Lead Solution Architect

The Lead Solution Architect will manage and develop the Laing O'Rourke Solution Architecture practice. Including the demand management, quality assurance of delivery and development. Leading a team of permanent, interim and partner Solution Architects, ensuring the provision of a high-quality solution architecture function to the Laing O'Rourke global business. They will act as a bridge between Enterprise Architecture, IT Design, Delivery and Operations.

Key Accountabilities:

• Accountable for the management and delivery of the Solution Architecture practice within IT and to the wider LOR business.
• Develops and leads a high-performance team of solution architects
• Accountable for the Solution Architecture demand management.
• Accountable for the delivery of Solution Architecture through; planning pre-project activities, costing. Supporting business and technology stakeholders produce robust business cases. Overseeing the design and delivery ensuring the end product meets design intent.
• Ensure consistency in delivery and quality is aligned across the architecture team and its customers, both from a perspective of written documentation, governance and senior stakeholder communication.
• As part of the IT Architecture team, drives the creation and maintenance of solution design artifacts including; patterns, reference architectures, standards, processes and design templates referring to the guidance provided by enterprise architecture .
• Contribute to and assist in the preparation and maintenance of wider elements of LOR Architecture and Enterprise Architecture framework, including principles, guidelines, reference models, standards and templates.
• Responsible, with each technology initiative, to ensure buy-in from the wider IT teams so that the teams are motivated to match the detailed design of the solution to the higher-level architecture.
• Develop clear metrics to demonstrate the impact of solution architectures and patterns drive an efficiency in delivery reducing time to market.
• Provide subject matter solution architectural expertise to Enterprise Architecture and perform the role of an advisor on solution options and approaches, ensuring the right balance is maintained in generating business outcome and alignment to architectural standards and technologies.
• Ensure the alignment of stakeholder groups projects and infrastructure with ICT architecture standards and policies.
• Develop the Solution Architecture capabilities to ensure that the management and development of our professional team maintains alignment to the development of our organisation and strategic roadmap.
• Provides guidance and governance oversight to Solution Architecture and IT Delivery teams in relation to the development and execution of the Enterprise Architecture strategy and roadmap.

Performance Measures:

• Clear metrics to demonstrate impact of a co-ordinated and managed Solution Architecture practice on technology investments and business outcomes.
• Creation and maintenance of Solution Architecture processes, solution patterns and design templates.
• Relationship maturity with Business and IT stakeholders.
• Clear senior stakeholder communication within IT and the wider Business.
• Active collaboration with Enterprise Architect, Business and various IT functional areas.
• Adherence of technology solutions to the defined Enterprise Architecture and strategic roadmap.
• High Team engagement coupled with low attrition (as defined and agreed with CDIO and People Function).

Key Relationships:

Internal:

• Reports to Group Head of IT Architecture
• Peer of Enterprise Architects in both LOR Hubs
• Has Solution Architects as direct reports
• Business Stakeholders/SMEs, Product Owners
• Delivery Organisation (Project Managers, Business Analysts, Platform & engineering Teams)

External:

• Research and market data providers (i.e. Gartner, Forrester etc.)

Desired Capabilities & Behaviours:

• A driver of change and improved ways of working
• A Pragmatist that can balance tactical and strategic needs of the business
• Ability to engage with stakeholders at all levels of the organisation, adjusting language and tone to the audience
• A believer in quality, open documentation to aid team collaboration and knowledge sharing
• Can effectively lead and influence teams and team members.
• Organizationally savvy, with the ability to navigate organizational politics.
• Skilled at influencing, guiding and facilitating stakeholders and peers with decision making.
• Ability to articulate new ideas and concepts to technical and nontechnical audiences
• Ability to understand the long-term ("big picture") and short-term perspectives of situations
• Ability to translate future-state business capabilities and requirements into solution architecture requirements
• Ability to propose and estimate the financial impact of the enterprise architecture
• Ability to work creatively and analytically to solve business problems and propose solutions
• Ability to quickly comprehend the functions and capabilities of new technologies
• Trusted and respected as a thought leader who can influence and persuade business and IT leaders and IT development teams.
• Technology neutral: remains unbiased toward any specific technology or vendor choice, and is more interested in results than personal preferences
• Displays intellectual curiosity and integrity
• Business acumen, appreciation of IT budgeting (Run/Change), contribute to business case development.

Education & Experience:

• Post-grad degree or equivalent relevant experience
• Certified in Enterprise Architecture frameworks (i.e. TOGAF)
• Exposure to multiple, diverse technologies, platforms and processing environments
• Good understanding of strategic and new and emerging technology trends, and the practical application of existing, new and emerging technologies to new and evolving business and operating models
• Good understanding of product management, agile principles and development methodologies and capability of supporting agile teams by providing advice and guidance on opportunities, impact and risks, taking account of technical and architectural debt
• Experience working in a relevant industry is helpful, but not required.
• Experience developing architecture blueprints, strategies and roadmaps
• Experience delivering presentations to senior-level executives and technical audiences
• Experience of modern work management and documentation tools such as Confluence, Jira, LucidChart

About us: We are an international engineering and construction company delivering state-of-the-art infrastructure and buildings projects for clients in the UK, Middle East and Australia.

Certainty, reliability, quality – this is what our clients want. And at Laing O'Rourke, we have more than 150 years of experience delivering it. Laing O'Rourke's story is one of energy, passion, ambition, people and teamwork. We harness the power of our experience, stretching back over a century and a half to deliver certainty for our clients.

As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we would like to enable access to candidates with long term health conditions and disabilities through the ‘Offer an interview scheme'. This supports applicants that meet the essential criteria by offering an interview for the advertised position. Please let us know prior to interview what adjustments are required as well as discussing how we can support you in the workplace.

We want to ensure our recruitment process is accessible to all. If you need the application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please email resourcingteam@laingorourke.com

We value and care about difference at Laing O’Rourke and believe a diverse team drives innovation.

We are a global multicultural business committed to the inclusion of all employees, enabling everyone to feel accepted, respected & valued for being themselves.

As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we would like to enable access to candidates with long term health conditions and disabilities through the ‘Offer an interview scheme’. This supports applicants that meet the essential criteria by offering an interview for the advertised position. Please let us know prior to interview what adjustments are required as well as discussing how we can support you in the workplace.

We have set out far-reaching global sustainability targets including a commitment to achieve equal numbers of men and women amongst our global staff by 2033. For more information, please visit:

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