Lead Architect in Milton Keynes

We’re looking for a Lead Architect to provide strategic direction and leadership across NHBC’s enterprise, solution, data, integration, and technology architecture. Reporting to the Chief Data & Architecture Officer, you’ll set architectural standards, ensure coherence across solutions, and align technology investments with NHBC’s business strategy and transformation goals. You’ll lead NHBC’s architecture community, mentoring domain architects, driving secure‑by‑design principles, and promoting innovation that’s both ethical and business‑focused. As Chair of the Architecture Design Authority, you’ll oversee design assurance, guide major change initiatives, and influence senior stakeholders to keep NHBC’s architecture future‑ready, compliant, and cost‑effective.

What you’ll do:

• Own and evolve NHBC’s enterprise architecture strategy, framework, and governance
• Lead the Architecture Design Authority, ensuring high‑quality design assurance
• Align architecture with business strategy, transformation, and regulatory needs
• Champion standards, reuse, and composability across all technology domains
• Mentor domain architects and develop NHBC’s professional architecture community
• Collaborate with business, security, and operations teams to embed secure‑by‑design principles
• Provide expert input to investment decisions, technology roadmaps, and innovation initiatives
• Ensure architecture governance integrates seamlessly with Agile and DevOps delivery

What you’ll bring:

• Extensive experience leading architecture functions in complex or regulated organisations
• Deep knowledge of enterprise, data, integration, and cloud architecture
• Proven ability to align architecture with strategy and transformation goals
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills
• Expertise in architecture frameworks (e.g. TOGAF) and design assurance practices
• Understanding of governance, risk, and compliance in technology delivery
• Awareness of emerging technologies, AI and automation, and their architectural implications

What we offer:

• 27 days annual leave + bank holidays
• Enhanced pension scheme (up to 10.5%)
• Life assurance
• Subsidised private medical insurance
• Employee discounts platform
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption leave and pay for all new parents

Who we are:

At NHBC, we pride ourselves on being truly unique. No other organisation in our sector matches the range of services and scale we provide. As the market leader, we are recognised as the go‑to for new home warranties and insurance. Our team is united by a core purpose: to raise the standards of house building and protect homeowners.

Why you should join us:

As a modern, family‑friendly employer, we’re in a phase of rapid growth, embracing technology, data and new ways of working. We’re seeking passionate, skilled and driven individuals to join us on this exciting journey. Once onboard, you’ll have access to fantastic opportunities for personal and career growth. You’ll receive thorough training, continuous development and the chance to earn recognised qualifications and professional memberships to support your journey. We support flexible working and encourage our colleagues to find a balance that suits them. While we may not be able to accommodate every request, we’re always happy to have a conversation about flexible working arrangements.

Our inclusive culture:

We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive culture where everyone feels empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. We firmly believe in the right of all our employees and customers to be treated fairly, with dignity and respect, and free from discrimination. Our active employee networks support colleagues and their allies, providing safe spaces for open conversations and idea‑sharing.

Why NHBC:

Work for the UK’s leading independent provider of warranty and insurance for new‑built homes. We have a range of job opportunities across the UK, including field and home‑based roles within corporate, business operations and field tech. We welcome experienced professionals and those new to the world of work such as trainees, and with our flexible working approach we are open to helping you find a role that works for you. NHBC colleagues have access to a wide range of additional benefits and we ensure our packages are attractive to current and potential employees. We offer a yearly performance‑based bonus to all employees based on a percentage of salary. We recognise the valuable contribution that our colleagues make, benchmarking our salaries, against the wider market to ensure our packages are attractive.

Our Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) strategy is focused on providing a shared direction and commitment for the organisation to respect and value our diverse workforce and continue to build a more inclusive workplace. We aim to attract and retain a workforce that represents the communities in which we work.

If you're interested in working at NHBC but haven't found the role for you within our list of current vacancies, please feel free to upload your CV. We will contact you if a suitable position becomes available and will keep your CV on file for up to 18 months. We also recommend checking our careers web page regularly, as new opportunities are posted frequently.