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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape and deliver complex IT solutions while collaborating with senior stakeholders.
- Company: Join Markel, a Fortune 500 company with a global presence in insurance and investment.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, annual bonus, 25 days holiday, and strong benefits package.
- Why this job: Make a meaningful impact in IT and be part of a diverse, optimistic community.
- Qualifications: Proven experience as a Senior IT Architect in large enterprises; expertise in Microsoft technology stack.
- Other info: Flexible working patterns available; we value diversity and inclusivity.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 84000 £ per year.
Senior Solution Architect
Markel Corporation London, United Kingdom
Looking for a role that will have a meaningful impact in IT?
We are looking for an individual to shape and deliver complex business solutions in an Enterprise context.
What part will you play? If you’re looking for a place where you can make a meaningful difference, you’ve found it. The work we do at Markel gives people the confidence to move forward and seize opportunities, and you’ll find your fit amongst our global community of optimists and problem-solvers. We’re always pushing each other to go further because we believe that when we realize our potential, we can help others reach theirs.
Join us and play your part in something special!
The opportunity:
You will partner with senior IT & business stakeholders, understand their needs, layout future state and transition roadmaps then design robust, pragmatic and efficient IT solutions to address those needs. You will be pivotal to the International IT function and will act as the “bridge” between the various IT delivery groups, the business units and supporting functions such as procurement, Security and PMO.
Supporting our Wholesale, National Markets and Shared Services business units, you will balance multiple competing priorities and challenge the status quo to achieve optimum outcomes.
What you’ll be doing:
- Collaborates with IT Business Leads and Business Stakeholders to develop, maintain and curate the IT Roadmaps across multiple domains.
- Contributes to IT Architectural bodies (Design Authority and Architecture Review Board) ensuring all solutions adhere to Markel EA standards, principles, security, operational and regulatory requirements.
- Conducts Business Capability assessments and maps these to current and future state IT solutions.
- Captures and analyses specific business requirements and creates appropriate solution designs ensuring all functional and non-functional requirements are properly satisfied. These include Conceptual Architecture, HLD and LLD artefacts.
- Develops and shapes investment business cases in conjunction with colleagues across Markel.
- Builds relationships with architects across Markel globally (Data/Infrastructure/Security/Integration); participates in Enterprise Architecture activities.
- Seeks opportunities to simplify, automate, rationalise and improve the efficiency of our IT solutions.
- Creates application upgrade, migration and retirement strategies that align to our plan whilst ensuring dependencies, risks are identified and mitigated accordingly.
- Communicates architecture solutions to both technical and non-technical audiences ensuring the communication style used is appropriate for the intended audience.
Our must-haves:
- A proven track record as a Senior IT Architect in large and complex Enterprises.
- Demonstrable experience designing IT solution architectures with corresponding technology phase transitions and migration plans where necessary.
- Credibility articulating complex technology concepts and solutions to non-technical audiences.
- Experience negotiating and contributing to contracts for the provision of IT systems and services.
- Expertise of Microsoft technology stack, platforms and components (o/s, DB, web, application).
- Experience of working within both Waterfall and Agile delivery frameworks.
- Experience working with multiple external delivery partners in the execution of IT projects.
The following skills, knowledge and experience are desirable but are not essential:
- Experience of Insurance Industry processes, applications, solutions & architectures.
- Experience of Automation tools / technologies (BPMN / Workflow / RPA).
- Experience of PaaS, IaaS, SaaS deployment models especially in a Public Cloud.
- Knowledge of designing for “cloud native” technologies and tooling ideally using Microsoft Azure.
- Basic knowledge of the relevant use cases for Enterprise Service Bus tools.
- Knowledge of API and micro services-based architectures desirable (this is not a development role).
- Experience of architecture modelling tools (Ardoq, ArchiMate or similar).
Who we are:
Markel Group (NYSE – MKL) a Fortune 500 company with over 60 offices in 20+ countries, is a holding company for insurance, reinsurance, specialist advisory, and investment operations around the world.
We’re all about people | We win together | We strive for better | We enjoy the everyday | We think further
What’s in it for you?
- A great starting salary plus annual bonus & strong benefits package…
- 25 days paid holiday plus Bank Holidays, with the opportunity to buy/sell extra leave.
- Fantastic company pension scheme, private medical and dental cover, life assurance, travel insurance cover, income protection, season ticket loan as well as other great benefits on offer.
- There are countless opportunities to learn new skills and develop in your career and we can provide the support needed to do just that!
Are you ready to play your part?
Choose ‘Apply Now’ to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you.
Markel celebrates the value of a diverse workforce that brings experience and expertise from a wide variety of backgrounds and life circumstances. Whatever your background, if you feel you meet the requirements of this role then we want to hear from you. We are also happy to consider candidates who are looking for flexible working patterns.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided with all reasonable accommodations to be able to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions if successful. Please contact us via email at or call us at 0161 507 5827 to request any accommodations that may be needed. This includes any alternative formats of any documents or information on how to apply offline.
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Senior Solution Architect | London, UK employer: Markel Corporation
Contact Detail:
Markel Corporation Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Solution Architect | London, UK
✨Tip Number 1
Make sure to familiarize yourself with Markel's business model and the specific IT challenges they face. Understanding their operations will help you articulate how your experience aligns with their needs during discussions.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of Markel, especially those in IT roles. They can provide valuable insights into the company culture and the expectations for the Senior Solution Architect position.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience with both Agile and Waterfall methodologies. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully navigated projects using these frameworks, as this is crucial for the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Highlight your ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. This skill is essential for the role, so think of examples where you've successfully bridged that gap in previous positions.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Solution Architect | London, UK
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before you start writing your application, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Senior Solution Architect position at Markel Corporation. Tailor your application to highlight how your experience aligns with their needs.
Highlight Relevant Experience: In your CV and cover letter, emphasize your proven track record as a Senior IT Architect in large enterprises. Include specific examples of designing IT solution architectures and managing technology transitions that demonstrate your expertise.
Communicate Clearly: Since the role involves communicating complex technology concepts to non-technical audiences, ensure your application reflects your ability to articulate ideas clearly. Use straightforward language and avoid jargon where possible.
Showcase Collaboration Skills: Markel values collaboration with various stakeholders. In your application, provide examples of how you've successfully partnered with IT and business leads to develop IT roadmaps or solutions, showcasing your teamwork and negotiation skills.
How to prepare for a job interview at Markel Corporation
✨Understand the Business Context
Before your interview, make sure you have a solid understanding of Markel Corporation's business model and how IT solutions play a role in their operations. Be prepared to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs and how you can contribute to their goals.
✨Showcase Your Architectural Expertise
Be ready to discuss specific examples of complex IT architectures you've designed in previous roles. Highlight your experience with Microsoft technology stacks and your ability to articulate these concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
✨Demonstrate Problem-Solving Skills
Markel values optimists and problem-solvers. Prepare to share instances where you've successfully navigated challenges or improved processes. Emphasize your ability to balance competing priorities and challenge the status quo.
✨Prepare for Technical and Non-Technical Communication
Since you'll need to communicate architecture solutions to diverse audiences, practice explaining complex ideas in simple terms. Tailor your communication style based on who you're speaking to, ensuring clarity and understanding.
