At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and evolve global technology architecture, shaping strategic direction and driving innovation.
- Company: Join the British Council, a globally recognised organisation with a mission to connect cultures.
- Benefits: Flexible working arrangements, competitive salary, and the chance to influence global technology strategy.
- Other info: Opportunity to mentor a talented team and shape the future of technology.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on digital transformation across a diverse international landscape.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in tech with strong leadership and architectural expertise required.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
Location: UK (London, Belfast, Edinburgh, Cardiff and colleagues on existing homeworking contracts in the UK), Noida (India), Warsaw or Kraków (Poland)
Department: Digital & Technology
Contract: Indefinite (Permanent role)
The British Council is looking for an experienced and visionary Chief Architect to lead and evolve our global Architecture practice. Reporting to the Director of Engineering, this is a highly influential leadership role with responsibility for defining architectural direction across a complex international technology landscape. You will ensure that technology investments, platforms and capabilities are aligned to organisational strategy, enabling sustainable growth, innovation and measurable business outcomes.
Leading a team of architecture professionals across multiple disciplines, including enterprise, solution, technical, security, data and business architecture; you will act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, helping to shape technology strategy, governance, roadmaps and investment decisions across the organisation. We are seeking a leader who combines strategic vision, stakeholder influence and people leadership with deep architectural expertise. While the role is primarily focused on leading the Architecture function and shaping organisational direction, you will also bring the technical credibility to provide expert architectural guidance and contribute to complex or business-critical architecture initiatives when required.
What you'll be responsible for:
- Strategy & Vision: Translate complex business objectives into actionable, future focused digital and technology roadmaps. Own an evolving reference enterprise architecture, blueprints, enterprise-wide architecture strategy and multi-year digital and technology vision.
- Governance & Standards: Establish enterprise-wide architecture standards guidelines, and frameworks to ensure coherence, consistency, interoperability, and security. Empower design authorities to ensure alignment between business priorities, product delivery and technology strategy.
- Transformation & Simplification: Drive modernisation efforts, including application rationalisation, technology consolidation, cloud adoption, and lifecycle management. Support major transformation, optimisation, and digital initiatives. Champion architecture best practices, innovation and technology modernisation.
- Stakeholder Influence: Collaborate with executives, product teams, operations, and engineering leaders to guide technology investment decisions and prioritised strategic trade-offs. Build strong relationships with senior business and technology stakeholders across the organisation. Provide architectural leadership and guidance on complex, high-impact initiatives.
- Leadership & Mentorship: Build, scale, and lead a high-performing team of domain and solution architects, fostering a culture of technical excellence, relevance and innovation. Establish and grow architecture communities of practice. Lead the global Architecture practice and evolve its operating model. Manage, develop and mentor a team of enterprise architecture professionals across multiple regions.
We're looking for someone with:
- Strong business acumen and commercial awareness with proven ability to apply architectural principles practically to achieve measurable business outcomes and secure operational resilience.
- Soft skills with exceptional relationships-building, stakeholder management, and negotiation skills.
- Experience influencing senior stakeholders and driving strategic technology decisions.
- Extensive experience across architecture disciplines including enterprise, solution, application, infrastructure, cloud, data, AI, build vs re-use vs buy and/or security architecture.
- At least 10 years' experience within technology organisations, including significant architecture leadership experience. Experience in enterprise and solution architecture within complex, large-scale technology landscape.
- A proven track record of leading architecture teams within large and complex environments.
- Strong technical depth with deep knowledge of cloud-native architectures, multi-cloud strategies, data platforms, AI/ML/LLM readiness, integration, Agile delivery and emerging trends.
- Demonstrated success delivering large-scale technology transformation programmes.
- Experience managing technology budgets and investment planning.
- Experience working within large, global organisations.
- Experience in the public, education, cultural or charitable sectors.
- TOGAF or equivalent architecture certification.
- Professional accreditation or chartership.
- Postgraduate qualification (MBA, Master's degree or equivalent).
Why join us?
This is a unique opportunity to shape the future technology landscape of a globally recognised organisation operating in more than 100 countries. You will influence strategic decisions at the highest levels, lead a talented architecture community, and play a critical role in enabling digital transformation across the British Council. If you are passionate about combining strategic leadership with architectural excellence and delivering meaningful impact at global scale, we would love to hear from you.
