At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design and implementation of innovative tech solutions in financial services.
- Company: Join the largest employee-owned business in the UK, known for innovation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, and a focus on work-life balance.
- Other info: Empower teams and drive change in a dynamic, supportive environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in tech strategy while shaping the future of financial services.
- Qualifications: Experience in financial services tech and strong leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 62900 - 115000 £ per year.
Overview
Working pattern: Hybrid working between the London head office and home.
As a Partner within the Technology & Change operating model, you will collaborate to drive value for customers and the business.
The Architecture function identifies the technical capabilities required for the Partnership to operate, adapt, and transform.
Reporting to the Enterprise Architect PL5 for Shared Capability, you will be empowered to take ownership of the John Lewis Financial Services (JLFS) technology strategy and navigate the Partnership\'s federated matrix and vendor ecosystem as a visible leader within the JLFS Technology Management community.
Responsibilities
- Design for Impact & Strategy: Architect, design, and support the implementation of sustainable, highly effective technology solutions.
Define architectural intent and technical guardrails (vendor, environmental, security, data, and technology considerations) aligned with the broader enterprise strategy.
- Guide Strategic Investments & Roadmapping: Act as a trusted technology advisor to validate investments, ensure a sound ROI, and own the capability maturity roadmaps for the Technology Reference Model.
Balance short-term benefits (e. g., MVPs and test-and-learns) with long-term strategic capabilities.
- Domain-Driven Design & System
Modeling: Champion Domain-Driven Design (DDD) principles, refining enterprise domain models.
Work with Product and business teams to ensure technical boundaries reflect the evolving business landscape and design reusable patterns to accelerate delivery.
- Technology Governance & Risk: Optimise technology design governance balancing Partnership and regulatory requirements, while supporting pace of change and team autonomy.
Pragmatically reduce technical debt and balance technology and information risk.
- Collaborate & Influence
Outcomes: Guide technology outcomes within cross-functional teams, working with internal engineering, third-party SMEs, Product, and Business Partners to align architectural vision with delivery.
- Team Empowerment & Agility: Apply agile principles to empower teams, coach and develop an empowered architecture community, and support recruitment workflows when required.
- Market Insight & Innovation: Leverage internal and external networks to stay ahead of customer needs, market conditions, and emerging tech, feeding insights into enterprise strategy.
Essential skills / experience you’ll need
- Financial
- Services
- Tech
Experience: Direct experience or deep familiarity with the financial services technology domain (JLFS), including regulatory decision processes and compliance frameworks.
- Active Empathy & Culture
Building: Experience fostering mutual respect and psychological safety when navigating complex integrations, shifting team workflows, or managing external SME relationships.
- Team Coaching & Community
Growth: Background in coaching and developing engineering or architecture communities, promoting best practices, and participating in resource planning or talent recruitment.
- Domain-Driven Design (DDD) & Systems
Thinking: Ability to translate business strategies into technical capabilities, define domain boundaries, map domains to system architectures, and design reusable integration patterns.
- Commercial Acumen & Fin
Ops: Financial awareness to evaluate TCO against customer value, with a track record of ROI validation on large technology investments and forecasting vendor demand.
- Agile Roadmapping & Capability Planning: Proficiency in building and maintaining capability maturity roadmaps, balancing MVP delivery with long-term enterprise goals.
- Influence & Collaborative Leadership: Ability to lead through influence, build consensus among stakeholders, empower engineering teams, and collaborate with third-party SMEs.
- Risk, Resiliency & Governance Management: Define and enforce technology guardrails while managing technical debt and improving operational resilience.
- Analytical Capability & Adaptability: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with comfort in fast-paced, ambiguous environments and accurate architectural documentation.
Desirable skills / experience you may have
- Future-Focused Horizon Scanning: Experience benchmarking emerging technologies and applying trends to line-of-business strategies.
- Miscellaneous information
- Closing Date: July 15, 2026
- Contract Type: Permanent
- Job Level: Partnership Level 6
- Location: London Central Office, 1 Drummond Gate, London, SW1V 2QQ
- About the Partnership
We’re the largest employee-owned business in the UK and home of John Lewis and Waitrose.
We’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world.
We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify, and we remain focused on retail excellence.
We encourage flexible working and support work-life balance.
We are committed to ownership, collaboration, and respect.
Some roles may require pre-employment vetting (e. g., DBS checks) and financial probity checks.
We recommend applying early if you are interested.
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Enterprise Architect in London employer: John Lewis plc
John Lewis plc is an excellent employer, offering a supportive work culture at The Odney Hotel in the picturesque setting of Cookham, Berkshire. Employees benefit from competitive pay, flexible part-time hours, and opportunities for growth within a renowned company known for its commitment to customer service excellence. Join us to be part of a team that values your contributions and fosters a rewarding career in hospitality.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Enterprise Architect in London
✨Join the IT Consultancy Buzz
Get involved in local or virtual IT consultancy meetups and forums. This is where we can rub shoulders with industry professionals, get insights into what John Lewis plc values, and even spot unadvertised opportunities. Don't miss out on these chances to make a name for ourselves in the IT world!
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We think you need these skills to ace Enterprise Architect in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills:In IT consulting, it's all about problem-solving, so make sure your CV highlights your analytical skills and any relevant projects you've tackled. Mention specific technologies or methodologies you've used to resolve issues or improve processes; this shows you can think critically and deliver results, which is vital for us at John Lewis plc.
Highlight Relevant Certifications:Certifications like ITIL, PMP, or even specific tech stack qualifications can really make you stand out. Make sure to include these in your CV, as they not only demonstrate your expertise but also your commitment to staying current in the field. We love seeing candidates who are proactive about their professional development!
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to connect personally with us at John Lewis plc. Share stories about your experiences in IT consulting, and how they shaped your desire to join our team. Mention why you’re excited about this particular role, and how you see yourself contributing to our projects.
Keep It Clear and Concise:We're all busy, so make sure your application is easy to read. Use bullet points for key achievements, and don’t overload us with jargon. A clean, professional layout goes a long way. Remember, the clearer your application, the more likely we are to invite you in for an interview!
How to prepare for a job interview at John Lewis plc
✨Brush Up on Your Technical Skills
For an IT consulting role, be ready to demonstrate your technical prowess. You might face questions on systems integration, cloud technologies, or even troubleshooting specific software. If you have experience with tools like AWS, Azure, or even specific programming languages, make sure you can talk about them fluently.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Approach
IT consulting is all about solving problems for clients. Think about how you can illustrate your approach to a past challenge using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). It's a great way to show how you tackle complex issues and come up with effective solutions.
✨Know the Business Impact of IT Solutions
When discussing your experiences, focus not just on the tech solutions you implemented, but also on their business impact. Employers want to see that you can connect IT with organisational goals. Prep examples that highlight how your tech contributions improved efficiency or reduced costs for past clients or projects.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
Since IT consulting often involves teamwork and client interactions, expect behavioural questions that assess your interpersonal skills. Be prepared with examples that demonstrate your adaptability, communication skills, and how you handle client feedback. Before the interview, think of situations where you worked closely with clients to create effective IT strategies or changes.
