Lead Solution Architect (21-month FTC) in London

21-month Fixed-Term Contract (FTC)

Location: Leeds or London

Are you passionate about shaping the future of technology in a purpose-driven organisation? As a Lead Solution Architect, you’ll play a pivotal role in defining and delivering technology strategies and roadmaps across enterprise applications and operational support services. This is a senior individual contributor role which may require team management responsibilities in future, offering the opportunity to influence at scale and work across a wide range of stakeholders and technologies. The Lead Architect role reports to another Lead Architect (Manager) which ultimately reports into a Principal Architect within TSA.

Flexible Working Options:

• We support a range of flexible working patterns including hybrid working, flexible start and end times.
• Flexible start and end time to each day.
• Ability to adapt calendar as needed, this could be to fit in the school run, gym, or appointments.
• Expected a 50% (with a minimum of 40%) in-office attendance requirement can be spread across the month to accommodate diverse working patterns, such as the flexibility to purchase a weekly train ticket for certain weeks.
• Compressed hours (subject to approval and policy within the team).
• Working from abroad policy (subject to approval and policy within the team).

A day in the role:

You’ll begin your day with team stand‑ups or stakeholder check‑ins, followed by focused time on developing architectural artefacts, reviewing roadmaps, or contributing to governance forums. You’ll collaborate with colleagues across Technology and the wider organisation, offering thought leadership and driving innovation. You’ll also engage in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and the development of architectural blueprints, high level design and technical options. The role allows flexibility in how and where you work, with a strong emphasis on collaboration, support, and continuous learning.

Role Requirements:

Do you have a passion for enterprise and solution architecture and a track record of driving strategic change? Maybe you already have experience in shaping technology landscapes or are eager to develop your leadership in architecture?

We’re looking for someone who has the following key skills and experience:

• Experience in IT architecture, including applying architectural principles to solution design.
• Develops and advocates long-term technology strategies aligned with business goals through critical thinking and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience shaping enterprise architecture artefacts such as blueprints, technical options, and design patterns.
• Demonstrated stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to build and maintain stakeholder maps and communicate architectural outputs effectively.
• Experience representing architecture at governance forums and advocating for strategic solutions.

We are interested in hearing from candidates who have the following capabilities:

• Experience in IT leadership and management, including the development of highly skilled and engaged teams.
• Proven ability to drive technical change through innovation, simplification, and capability exploitation.
• Understanding of cloud-based services and their role in enterprise solutions.
• Self‑managing and self‑motivated, with the ability to anticipate and solve problems.
• Excellent communication skills, including presenting to senior stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of quality standards, legislation, and best practice.
• Ability to manage multiple initiatives, prioritise effectively, and work independently.

It would also be beneficial, but not necessary, to have some of the following:

• Experience working within an architectural framework (e.g. TOGAF, Zachman).
• Enterprise Architecture skills such as technical reference model development, building block design, applications and role design, systems integration, and evaluation of architectures.
• Broader expertise of technologies and applications relevant to the Bank’s enterprise applications (e.g. Cloud, Azure, Databricks, data life cycle management, master data systems, legacy data warehouse, workplace productivity tools) and technology operations support services (e.g. service desk, CMDB).
• Experience of working in a large enterprise or FTSE 100 organisation.

How this role fits into the wider Bank:

This role is central to the Bank’s mission to promote the good of the people of the UK by maintaining monetary and financial stability. As part of the Technology Strategy and Architecture division, you’ll help shape the Bank’s future technology landscape, ensuring it remains resilient, innovative, and aligned with strategic goals. You’ll work with a team passionate about setting the direction for strategic change and collaborate closely with key partners throughout the Bank to define roadmaps and craft our future landscape.

Our Approach to Inclusion:

The Bank values diversity, equity and inclusion. We play a key role in maintaining monetary and financial stability, and to do that effectively, we believe we need a workforce that reflects the society we serve. At the Bank of England, we want all colleagues to feel valued and respected, so we're working hard to build an inclusive culture which supports people from all backgrounds and communities to be at their best at work. We celebrate all forms of diversity, including (but not limited to) age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. We believe that it’s by drawing on different perspectives and experiences that we’ll continue to make the best decisions for the public.

We welcome applications from individuals who work flexibly, including job shares and part time working patterns. We've also partnered with external organisations to support us in making adjustments for candidates and employees in the recruitment process where they're needed.

For most roles where work can be carried out at home, we aim for colleagues to spend half of their time in the office, with a minimum of 40% per month. Subject to that minimum requirement, individuals and managers should work together to find what works best for them, their team and stakeholders.

Finally, we're proud to be a member of the Disability Confident Scheme. If you wish to apply under this scheme, you should check the box in the ‘Candidate Personal Information’ under the ‘Disability Confident Scheme’ section of the application.

Salary and Benefits Information:

We encourage flexible working, part time working and job share arrangements. Part time salary and benefits will be on a pro‑rated basis as appropriate.

We offer a salary as follows:

In addition, we also offer a comprehensive benefits package as detailed below:

• Currently a non‑contributory, career average pension giving you a guaranteed retirement benefit of 1/80th of your annual salary for every year worked. There is the option to increase your pension (to 1/65th) or decrease (to 1/105th) in exchange for salary through our flexible benefits programme each year. The Bank has the discretion to vary standard accrual rates and dial up and dial down rates at any time and to withdraw dial up and dial down options at any time.
• A discretionary performance award based on a current award pool.
• An 8% benefits allowance with the option to take as salary or purchase a wide range of flexible benefits.
• 26 days’ annual leave with option to buy up to 12 additional days through flexible benefits.
• Private medical insurance and income protection.

National Security Vetting Process:

Employment in this role will be subject to the National Security Vetting clearance process (and typically can take between 6 to 12 weeks post offer) and the passing of additional Bank security checks in accordance with the Bank policy. Further information regarding the vetting and security clearance requirements for the role will be provided to the successful applicant, and information about how the Bank processes personal data for these purposes, is set out in the Bank's Privacy Notice.

The Bank of England welcomes applications from all candidates, but as a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) approved sponsor, we have a responsibility to comply with the Immigration Rules and guidance. As such, our ability to employ individuals who require sponsorship for immigration purposes is limited. The Bank cannot guarantee that you and / or the role you are applying for will be eligible for sponsorship and that any application made to UKVI will be successful. Eligibility will therefore be considered on a case by case basis.

This role closes on Tuesday 4 November.

About Us:

We are the UK's central bank - and we are a bank like no other; known by our peers for our world‑leading thinking on policy and strategy. Our mission is to promote the good of the people of the UK by maintaining monetary and financial stability. We seek to keep prices stable and people's money safe. We know our work matters to people, to families, up and down the UK. We are driven by curiosity and the desire to do important, challenging work.

It takes a great team to run the Bank of England. We rely on each other to play our part. We benefit from a collaborative culture and long‑established flexible ways of working, supporting our colleagues balance their work and personal lives. We strive to be a place where people feel they belong and have equal access to opportunities, because different perspectives helps us make the best decisions for the public.

There's much to gain from working with us - from career defining work at the heart of the UK economy, being part of a fantastic team, and a rewarding compensation package. Join us and find a bank like no other. Together, we can make a difference.

The Bank of England will use and protect the information you provide when you apply for a role with us, in line with our obligations under data protection law. This is so we can assess your suitability for the role and administer your application. If you’re successful we’ll use it to offer you a position and onboard you to join the Bank. If you would like more details about how your information will be used and your information rights, please visit our recruitment privacy notice.