Apply by: Sunday, 12th July, 23:59 (local time)
Interview Window: To be confirmed
Additional Information: Candidates must have the legal right to live and work in the country where they are applying at the time of application. Please note that relocation assistance, mobility support and visa sponsorship are not available for this role. The British Council supports flexible and hybrid ways of working, subject to business requirements, local policies and line manager approval. Working arrangements can be discussed further during the recruitment process.
Chief Architect in London employer: British Council
The British Council is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to shape the future of technology architecture within a globally recognised organisation. With a strong commitment to employee growth, a collaborative work culture, and the flexibility of hybrid working arrangements, you will lead a talented team while influencing strategic decisions that drive meaningful impact across more than 100 countries. Join us to be part of a transformative journey in a supportive environment that values innovation and excellence.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Chief Architect in London
✨Get Your Portfolio Game On Point
As an aspiring architect, your portfolio is your golden ticket. Make sure it's not just a collection of your best work, but tells a story about your design process and creative thought. Showcase a range of projects, from conceptual sketches to final renderings—think of it as a visual CV!
✨Slide into Networking Events
Architecture thrives on community connections, so keep an eye out for local architecture meetups, exhibitions, and lectures. These events are gold for meeting industry professionals, and who knows? You might just bump into someone from British Council who can give you the insider scoop on their hiring process!
✨Learn the Software Inside Out
Make sure you're up to speed with design software like AutoCAD, Revit, and SketchUp. Being able to discuss your proficiency during interviews can really set you apart. Plus, if you can mention particular projects where you’ve used them, you’ll demonstrate both skill and practical experience.
✨Refine Your Interview Skills
Interviews for architecture roles can get quite technical, so practice answering questions about your design process and decision-making strategies. Prepare for potential design challenges they might put forward in interviews—show them you can think on your feet and come up with innovative solutions!
We think you need these skills to ace Chief Architect in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Design Skills:Architecture is all about creativity and technical skills, so make sure your portfolio is front and centre! Include a range of your best projects, showcasing different styles and techniques. Don't forget to explain your design process and the challenges you overcame for each project – it gives hiring managers a glimpse into your thought process!
Tailor Your CV to Architecture:When putting together your CV, highlight relevant experience in architectural design software, like AutoCAD or Revit. Plus, if you have any internships or coursework that involved real-world projects, be sure to mention them. We want to see not just what you've done, but how it relates directly to this role at British Council!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to express your passion for architecture and what drew you to British Council. Talk about specific projects or values of theirs you admire, and how you see yourself contributing to their team. We want to feel your enthusiasm – let it shine through your words!
Use Professional Terminology:Don't shy away from using industry-specific jargon that demonstrates your expertise! Terms like 'sustainability', 'scale', and 'aesthetics' can not only show your knowledge but also help you connect with the hiring team. Just ensure it's done in a way that's relatable and not overly technical, so we can see your passion clearly!
How to prepare for a job interview at British Council
✨Master the Technical Questions
In an architecture interview, be ready to tackle some technical questions about building codes, design principles, and software like AutoCAD or Revit. Brush up on your knowledge of materials and components, as you might even face scenarios to solve during the interview that showcase your problem-solving skills in real-time.
✨Bring Your Portfolio to Life
Your portfolio is your golden ticket! Make sure it not only showcases your best work but also highlights your design thinking process, from sketches to final outputs. During the interview, be prepared to discuss the projects in detail—what challenges you faced, how you overcame them, and what you learnt.
✨Demonstrate Your Passion for Sustainability
In today's architecture landscape, sustainability is key. Be sure to highlight any projects that involved eco-friendly designs or your understanding of sustainable practices. This will show that you’re not just familiar with the trends but are genuinely passionate about creating a better future through your designs.
✨Engage with Your Interviewers
Architecture is a collaborative field, so showing that you're a team player is essential. When conversing with the interviewers, actively listen and respond to their ideas. This isn’t just about you showing off your skills, but also about connecting and demonstrating how well you’d fit into their team at British Council.
