Business Architect in Leeds

Overview

This role will be based on the university campus, with scope for it to be undertaken in a hybrid manner. We are also open to discussing flexible working arrangements.

The University is undertaking a significant portfolio of strategic transformation across academic and professional service domains. Within this portfolio, the Curriculum Redefined (CR) strategic change programme is entering the Enhancement and Integration Phase, which represents a critical transition from large transformation programme to sustainable business-as-usual delivery. This Business Architect role is being recruited on a 12-month fixed term basis (with the potential for extension, subject to funding) and will be dedicated to the team delivering the CR programme. The role will be focused on embedding outcomes from the previous phase of the programme and integrating them with other major change programmes, whilst establishing durable operating models.

The Business Architect role in general provides University-wide business architecture leadership within the Transformation Office, strengthening institutional coherence across functional boundaries and ensuring alignment between strategy and execution. It also provides enterprise business design assurance for major investments and transformation initiatives, informing governance and portfolio decision-making, mitigating structural risk, and safeguarding the integrity of the University’s operating model as change is delivered.

Day to day, the role ensures that major investments and transformation initiatives align with the University’s agreed operating model and institutional priorities. It mitigates institutional risk by preventing duplication and fragmentation, assessing the structural implications of change, and safeguarding coherence across the change and investment portfolio.

Working across Faculties, Professional Services, and change teams, the role applies structured architectural thinking to inform executive decision-making and support the translation of strategic intent into coordinated institutional change.

This specific Business Architect role will do this in the context of the CR programme as it addresses complex organisational design challenges, including: the design and implementation of a single institutional “front door” for Educational Enhancement; the realignment of roles and reporting lines; the integration of previously federated services; and the establishment of new governance arrangements, service level agreements, and performance metrics.

The role will provide critical capacity to manage the dependencies of this work with other major transformation programmes, align delivery roadmaps, and ensure CR programme outcomes are designed for adoption within emerging institutional structures, rather than becoming isolated or redundant.

What We Offer In Return

• 26 days holiday plus approx.16 Bank Holidays/days that the University is closed by custom (including Christmas) – That’s 42 days a year!
• Generous pension scheme plus life assurance.
• Health and Wellbeing: Discounted staff membership options at The Edge, our state-of-the-art Campus gym, with a pool, sauna, climbing wall, cycle circuit, and sports halls.
• Personal Development: Access to courses run by our Organisational Development & Professional Learning team.
• Access to on-site childcare, shopping discounts and travel schemes are also available.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Neil Smith, Deputy Director Transformation Office
Email: n.s.smith@leeds.ac.uk