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- Tasks: Lead architectural strategy and guide a talented team through transformation.
- Company: Innovative bank in London focused on technology-driven change.
- Benefits: Hybrid working, competitive salary, pension plan, private medical insurance, and generous leave.
- Why this job: Shape the future of banking with cutting-edge architecture and AI integration.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in architecture and expertise in Payments or FX.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for professional growth and impactful work.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 ÂŁ per year.
We are seeking a visionary Head of Architecture based in London to lead the Bank’s architectural strategy and play a pivotal role in our multi‑year transformation toward an agentic, intelligence‑driven Target Operating Model (TOM). You will own the end‑to‑end enterprise architecture, modernise our design principles, and guide a talented team of architects through this evolution.
You will lead a small team of enterprise and domain architects and report directly to the CTO, working within a collaborative Technology Leadership Team. Technology is foundational to our transformation, and architecture plays a central, integrative role in re‑platforming the Bank for an intelligent future.
As Head of Architecture, you will:
- Define and own the current‑state, transitional, and target‑state architectures across business, data, applications, and technology domains.
- Design and implement the architecture needed to support an agentic, AI‑enabled Target Operating Model, including autonomy layers, orchestration patterns, and human‑in‑the‑loop principles.
- Update the architecture function with modern workflows, flexible governance, and streamlined guardrails for continuous delivery.
- Lead, mentor and develop a high‑performing architecture team, fostering modern engineering practices and capability maturity.
- Shape strategic technology roadmaps, partnering with senior stakeholders to identify transformational opportunities across Payments, FX, Data, AI, and Platform domains.
- Lead complex, multi‑disciplinary change across legacy and modern systems, driving architectural simplification and scalable patterns.
- Work closely with engineering and change teams to deliver measurable business outcomes, translating architectural intent into practical execution frameworks and incremental value.
Responsibilities:
- Develop enterprise architecture models, reference architectures, and standards aligned to our agentic TOM.
- Translate roadmaps into modular work packages enabling iterative, continuous value delivery.
- Champion event‑driven, microservices‑based, cloud‑native architectures and their associated patterns.
- Foster adaptive design, engineering excellence, and feedback‑driven evolution across teams.
- Govern architectural decisions pragmatically—balancing innovation, technical debt, and regulatory expectations.
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior executives on strategic technology decisions and business‑architecture alignment.
Qualifications
Essential:
- Proven experience leading architecture functions in high‑change, transformation‑heavy environments.
- Deep expertise in Payments, FX, or high‑scale transaction‑processing platforms.
- Hands‑on experience architecting distributed, event‑driven, microservices‑oriented systems.
- Strong communication and stakeholder‑influencing skills with senior leadership.
- Experience working across modern and legacy technologies, including pathways for modernisation.
- Comfortable in regulated environments with strong cross‑functional engagement.
- Familiarity with architecture frameworks such as TOGAF, ArchiMate, or similar.
Highly Desirable:
- Experience with AI, agentic architectures, intelligent orchestration, or autonomous workflows.
- Experience in cross‑border FX and payments.
- Background in systems engineering, data architecture, or platform engineering.
- Technical degree required.
Additional Information
- Hybrid working (4 days on-site)
- Contributory personal pension plan: - Minimum: Employee 2% and Employer 7%. Employer matches contributions in 1% increments to a maximum of: Employee 5% and Employer 10%
- Life Assurance – 4 times annual salary
- Group Income Protection
- Private Medical Insurance – this may include cover for partner and or children at company cost. Cover includes Optical, Dental and Audiology
- Discretionary Bonus
- Competitive Annual Leave
- 2 Volunteering Days
- Benefit Hub
Head of Architecture in London employer: Crown Agents Bank
Contact Detail:
Crown Agents Bank Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Architecture in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend relevant meetups, and engage with professionals on LinkedIn. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can land you that dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company inside out, understand their architecture needs, and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals. We want you to shine and show them why you're the perfect fit for the Head of Architecture role.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your expertise! Create a portfolio or case studies that highlight your past architectural projects and successes. This will give potential employers a tangible sense of your capabilities and how you can contribute to their transformation journey.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged in the process. Let’s get you that interview!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Architecture in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in leading architecture functions, especially in transformation-heavy environments. We want to see how your skills align with our vision for an agentic, intelligence-driven Target Operating Model.
Showcase Your Expertise: Don’t hold back on showcasing your deep expertise in Payments, FX, or high-scale transaction-processing platforms. We’re looking for someone who can hit the ground running, so let us know how your hands-on experience can benefit our architectural strategy.
Communicate Clearly: Strong communication is key! Make sure your application reflects your ability to influence senior leadership and engage cross-functionally. We want to see how you can translate complex architectural concepts into practical execution frameworks.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates during the process. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Crown Agents Bank
✨Know Your Architecture Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the latest architectural trends and frameworks, especially those mentioned in the job description like TOGAF or ArchiMate. Brush up on your knowledge of microservices and event-driven architectures, as these will likely be hot topics during your interview.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare to discuss your experience leading teams through transformation. Think of specific examples where you’ve mentored architects or driven change in high-pressure environments. This role is all about guiding a talented team, so demonstrating your leadership style will be key.
✨Align with Their Vision
Understand the Bank’s vision for an agentic, AI-enabled Target Operating Model. Be ready to articulate how your past experiences align with this vision and how you can contribute to their multi-year transformation. Tailor your responses to show that you’re not just a fit for the role, but also for their future direction.
✨Prepare for Stakeholder Engagement Scenarios
Since strong communication and stakeholder-influencing skills are essential, think of scenarios where you’ve successfully engaged with senior leadership. Prepare to discuss how you’ve navigated complex decisions and aligned architectural strategies with business goals, as this will demonstrate your ability to act as a trusted advisor.