Principal Architect

Principal Architect

Full-Time 80000 - 100000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Whitbread PLC

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead and define architecture for our Hotels & Restaurants tech team, ensuring alignment and governance.
  • Company: Join Whitbread, a leader in hospitality with a focus on innovation and collaboration.
  • Benefits: Enjoy family healthcare, generous discounts, and an annual bonus of up to 30%.
  • Other info: Hybrid working model with opportunities for career growth and development.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of hospitality technology while making a real impact in a dynamic environment.
  • Qualifications: Proven experience in solution architecture and strong stakeholder collaboration skills.

The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.

Here at Whitbread, we are seeking an experienced Principal Architect to join our Hotels & Restaurants technology team to own end to end Architecture for the domain, making sure that solution designs are sustainable and aligned to both team and department strategies, whilst following Architecture Principles.

As our Principal Architect, you will lead and assure architecture governance, ensuring requirements, scope changes and designs are reviewed, decisions recorded, and outcomes aligned to EA standards, policies, and guardrails.

Role: Principal Architect

Contract Type: Full time, Permanent

Location: Whitbread Court, Dunstable (Hybrid working, 3 days per week in office)

What you’ll be doing:

  • Define and evolve our Hotels & Restaurants teams domain architecture, ensuring end-to-end alignment across products, platforms, and suppliers.
  • Own the architecture artefact set for the team as well as setting and enforcing domain design principles and guardrails.
  • Govern design trade-offs and escalate cross-portfolio conflicts and exceptions through the agreed architecture governance model.
  • Lead architecture governance forums, ensuring decisions, approvals, exceptions, and actions are documented, communicated, and progressed.
  • Ensure solutions comply with Enterprise Architecture and Technology standards and relevant security, integration, and data policies; proactively identify non-compliance and drive remediation or formal exception management.

What you’ll need:

  • Significant proven experience owning end-to-end solution and domain architecture in complex, multi-team environments.
  • Strong working knowledge of enterprise architecture operating models and governance (principles, standards, patterns, review/approval), with ability to lead design authority discussions.
  • Strong understanding of integration, security, privacy, and data expectations, with ability to shape and assure non-functional requirements and manage architecture risks.
  • Experience collaborating with senior stakeholders across different domains within a business, tailoring communication style depending on the audience.
  • Demonstrable experience engaging vendors and partners in a multi-supplier ecosystem.

Be part of our Technology Team at Whitbread. Through collaboration, passion and hiring the smartest minds, our Technology team builds products and services that are used by 38,000 of us at Whitbread and millions of guests. Everything from an eCommerce website that handles £2 billion in transactions per year, applications that are scalable across our 1,200 hotel and restaurants, devices that enable our teams and guests to have a seamless experience, all whilst keeping data secure. Together we’re building the hotel of the future.

Principal Architect employer: Whitbread PLC

At Whitbread, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation within our Hotels & Restaurants technology team. With hybrid working options, competitive benefits including family healthcare and generous discounts, and a commitment to employee growth through leadership opportunities, we empower our Principal Architects to shape the future of hospitality technology in a supportive environment located at our Dunstable headquarters.
Whitbread PLC

Contact Detail:

Whitbread PLC Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Principal Architect

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at Whitbread on LinkedIn or through industry events. A friendly chat can give you insider info and might just get your foot in the door.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for the interview by understanding their architecture principles and recent projects. Show us you’re not just a fit for the role, but that you’re genuinely excited about what we do at Whitbread!

✨Tip Number 3

Practice your storytelling skills! Be ready to share specific examples of how you've tackled complex architecture challenges in the past. We want to hear how you’ve made an impact!

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team.

We think you need these skills to ace Principal Architect

End-to-End Solution Architecture
Domain Architecture
Architecture Governance
Enterprise Architecture Operating Models
Integration Knowledge
Security and Privacy Standards
Data Policy Compliance
Stakeholder Engagement
Communication Skills
Design Authority Leadership
Non-Functional Requirements Management
Risk Management
Vendor Collaboration
Multi-Supplier Ecosystem Experience

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the Principal Architect role. Highlight your experience with end-to-end solution architecture and governance, and don’t forget to mention any relevant projects that showcase your skills in a multi-team environment.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you’re the perfect fit for our Hotels & Restaurants technology team. Share specific examples of how you've led architecture governance and collaborated with stakeholders in the past.

Showcase Your Technical Skills: We want to see your technical prowess! Be sure to include any relevant certifications or training related to enterprise architecture, integration, security, and data policies. This will help us understand your depth of knowledge in these areas.

Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team at Whitbread.

How to prepare for a job interview at Whitbread PLC

✨Know Your Architecture Principles

Make sure you’re well-versed in the architecture principles that Whitbread follows. Brush up on their governance models and how they align with enterprise architecture standards. This will show that you understand the framework within which you'll be operating.

✨Showcase Your Stakeholder Engagement Skills

Prepare examples of how you've successfully collaborated with senior stakeholders in previous roles. Tailor your communication style to different audiences, as this is crucial for a Principal Architect. Be ready to discuss how you’ve navigated complex discussions and resolved conflicts.

✨Demonstrate Your Problem-Solving Abilities

Think of specific instances where you’ve identified non-compliance or managed architecture risks. Be prepared to explain your thought process and the steps you took to drive remediation. This will highlight your proactive approach and ability to handle challenges.

✨Familiarise Yourself with Multi-Supplier Ecosystems

Since engaging vendors and partners is key, do some research on how Whitbread collaborates within a multi-supplier environment. Bring examples from your past experiences where you’ve successfully worked with multiple suppliers to achieve a common goal.

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