At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the technical architecture for a major university transformation programme.
- Company: Join a £100M+ IT consultancy transforming public sector operations.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, wellness support, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with exciting projects and strong leadership.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on society through innovative technology solutions.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in senior technical leadership roles and cloud solutions.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 110000 £ per year.
Methods Business and Digital Technology Limited
Methods is a £100M+ IT Services Consultancy who has partnered with a range of central government departments and agencies to transform the way the public sector operates in the UK.
Established over 30 years ago and UK-based, we apply our skills in transformation, delivery, and collaboration from across the Methods Group, to create end-to-end business and technical solutions that are people-centred, safe, and designed for the future.
Our human touch sets us apart from other consultancies, system integrators and software houses - with people, technology, and data at the heart of who we are, we believe in creating value and sustainability through everything we do for our clients, staff, communities, and the planet.
We support our clients in the success of their projects while working collaboratively to share skill sets and solve problems.
At Methods we have fun while working hard; we are not afraid of making mistakes and learning from them.
Predominantly focused on the public-sector, Methods is now building a significant private sector client portfolio.
Methods was acquired by the Alten Group in early 2022.
About The Role
We are undertaking a major transformation programme to establish a new University Group, bringing together the digital services, technology platforms and operational capabilities of two large universities into a single organisation.
As the Principal Technical Architect - Identity, Productivity & Cloud, you will act as the overall technical authority for the programme and provide Principal leadership across all technology workstreams directing both university and Methods technical teams.
This role is identified within the programme governance structure as the Solution Owner and sits alongside the Programme Manager as a key member of the Programme Board and Technical Design Authority (TDA).
The Solution Owner is accountable for ensuring that all technical components of the programme operate as a single integrated solution and collectively deliver the strategic objectives of the UNIVERSITY merger programme.
The role provides technical leadership across all workstreams and acts as the primary technical advisor to programme sponsors, governance boards and senior stakeholders.
This is a highly visible role with responsibility for ensuring that all technical workstreams align to a coherent end-state architecture, are delivered in a coordinated manner, and collectively support the strategic objectives of the university merger programme.
You will be the primary technical point of contact for senior stakeholders and will provide guidance, assurance and decision-making across identity, productivity, endpoint, infrastructure, cloud and migration activities.
You will work closely with programme sponsors, technical Principals, architects, delivery teams and Microsoft representatives to ensure the solution remains aligned with business outcomes, manages risk appropriately and delivers a modern, secure and scalable digital foundation for the future UNIVERSITY organisation.
The successful candidate will combine deep technical knowledge with strong leadership, communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
You will be comfortable operating at executive level while maintaining oversight of detailed technical architecture decisions across multiple complex workstreams.
You will
- Own the end-to-end technical architecture for the UNIVERSITY transformation programme, ensuring all workstreams align to a common vision and target operating model
- Act as the programme's senior technical authority and primary escalation point for architecture, design and technical decision-making
- Provide architectural leadership across Identity, Microsoft Productivity, Endpoint Management, Infrastructure, Network Connectivity, Hosting and Cloud platforms
- Work alongside the Programme Manager to ensure technical delivery plans, dependencies, risks and milestones are fully understood and managed
- Chair or contribute to architecture governance activities and act as a core member of the Technical Design Authority (TDA).
- Present technical proposals, solution options and recommendations to programme boards, executive stakeholders and university teams
- Define and maintain the overall solution architecture, ensuring consistency across all programme workstreams
- Oversee the development of High-Level Designs (HLDs), Low-Level Designs (LLDs), technical standards, migration approaches and implementation plans
- Provide technical leadership and assurance to specialist architects and technical Principles responsible for individual workstreams
- Define the technical strategy and roadmap for the establishment of the new UNIVERSITY Microsoft tenant and associated cloud services
- Principle architectural decisions relating to identity coexistence, productivity services, endpoint modernisation and cloud adoption
- Ensure architecture decisions support service continuity and minimise disruption to staff, students, teaching and research activities
- Oversee application migration strategies, including cloud-to-cloud migrations and future on-premise to Azure migration activities
- Ensure infrastructure, security and operational considerations are incorporated into all solution designs
- Manage technical dependencies between workstreams and ensure delivery teams remain aligned throughout the programme
- Engage with Microsoft, third-party suppliers and university technical teams to validate solution design and implementation approaches
- Provide technical assurance, design governance and risk management throughout the programme lifecycle
- Support transition into operational service and ensure the solutions delivered are sustainable, supportable and aligned with future organisational objectives
Skills And Experience Required
- Extensive experience operating as a Principal Architect, Solution Owner, Chief Architect or similar senior technical leadership role within large-scale transformation programmes.
- Proven experience of complex multi-workstream technology programmes involving organisational change, mergers, consolidation or digital transformation.
- Broad architecture knowledge spanning cloud, infrastructure, networking, productivity platforms, identity management, endpoint management and enterprise applications.
- Significant experience designing and delivering Microsoft cloud solutions including Azure, Microsoft 365, Entra ID and associated enterprise services.
- Strong understanding of identity architecture including Entra ID, Active Directory, authentication, federation, access management and hybrid identity environments.
- Experience establishing and governing Azure Landing Zones and enterprise cloud operating models.
- Experience overseeing large-scale Microsoft 365 transformations, tenant migrations and collaboration platform implementations.
- Strong understanding of endpoint management technologies including Intune, device lifecycle management and modern workplace services.
- Experience of application transformation, cloud migration and datacentre exit programmes.
- Strong knowledge of enterprise infrastructure, networking, storage, virtualisation and hybrid-cloud architectures.
- Experience developing target-state architectures, transition roadmaps and phased migration strategies.
- Ability to balance technical excellence with commercial realities, programme constraints and organisational priorities.
- Strong governance and design authority experience, including architecture review boards and programme assurance activities.
- Experience working with executive stakeholders, programme boards and senior leadership teams.
- Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Excellent stakeholder management, facilitation, negotiation and decision-making skills.
- Strong documentation skills, including production of architecture artefacts, design decisions, standards and technical strategies.
- Experience managing technical risk, technical debt and architectural dependencies within large programmes.
- A collaborative style with the ability to bring together multiple technical teams towards a common objective
Benefits
By joining us you can expect
- Autonomy to develop and grow your skills and experience
- Be part of exciting project work that is making a difference in society
- Strong, inspiring and thought-provoking leadership
- A supportive and collaborative environment.
As well as this, we offer
- Development access to Linked In Learning, a management development programme and training
- Wellness 24/7 Confidential employee assistance programme
- Social - Breakfast Tuesdays, Thirsty Thursdays and Pizza on the last Thursday of each month as well as commitment to charitable causes
- Time off 25 days a year
- Pension Salary Exchange Scheme with 4% employer contribution and 5% employee contribution
- Discretionary Company Bonus based on company and individual performance
- Life Assurance of 4 times base salary
- Private Medical Insurance which is non-contributory (spouse and dependants included)
- Worldwide Travel Insurance which is non-contributory (spouse and dependants included)
Principal Technical Architect - Identity, Productivity & Cloud employer: Methods
At Methods, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture. Our remote Senior Fabric Architect role offers the flexibility to work from home while also providing opportunities for professional growth through mentorship and engagement with senior stakeholders. With a focus on modern data platforms and a commitment to employee development, joining our team means being part of a forward-thinking company that values your contributions and supports your career aspirations.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Technical Architect - Identity, Productivity & Cloud
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Methods or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Methods.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Methods.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Methods that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Technical Architect - Identity, Productivity & Cloud
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Methods.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Methods and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Methods
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Methods uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
