Technical Solution Architect

At Hachette Learning (formerly Hodder Education), we recognise that no two students learn the same way. Our mission is to enable every learner to fulfil their unique potential by empowering those who teach them. We provide solutions designed to maximise the impact of learning for every teacher, parent, and student.

As the Technical Solution Architect, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our technological landscape and driving the integration, data, security, and scalability of our digital education platforms. You will be responsible for orchestrating all technology integration efforts internally and externally, implementing robust security systems, devising comprehensive data and security strategies, and future-proofing our organization for continued growth and innovation.

This role requires a visionary leader with exceptional technical expertise, strategic thinking, and collaboration skills to align technology initiatives with our business objectives and foster synergistic relationships with other organizations within our group. You will ensure stable and optimised service delivery, enabling the repurposing of existing services when feasible. Lead on the design and development of new services or off-the-shelf solutions where appropriate, in line with evolving digital strategies and technological developments.

Our organization collaborates with multiple vendors to ensure seamless business operations. Therefore, having experience in vendor and third-party management is crucial for success in this role. In 2025, our organization is poised to revolutionise its business operations by implementing cutting-edge AI capabilities. The incoming Technology Architect (TA) will play a pivotal role in shaping and directing our AI vision.

Our platforms are largely built on a Microsoft services technology stack, currently hosted on premises with Hachette-IT hosting facilities and our footprint on Azure is growing. Our platforms are a mix of recent and legacy technologies, which may need updating to current technology stacks and practices. Security and safeguarding play a considerable part in ensuring delivery to institutions in the UK as well as internationally.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead all efforts related to technology integration across our digital education platforms, ensuring seamless connectivity and interoperability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify integration opportunities and streamline workflows.
• Evaluate and select appropriate integration tools and technologies to optimise efficiency and performance.
• Anticipate future technological trends and industry developments to proactively adapt our technology roadmap and infrastructure.
• Champion innovation initiatives and pilot emerging technologies to enhance our competitive advantage and drive digital transformation.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing to empower teams to embrace new technologies and methodologies.
• Work closely with counterparts from other organizations within our group to align technology strategies, share best practices, and drive synergies.
• Develop comprehensive security strategies to safeguard our digital assets, infrastructure, and applications against evolving threats.
• Conduct risk assessments and vulnerability analyses to identify security gaps and prioritise mitigation efforts.
• Implement robust security controls, encryption mechanisms, and incident response procedures to mitigate security risks proactively.

Good to have:

• Design and implement robust Identity and Access Management (IAM) frameworks to safeguard sensitive data and ensure secure access control.
• Define and implement data strategies to effectively manage, analyse, and leverage vast amounts of educational content and user data.

Qualifications:

• Advanced certifications (e.g., CISSP, CISM, TOGAF).
• Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, Information Technology, or related field preferred.
• Proven experience as a technical solution architect or similar role.
• Microsoft Services Architecture and Tech Stack expertise and Azure and containerisation technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).
• In-depth knowledge of enterprise integration patterns, API management, and microservices architecture.
• Strong understanding of data management principles, including data governance, data modelling, and data analytics.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to inspire and influence cross-functional teams to achieve common goals.

What we offer:

• 28 annual leave days per year, increasing to 30 days after 5 years (+ bank holidays).
• Private medical insurance.
• Generous pension schemes.
• Rent deposit loans.
• 2 community days per year.
• Summer hours (finishing at 1pm on Fridays during the summer months).
• Retail discounts through Hachette rewards.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Wide-ranging training library.
• Development programmes (including mentoring).
• Up to 70% off book purchases.
• A charity bookshelf.
• 12 Staff-led employee networks that are voluntary.
• Season ticket loans.