Technology Strategist

We are seeking a highly skilled Solutions Architect to join our Technology and Data team at First Central Services UK Ltd. This is a flexible hybrid working role with occasional visits to our offices, when required.

• Work closely with Heads of Departments and Business Analysts to understand business drivers and business capabilities, and determine corresponding enterprise solution designs to drive the organisation's targeted strategic business outcomes.
• Collaborate with Product Owners and Product Solution Architects to ensure a robust architectural runway that can support future business requirements throughout the product lifecycle.
• Monitor the current-state enterprise to identify deficiencies through aging of the technologies used or misalignment with business and technology strategies.
• Review emerging technology trends and disruptions and their practical application to enable new and evolving business and operating models.
• Lead evaluation, architecture and analysis for the implementation of a solution architecture across the Enterprise, ensuring alignment to business and technology strategies and enterprise standards and patterns.
• Develop a roadmap for the evolution of the enterprise architecture from current to future state, identifying and defining enablers to that evolution.
• Propose standard definitions, reference models and architecture designs to support architectural governance to assess the impact of new and ongoing technology investment on the business and enterprise.
• Provide consulting support to delivery teams to ensure the product (or initiative) is aligned with the overall enterprise architecture.
• Contribute to the setting of standards and processes for the Solution Architecture Community of Practice and ensure these are adhered to and best practice is followed to support a fully agile change and development environment.
• Comply with the requirements, and act in accordance with, the Group Code of Conduct and Fitness and Propriety policies at all times.
• Ensure compliance with Company Policies, Values and guidelines and other relevant standards/ regulations at all times.
• Responsibility for maintaining department risk registers (as applicable), providing evidence and commentary for controls, updates for Mitigation Actions and maintaining control matrices and Attestations.

• Exposure to multiple, diverse technologies, platforms, and processing environments.
• Good understanding of strategic and emerging technology trends, and the practical application of existing and emerging technologies to new and evolving business and operating models.
• Experience of creation and maintenance of reference architecture documentation.
• Knowledge of analysis, design, modelling and Enterprise Architecture techniques.
• Experience developing architecture blueprints, strategies, and roadmaps, ideally leveraging architectural tooling.
• Experience delivering presentations to senior-level executives and technical audience.
• Ability to communicate complex and abstract concepts in an easy to understand and follow manner.
• Experience of delivering enterprise solution architecture and governance services within an Agile delivery framework.
• Ideally an Insurance or financial Services background, although other backgrounds will be considered.
• Knowledge of FCA requirements (including TCF).

• Ideally a minimum of five years of experience in at least two technology solution development disciplines, including technical or infrastructure architecture, network management, application development, middleware, database management or cloud development.
• Formal architectural certification is preferred.
• Identification and management of risk.
• Problem solving skills, with the ability to adopt a logical approach to solving problem.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• Commercially focussed and results driven taking a pragmatic approach to delivering value.
• Self-motivated and enthusiastic.
• An organised and pro-active approach.
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team.
• A flexible approach and positive attitude.
• Emphasis on attention to detail and accuracy.
• Takes initiative to make decisions.
• Strives to drive business improvements to contribute to the success of the business.