Qualifications: Proven experience in enterprise architecture and deep expertise in Generative AI.

The predicted salary is between 130000 - 150000 £ per year.

This is a great job for someone who is passionate about shaping how Artificial Intelligence transforms a large, customer-focused organisation. You may already be leading AI, cloud, data or enterprise architecture teams and be looking for an opportunity to influence strategy at the highest level. You'll enjoy balancing innovation with responsibility, helping teams adopt emerging technology safely while delivering meaningful outcomes for customers, colleagues and the business.

A bit about the job: As Head of GenAI Architecture, you'll define and lead the enterprise architecture strategy for Generative AI, Agentic AI and emerging AI technologies, ensuring Aviva adopts these capabilities safely, responsibly and at scale. You'll establish the long-term vision, technology roadmaps, architectural standards and governance frameworks that enable innovation while maintaining security, resilience, compliance and responsible AI practices.

Working across the organisation, you'll partner with senior technology, data, security, risk and business leaders to identify opportunities where AI can deliver meaningful customer, colleague and commercial outcomes. You'll provide architectural leadership across areas such as enterprise AI platforms, large language models, AI orchestration, agentic systems and emerging technologies, helping to turn experimentation into scalable, reusable business capabilities. You'll also shape how AI integrates with Aviva's wider technology, data and cloud ecosystem, ensuring solutions are built on trusted foundations and aligned to our long-term strategic objectives.

You’ll monitor developments across the rapidly evolving AI landscape, assess new technologies and help guide investment decisions that will influence Aviva's future direction. Alongside leading a high-performing AI architecture capability, you'll mentor and develop architecture talent, create reusable patterns and best practices, and help build the organisational capability needed to accelerate AI adoption across the business. Through your leadership, you'll play a critical role in helping Aviva unlock the full potential of AI while delivering better outcomes for our customers, colleagues and communities.

Skills and experience we're looking for:

  • Significant experience leading enterprise architecture strategy within a large and complex organisation, with a proven track record of defining technology roadmaps and delivering large-scale transformation initiatives.
  • Deep expertise in Generative AI and emerging AI technologies, including large language models (LLMs), enterprise AI platforms and modern AI architecture patterns, with the ability to translate innovation into scalable business outcomes.
  • Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with experience advising executive leaders and communicating complex technical concepts in clear, business-focused language.
  • A strong understanding of security, privacy, governance, resilience and risk management, ideally gained within a highly regulated environment such as financial services, insurance or banking.
  • Experience building and developing high-performing architecture teams and communities of practice.
  • Knowledge of Responsible AI frameworks, AI governance models and enterprise cloud or data platforms would be advantageous.

What you’ll get for this role:

  • Starting salary London: Circa £150k / Regional: Circa 130k (depending on location, skills, experience, and qualifications)
  • Bonus opportunity 25% – actual amount depends on your performance and Aviva’s generous pension scheme e.g. if you put in 8%, Aviva adds 14% in.
  • 29 days holiday plus bank holidays, and you can choose to buy or sell up to 5 days.
  • Aviva-funded Private Medical Benefit to help you get expert support when you need it.
  • Make your money go further - Up to 40% discount on Aviva products, and other retailer discounts.
  • Up to £1,200 of free Aviva shares per year through our Matching Share Plan and share in the success of Aviva with our Save As You Earn scheme.
  • Brilliantly supportive policies including parental and carer’s leave.
  • Flexible benefits to suit you, including sustainability options such as cycle to work.
  • Make a difference, be part of our Aviva Communities and use your 3 paid volunteering days to help others.
  • We take your wellbeing seriously with lots of support and tools.

Aviva is for everyone: We’re inclusive and welcome everyone – we want applications from all backgrounds and experiences. Excited but not sure you tick every box? Even if you don’t, we would still encourage you to apply. We also consider all forms of flexible working, including part time and job shares. We flex locations, hours and working patterns to suit our customers, business, and you. Most of our people are smart working – spending at least 50% of their time in our offices every week - combining the benefits of flexibility, with time together with colleagues.

Head of GenAI Architecture employer: Aviva

Aviva is an excellent employer for a Senior Business Analyst, offering a dynamic hybrid working environment in Bristol or York. With a strong focus on employee growth and flexible working arrangements, Aviva fosters a collaborative culture that empowers individuals to thrive while contributing to significant transformation programmes in Third Party Risk Management. The company provides competitive benefits and the opportunity to engage in meaningful projects that drive real impact across multiple markets.

A

Contact Details:

Aviva Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Head of GenAI Architecture

✨Join Local Tech Meetups

Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Aviva or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!

✨Contribute to Open Source Projects

Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Aviva.

✨Tap into Online Developer Communities

Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Aviva.

✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles

Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Aviva that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!

We think you need these skills to ace Head of GenAI Architecture

Enterprise Architecture Strategy
Generative AI
Large Language Models (LLMs)
AI Orchestration
Stakeholder Management
Influencing Skills
Technical Communication

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.

Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Aviva.

Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Aviva and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!

Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!

How to prepare for a job interview at Aviva

✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills

For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.

✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks

Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Aviva uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.

✨Showcase Your Projects

Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.

✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions

While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.