Principal Architect Generalist

Principal Architect Generalist

Full-Time 70000 - 90000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead architectural design across diverse technology domains and ensure alignment with business strategy.
  • Company: Join a leading airline group known for its innovative approach and global presence.
  • Benefits: Enjoy health insurance, pension plans, performance bonuses, and a supportive work/life balance.
  • Other info: Collaborative culture with opportunities for professional growth and development.
  • Why this job: Make a significant impact by shaping technology strategies in a dynamic, multicultural environment.
  • Qualifications: Experience as a Principal or Enterprise Architect with strong stakeholder influence skills.

The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.

About Us

We are part of International Airlines Group (IAG), one of the world’s leading airline groups and owner of some of the biggest brands in the sky.

IAG Transform delivers procurement and airline services, as well as group‑wide systems across IAG.

Purpose of the role

The Generalist Principal Architect maintains a holistic, enterprise‑wide architectural view across business, application, information, integration, infrastructure, cloud and service domains.

The role is technology‑agnostic and vendor‑neutral, providing independent, expert architectural leadership and assurance to ensure that technology change across the Group is coherent, scalable, secure and aligned to business strategy.

  • Your responsibilities
  • Maintain an end‑to‑end architectural view across business capability, applications, integrations, data, infrastructure, cloud, security and service layers.
  • Ensure architectural coherence across domains, identifying and addressing duplication, fragmentation or misalignment.
  • Act as a senior architectural authority able to review, challenge and arbitrate design decisions across multiple technology areas.
  • Translate business and Group strategy into clear architectural principles, target states and transition roadmaps.
  • Identify opportunities to simplify, modernise or converge technology landscapes in support of business objectives.
  • Support major programmes and initiatives by ensuring architectural integrity from concept through delivery.
  • Define, maintain and evolve enterprise architecture standards, guardrails and design principles.
  • Provide architecture governance and assurance for significant investments, initiatives and third‑party solutions.
  • Ensure architectural decisions remain aligned to agreed target states throughout the delivery lifecycle.
  • Act as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders, technology leaders and programme sponsors.
  • Clearly articulate complex architectural concepts in business‑relevant language.
  • Influence decision‑making through expertise, pragmatism and credibility rather than direct authority.
  • Provide architectural leadership across internally delivered, platform‑based and supplier‑led solutions.
  • Ensure vendor and partner solutions align with enterprise architecture, integration patterns and security standards.
  • Promote open, interoperable and sustainable technology approaches.
  • Maintain awareness of industry architecture trends and emerging technologies.
  • Assess relevance pragmatically, balancing innovation with stability and value.
  • Contribute to the ongoing maturity of Group architecture capability and practices.
  • Your skills, experience and qualifications

Essential

  • Demonstrable experience operating at Principal or Enterprise Architect level within complex organisations.
  • Proven ability to lead and assure multi‑domain, enterprise‑scale architectures.
  • Strong experience influencing senior stakeholders across business and technology functions.
  • Broad understanding of architecture across applications, data, integration, infrastructure, cloud and services.
  • Ability to operate effectively in complex, federated or multi‑operating‑company environments.

Desirable

  • Experience operating across international organisations and cultures.
  • Exposure to large‑scale transformation or modernisation programmes.
  • Contribution to architecture standards, communities or best‑practice development.
  • Enterprise‑minded and able to balance strategic thinking with practical judgement.
  • Credible, pragmatic and confident operating at senior levels.
  • Comfortable working across ambiguity, change and complexity.
  • Collaborative, inclusive and outcomes focused.

What we offer

  • Opportunity to work in a multi‑cultural environment with great offices in many locations.
  • Support for work/life balance, including health insurance, pension and performance bonuses.

We are an equal opportunities employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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Contact Details:

IAG Transform UK Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Principal Architect Generalist

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 IAG Transform UK 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 Principal Architect Generalist

Enterprise Architecture
Architectural Leadership
Stakeholder Management
Multi-Domain Architecture
Cloud Architecture
Integration Patterns
Security Standards

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 IAG Transform UK!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to express your passion for architecture and what drew you to IAG Transform UK. 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 IAG Transform UK

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 IAG Transform UK.