Senior Solution Architect

**About Markel**: Avencia Consulting are an RPO who provide a recruitment service to our client Markel International. We have are hiring a senior solution architect, ideal for an architect seeking more variety in their work in a growing organisation. **Role Overview**: With the growth of our business, both in breadth and complexity, we have an increased need for first-class IT solutions and systems. As a result of this we are currently growing our IT structure. This includes recruiting for this critical Senior Architectposition to partner with senior IT & business stakeholders, understand their needs, determine future state roadmaps and then design robust, pragmatic and efficient IT solutions to address those needs. The role is pivotal to the MINT IT function and will act as the "bridge" between the various IT delivery groups, the business units and supporting functions such as procurement, Security and PMO. It requires an individual with demonstrable breadth and depth of experience across multiple IT architectural domains. The ability to craft and deliver sophisticated business solutions in an Enterprise context is essential. You will be a "technologist at heart" with a solid, proven IT Architecture background who demonstrates business focus, strong commercial acumen and the ability to focus on the "big picture", whilst being able to work with implementation detail. You should be prepared to work at pace, balance multiple contending priorities and challenge the status quo to achieve optimum outcomes for our business **What you'll be doing**: - Capturing and analysing specific business requirements and creating IT solution designs, ensuring all functional and non-functional requirements are properly satisfied. - Ensuring all solutions adhere to Markel EA standards, principles, security, operational and regulatory requirements. - Providing technology thought leadership and guidance to IT colleagues and wider business. - Building relationships with architects across Markel globally. (Data/Infrastructure/Security/Integration); participating in Enterprise Architecture activity. - Communicating architecture solutions to both technical and non-technical audiences, ensuring the communication style used is appropriate for the intended audience. - Engaging with the wider IT teams to foster innovation, deliver proof of concept solutions and acceptance of new technologies. - Keeping abreast of technology trends, proactively seeking opportunities for Markel's commercial benefit. **What we're looking for**: - A proven track record as a Senior IT Solution Architect in large and complex Enterprises. - Demonstrable experience designing IT solution architectures with corresponding phasing, transitions and migration plans where necessary. - Experience partnering with Software Engineering and Scrum teams to deliver high quality solutions. - A pragmatic, resilient and highly driven personality who always seeks to "get the job done". - Outstanding business engagement & communications skills. - Credibility articulating complex technology concepts and solutions to non-technical audiences. - Experience of working within both Waterfall and Agile delivery frameworks. - Experience working with multiple external delivery partners in the execution of IT projects. The following skills, knowledge and experience are desirable, but not essential: - Experience of Automation tools / technologies (BPMN / Workflow / RPA). - Experience of PaaS, IaaS, SaaS deployment models especially in a Public Cloud. - Knowledge of "cloud native" technologies and tooling ideally using Microsoft Azure. - Basic knowledge of the relevant use cases for Enterprise Service Bus tools. - Knowledge of API and micro services-based architectures (this is not a development role). - Experience of architecture modelling tools (mega, ArchiMate or similar). - TOGAF or other recognised architecture frameworks. **What's in it for you**: - A very competitive basic salary plus bonus & benefits - 25 days' holiday plus Bank Holidays, with the opportunity to buy / sell extra leave - Company matched pension scheme, private medical and dental cover, life assurance, travel insurance cover, income protection, a cycle2work scheme, season ticket loan, Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), maternity, adoption and shared parental leave pay,paternity pay..and plenty more - Voluntary benefits designed to suit your lifestyle - from discounts and cash back on retail and socialising, to health & wellbeing, travel and technology - The possibility of working from both the office and from home (hybrid), flexible working or other options are available - You'll get the chance to follow your chosen career path anywhere within Markel - You'll be joining a global network of experienced, innovative and dedicated individuals across multiple teams and countries. There are countless opportunities to learn new skills and develop in your career, and we'll provide the support you need to do justthat