At a Glance
- Tasks: Design future-ready systems and influence engineering strategy across teams.
- Company: Join a global leader in information and analytics, making a real impact.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working hours, generous leave, and a comprehensive pension plan.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Shape the future of technology while contributing to science and healthcare.
- Qualifications: 15+ years in software architecture and experience with Identity and Access systems.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
Are you passionate about designing future-ready systems that balance performance, reliability, and simplicity?
Do you thrive on setting technical direction and influencing engineering strategy across teams?
About The Team
A global leader in information and analytics, we help researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society.
Building on our publishing heritage, we combine quality information and vast data sets with analytics to support visionary science and research, health education and interactive learning, as well as exceptional healthcare and clinical practice.
At Elsevier, your work contributes to the world’s grand challenges and a more sustainable future.
We harness innovative technologies to support science and healthcare to partner for a better world.
About The Role
This position contributes to the definition of Enterprise Architecture within Elsevier, specifically related to the Shared Technologies that underpin our product portfolio.
You will be responsible for diving forward the architecture strategy for Identity and Access, Enterprise API Management and the secure adoption and delivery of agentic AI solutions across the shared platforms that underpin all of Elsevier’s products.
Responsibilities include governing adherence to architectural principles and standards and working with architects and senior architects as a key interaction point for communication, evangelism, governance, and feedback.
The position also requires working closely alongside our engineering, product and business partners to understand their strategies and enable timely, efficient, and governed delivery of solutions to support them.
Key Responsibilities
- Translate business needs and technology direction into scalable architectural solutions.
- Communicate complex technical concepts in a clear, business‑focused manner to support decision‑making.
- Partner with architects across the organization to ensure alignment, governance, and shared architectural direction.
- Collaborate with product and business strategy teams to anticipate long‑term technological needs.
- Evaluate new technologies and potential acquisitions as required.
- Define and implement technology strategies that promote standardization, reuse, and simplification.
- Plan for the evolution, retirement, and replacement of systems within the business unit.
- Provide architectural leadership and promote software engineering best practices.
- Review and approve changes to infrastructure components and subsystems.
- Lead architectural design for large‑scale development efforts.
- Act as a bridge between enterprise architecture and engineering teams.
- Work collaboratively with architects across different groups to ensure cohesive solutions.
- Introduce and support teams in adopting new technologies.
- Lead teams in identifying and resolving complex technical challenges.
- Present findings, risks, and solution options to support informed decision‑making.
- Guide technical direction and architectural evolution through reviews and hands‑on leadership.
- Identify opportunities to evolve components into shared infrastructure.
- Stay current with industry and technology advancements and explore opportunities to apply them.
- Advocate for and support the adoption of shared technologies across business units.
- Collaborate closely with shared technology teams to provide architectural guidance and support.
Requirements
Qualifications
- Extensive experience (typically 15+ years) in software or systems architecture.
- Significant experience (typically 2+ years) in the design and delivery of customer Identity and Access systems using modern authentication and authorization protocols (e. g., OAuth2, OIDC)
- Significant experience leading cross‑functional or cross‑product architectural initiatives with measurable enterprise impact.
- Degree in Engineering or Computer Science, or equivalent practical experience
- Technical Skills
- Deep expertise in architectural design and governance.
- Strong understanding of programming concepts, databases, and modern engineering practices.
- Experience leading complex technical projects and collaborating with customers or external partners.
- Ability to work with vendors to align technology strategies with organizational architecture goals.
- Innovative mindset with experience in modern technologies, security, and infrastructure.
- Advanced skills in planning, prioritization, and managing multiple initiatives across teams.
- Strong problem‑solving abilities, including guiding teams through diagnosing and resolving complex issues.
- Clear and effective communication skills, with the ability to present technical concepts to diverse audiences, including senior leadership.
- Strong research and analytical skills.
- Ability to develop architectural business cases aligned with enterprise strategy.
- Expertise in APIs, API management, and API governance.
Why join us?
Join our team and contribute to a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence.
If you are ready to advance your career and make a significant impact, we encourage you to apply.
Work in a way that works for you
We promote a healthy work/life balance across the organization.
We offer an appealing working prospect for our people.
With numerous wellbeing initiatives and shared parental leave, we will help you meet your immediate responsibilities and your long‑term goals.
- Working flexible hours - flexing the times when you work in the day to help you fit everything in and work when you are the most productive.
- Working for you
Benefits
We know that your well-being and happiness are key to a long and successful career. These are some of the benefits we are delighted to offer:
- Comprehensive Pension Plan
- Generous vacation entitlement and option for sabbatical leave
- Maternity, Paternity, Adoption and Family Care leave
- Flexible working hours
- Personal Choice budget
- Internal communities and networks
- Various employee discounts
- Recruitment introduction reward Employee Assistance Program (global)
- About The Business
A global leader in information and analytics, we help researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society.
Building on our publishing heritage, we combine quality information and vast data sets with analytics to support visionary science and research, health education and interactive learning, as well as exceptional healthcare and clinical practice.
At Elsevier, your work contributes to the world’s grand challenges and a more sustainable future.
We harness innovative technologies to support science and healthcare to partner for a better world.
We know your well-being and happiness are key to a long and successful career. We are delighted to offer country specific benefits.
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Principal Architect employer: RELX
RELX is an excellent employer that values its employees by fostering a collaborative and inclusive work culture in the vibrant setting of Greater London. With generous holiday allowances, health screening benefits, and opportunities for professional growth, employees are encouraged to develop their skills while contributing to meaningful customer relationships in the SaaS industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Architect
✨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 RELX 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 RELX.
✨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 RELX.
✨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 RELX 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 Architect
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 RELX.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at RELX 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 RELX
✨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 RELX 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.
