Technology Architect
Location
Hybrid working with base location as either Edinburgh, Manchester, Coventry, Widnes, Milton Keynes, or London
In a nutshell
This role is primarily required to perform IT design activities, across any bank function, channel, product, technology, or suppliers as required by projects and programmes, and to support the Senior Solution Architect in providing design leadership, design governance, and management of key design knowledge and artefacts (including operating models, application and infrastructure architecture, IT standards and patterns).
Technology Architects perform design activity for one or more projects throughout their lifecycle, including:
- carrying out design activities in accordance with Architecture Approach and Design Governance Framework, based on personal specialism / SME knowledge, and based on guidance from the relevant Senior Solution Architect
- bring end-to-end “Solution Architecture” focus (i.e., functional fit of applications to business need and operating model, as well as technical suitability and integration of systems);
- creation and maintenance of design assets (e.g., Level 0/1 designs, overview documents, options/assessment papers, SB Enterprise Architecture assets (e.g. application architecture))
- support effective Design Governance operation through deliverable review and presentation of designs to appropriate design governance bodies for approval (incl. oversight of supplier design activity and deliverables)
- liaison with relevant stakeholders and suppliers to identify and resolve design questions, issues, and gaps (esp. across supplier or business areas)
- identification and resolution of design issues, risks and gaps for project(s)
What you need to do
To be a recognised technical architect with overall accountability for the following in areas of expertise:
- developing and maintaining architecture principles and standards
- developing policies, standards and guidelines that direct the selection, development, implementation, and use of technology solutions
- identification and assessment of relevant new and emerging technologies and opportunities that support achievement of stated business goals
- subject matter expertise in one or more business or technology domains (e.g., digital, payments)
To be assigned to multiple or complex programmes/projects as the architecture and technology subject matter expert; this includes:
- innovation and creativity in developing business and IT solutions
- supporting project teams in business requirements definition and determining non-functional requirements
- project/programme cost estimating (including total cost of ownership)
- manage and resolve design issues as and when they arise
- Acting as the point of escalation if solutions do not meet business expectations, or deviate from principles or the Enterprise Architecture
- To ensure SB architecture standards, policies and design and design governance approaches/processes are understood and adhered to
- To support the Senior Solution Architect for projects in overall assessment and approval of design and design approach/governance proposals via relevant governance bodies (e.g. Design Authority)
- To support overall capital and revenue budgets and forecasts for technology components of projects and programmes (including estimating costs for solutions and implementation)
- To act as an interface between supplier/partner and SB architecture functions
- To support ongoing development of architecture capability within Sainsbury's Bank
- To maintain an up-to-date understanding of the bank's technology landscape, and a general understanding of the other relevant industry technologies
- To work with external suppliers to ensure that the appropriate technology direction is set with respect to systems, data and technical infrastructure
- Influencing and communicating at all levels across the Bank
- Manage own deliverables to high levels of quality, review and assurance of others' work
- Represent Sainsbury's Bank at cross functional / external meetings and forums
- Quickly develop detailed knowledge of Sainsbury's Bank processes, people (colleagues, customers and others), data, applications and infrastructure, and a general understanding of the other relevant industry technologies
- Living the Sainsbury’s Group values through proactively taking responsibility, owning any issues arising and following through to resolve them (within their role remit). Recognise how their individual responsibility impacts team delivery and inspires others to do the same.
What you need to know and show
- Experience as a Technology Architect on major change or transformational programmes with a broad range of analytical, design and IT skills, preferably in Retail Banking or Financial Services
- Experience of working in a complex sourcing environment with multiple, diverse partnerships
- Well organised and able to prioritise workload in line with tight deadlines and work effectively under pressure
- Broad experience of all architecture domains (including business, data, applications, integration, infrastructure, and security) and reference models, standards, and patterns
- Business and IT architecture design at the conceptual (high-level), logical and physical (detailed) levels
- Ability to take a strategic view and see the 'big-picture', aligned to the ability to adopt an analytical approach to complex problem solving and consideration of operational implications
- Good level of project management and delivery skills (e.g., facilitation, planning, authoring of design documentation)
- A broad understanding of the operating environment of Sainsbury's Bank (including the commercial and shareholders' views of the Bank's operating model)
- Proven ability to design and deliver flexible, reliable, operable, cost-effective solutions
- Demonstrable experience in architecture standards, services, solution design and implementation, architecture principles and architecture views
- Demonstrate an ability to think and reason logically
- Strong relationship management skills
- Excellent written communication – business and project reports
- Exceptional communication skills - ability to communicate effectively with anyone in any environment, e.g., able to translate complex / technical issues to meet the audience's competency level
- Hands on or demonstrable experience of working with Cloud solutions. Ideally AWS or Microsoft Azure.
Our benefits
In addition to the all-important competitive salary, pension & bonus offering, we totally get that life outside work is important to us all. So, we want to shout out some of our other great benefits…
- We offer flexible working to help you achieve a good work/life balance.
- Opportunity to buy extra holidays is on the table.
- Discounts on your weekly shop, buying a laptop or sofa? We’ve got it covered through your Sainsbury’s, Argos, and Habitat store discount card.
- Private Healthcare benefits
- Cycle to work scheme and great coffee and cake!
A little about us & our culture
We’re proud of our heritage as the UK’s first supermarket bank. As digital technology drives the banking landscape we want to be at the cutting edge of this technology, offering award winning innovative digital banking products to our customers. Technology is where we see our growth therefore, we need innovators to join us and drive the next phase of our evolution.
We’re a friendly bunch who collectively share a passion to make our customers’ financial lives easier. As part of the wider Sainsbury’s Group, being one of the UK’s most trusted brands, it brings our colleagues a wealth of opportunities to fulfil their potential. Here, you can be part of something bigger and help to create a new approach that puts the customer at the heart of everything we do.
It’s important that our colleagues reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. Our inclusive recruitment policy means we’re committed to training and developing all our colleagues, treating everyone fairly and equally when they come and work with us.
As this role involves working within a regulated environment any offer will be subject to satisfactory background checks including criminal record check, credit check, fraud check and employment references.
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