Lead Solution Data Architect in ARCHITECTURE

Leeds, United Kingdom Bank of England Job Description

Lead Solution Data Architect in Architecture, Technology Directorate

Permanent

Full time

Location - Leeds or London

Flexible Working Options:

We support a range of flexible working patterns including hybrid working, flexible start and end times We also support:

• Flexible start and end time to each day
• Ability to adapt calendar as needed, this could be to fit in the school run, gym, or appointments
• Expected a 50% (with a minimum of 40%) in-office attendance requirement can be spread across the month to accommodate diverse working patterns, such as the flexibility to purchase a weekly train ticket for certain weeks
• Compressed hours (subject to approval and policy within the team)
• Working from abroad policy (subject to approval and policy within the team)

A day in the role:

You'll begin your day with team meetings, project stand-ups or stakeholder check-ins, followed by focused time developing architectural artefacts, reviewing roadmaps, or contributing to governance forums. You'll collaborate with colleagues across Technology and the wider organisation, offering thought leadership and driving innovation. You and your team will also engage in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and the development of architectural blueprints, high level design and technical options. The role allows flexibility in how and where you work, with a strong emphasis on collaboration, support, and continuous learning.

Role Requirements:

Do you have a passion for enterprise data analytics solution design, team leadership and a track record of driving strategic change? Maybe you already have experience in shaping technology landscapes or are eager to enhance your leadership in architecture?

Minimum Criteria

We're looking for someone who has the following key skills and experience:

• Experience in IT architecture, including applying architectural principles, standards and reference patterns to the to the design of modern data analytics platforms and AI solutions.
• Strong understanding of the data, analytics and AI technology landscape, including the ability to assess existing estates and develop roadmaps focused on reuse, simplification, and rationalisation.
• Proven ability to translate business strategies, goals, and requirements into architecturally coherent data architecture designs, blueprints, target architectures for data analytics platforms.
• Experience defining enterprise architecture artefacts such as blueprints, technical options, design patterns, standards and guardrails, high-level designs for complex data and analytics solutions.
• Proven experience leading the data architecture of data analytics platforms from design through to implementation providing design assurance and leadership across engineering teams and business stakeholders.
• Expertise in developing data architecture artefacts such as data models, data flows, interface designs and migration and transformation strategies for data analytics and AI solutions.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to build and maintain stakeholder maps and communicate architectural outputs effectively.
• Experience leading a team of architects, focussing on their personal development and training, and supporting them with their own workload fostering capability uplift and consistent standards.
• Experience representing architecture at governance forums and advocating for strategic solutions.

Essential Criteria

We are interested in hearing from candidates who have the following capabilities:

• Experience in IT leadership and management, including the development of highly skilled and engaged teams.
• Critical thinking with the ability to develop long-term strategies and advocate those strategies with stakeholders.
• Understanding of cloud-based services and their role in enterprise solutions.
• Deep domain expertise and demonstrable hands-on design experience with cloud-based services for modern analytics on the Microsoft Cloud (e.g. e.g. Azure Data Lake, Azure Data Factory, Azure Databricks & Unity Catalog, MS Purview, PowerBI, Ms Fabric)
• Deep expertise in data architecture, including data modelling (conceptual and logical), Master and Reference Data Management, data quality, security, cataloguing, integration and governance capabilities across the data lifecycle in enterprise environments
• Experience shaping and driving adoption of enterprise data architecture principles, and governance practices to manage data risks and auditability
• Self-managing and self-motivated, with the ability to anticipate and solve problems.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to present and influencesenior stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of quality standards, legislation, and best practice.
• Ability to think strategically, manage multiple initiatives, prioritise effectively, and work independently.

Desirable Criteria

It would also be beneficial, but not necessary, to have some of the following:

• Experience working with enterprise architecture frameworks (e.g. TOGAF, Zachman) and data modelling tools (e.g. Sparx Enterprise Architect)
• Enterprise Architecture skills such as technical reference model development, building block design, applications and role design, systems integration, and evaluation of architectures.
• Broader expertise of technologies and applications relevant to the Bank's enterprise applications (e.g. Cloud, Azure, Databricks), and enterprise data and analytics ecosystems, including medallion architectures, data lakehouse designs, master data systems, legacy data warehouses, data engineering (ETL, ELT, CDC) for enterprise scale analytics)
• Experience with data product thinking, domain-oriented ownership or federated operating models
• Understanding of data standards and industry models (e.g. ISO20022, FIBO, SDMX)
• Experience in platform selection, vendor evaluation and strategic technology direction
• Experience of working in a public, private Enterprise or FTSE 100 organisation

How this role fits into the wider Bank:

This role is central to the Bank's mission to promote the good of the people of the UK by maintaining monetary and financial stability. As part of the Technology Strategy and Architecture division, you'll help shape the Bank's future technology landscape, ensuring it remains resilient, innovative, and aligned with strategic goals. You'll work with a team passionate about setting the direction for strategic change and collaborate closely with key partners throughout the Bank to define roadmaps and craft our future landscape.

This is a people management role. You will be responsible for day to day management of the team and for defining roles and responsibilities. You will develop your team through sharing information effectively, coaching and communicating a clear vision to ensure that your staff are productive, engaged and motivated to deliver the area's aims. This will include setting clear goals and smart stretching objectives that are aligned to those of the team, division and directorate. You will also be responsible for managing all staff-related matters that may arise including performance, absence and sickness.

Number of direct reports: 3

This is a people management role. You will be responsible for day to day management of the team and for defining roles and responsibilities. You will develop your team through sharing information