Lead Solution Architect

Lead Solution Architect - Data & AI Specialist, Technology Directorate

Location - Leeds

Permanent

Full time

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
• 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 and solution architecture, 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 to solution design with a strong focus on designing 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 coherent architecture designs, solution blueprints, target architectures and technology roadmaps for data analytics.
• Experience shaping enterprise architecture artefacts such as blueprints, technical options, design patterns, high‑level designs, for complex data platforms and analytics use cases.
• 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.
• 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 experience with cloud-based services for data analytics and AI on the Microsoft Cloud (e.g. Azure ML, AI Foundry, Azure Databricks)
• Experience shaping proof of concepts and evolve designs to productionised solutions with appropriate AI governance incorporating MLOps and LLMOps to manage risk and auditability.
• Understanding of best practice across the data lifecycle, including data governance, quality, security, and responsible use of data and AI.
• Self-managing and self-motivated, with the ability to anticipate and solve problems.
• Excellent communication skills, including presenting to senior stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of quality standards, legislation, and best practice.
• Ability to 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 architectural methodologies and frameworks (e.g. TOGAF, Zachman) and experience in architecture modelling tools
• 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, data life cycle management, medallion architectures, data lakehouse designs, master data systems, legacy data warehouses, data engineering (ETL, ELT, CDC) for enterprise scale analytics)
• 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.

Our Approach to Inclusion

The Bank values diversity, equity and inclusion. We play a key role in maintaining monetary and financial stability, and to do that effectively, we believe we need a workforce that reflects the society we serve.

At the Bank of England, we want all colleagues to feel valued and respected, so we're working hard to build an inclusive culture which supports people from all backgrounds and communities to be at their best at work. We celebrate all forms of diversity, including (but not limited to) age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. We believe that it's by drawing on different perspectives and experiences that we'll continue to make the best decisions for the public.

We welcome applications from individuals who work flexibly, including job shares and part time working patterns. We've also partnered with external organisations to support us in making adjustments for candidates and employees in the recruitment process where they're needed.

For most roles where work can be carried out at home, we aim for colleagues to spend half of their time in the office, with a minimum of 40% per month. Subject to that minimum requirement, individuals and managers should work together to find what works best for them, their team and stakeholders.

Finally, we're proud to be a member of the Disability Confident Scheme . If you wish to apply under this scheme, you should check the box in the 'Candidate Personal Information' under the 'Disability Confident Scheme' section of the application.

Salary and Benefits Information

We encourage flexible working, part time working and job share arrangements. Part time salary and benefits will be on a pro-rated basis as appropriate.

This role offers a Leeds salary of £72,320 - £81,360. In addition, we also offer a comprehensive benefits package as detailed below:

• Currently a non-contributory, career average pension giving you a guaranteed retirement benefit of 1/80th of your annual salary for every year worked. There is the option to increase your pension (to 1/65th) or decrease (to 1/105th) in exchange for salary through our flexible benefits programme each year. The Bank has the discretion to vary standard accrual rates and dial up and dial down rates at any time and to withdraw dial up and dial down options at any time.
• A discretionary performance award based on a current award pool.
• An 8% benefits allowance with the option to take as salary or purchase a wide range of flexible benefits.
• 26 days' annual leave with option to buy up to 12 additional days through flexible benefits.
• Private medical insurance and income protection.

National Security Vetting Process

Employment in this role will be subject to the National Security Vetting clearance process (and typically can take between 6 to 12 weeks post offer) and the passing of additional Bank security checks in accordance with the Bank policy. Further information regarding the vetting and security clearance requirements for the role will be provided to the successful applicant, and information about how the Bank processes personal data for these purposes, is set out in the Bank's Privacy Notice .

The Bank of England welcomes applications from all candidates, but as a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) approved sponsor, we have a responsibility to comply with the Immigration Rules and guidance. As such, our ability to employ individuals who require sponsorship for immigration purposes is limited. The Bank cannot guarantee that you and / or the role you are applying for will be eligible for sponsorship and that any application made to UKVI will be successful. Eligibility will therefore be considered on a case by case basis.

The Application Process

Important: Please ensure that you complete the 'work history' section and answer ALL the application questions fully. All candidate applications are anonymised to ensure that our hiring managers will not be able to see your personal information, including your CV, when reviewing your application details at the screening stage. It's therefore really important that you fill out the work history and application form questions, as your answers will form a critical part of the initial selection process.

The assessment process will comprise of two interview stages.

This role closes on 26th April.

Please apply online, ensuring that you complete your work history and answer ALL the application questions fully and in detail as your application will not be considered if all mandatory questions are not fully completed.