Chief Enterprise Architect

Chief Enterprise Architect - £120,000 - £140,000 + Bonus + Benefits Location: London
Role Type: Full-time, Senior Leadership
Department: Technology & Strategy
Reports to: CIO

About the RoleOur client is seeking an exceptional Chief Enterprise Architect to lead their enterprise-wide architecture function and shape the future of their digital and technology landscape. This is a unique opportunity to define technology strategy, drive innovation, and ensure architectural excellence across a complex, fast‑moving organisation.In this role, you will oversee enterprise architecture frameworks, influence senior stakeholders, and translate business strategy into actionable technology roadmaps. You will be the strategic authority for architecture governance, design integrity, and long‑term technology planning.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

Define and own the enterprise technology strategy.
Translate business objectives into multi‑year IT roadmaps and actionable outcomes.
Balance innovation with risk, governance, security, and commercial constraints.Architecture Governance & Frameworks

Establish and lead architecture governance, standards, and forums.
Drive adoption of architecture principles across engineering, operations, and delivery teams.
Ensure architectural alignment from strategy through to execution.Portfolio & Value Management

Assess and rationalise the technology and product portfolio.
Prioritise investments based on value, risk, cost, and strategic fit.
Drive cost avoidance, simplification, and value creation across the IT estate.Innovation & Emerging Technology

Lead proof‑of‑concepts, experimentation, and emerging tech adoption.
Identify and champion new technologies that enable competitive advantage.
Ensure successful transition from experimentation to business‑as‑usual operations.Leadership & Influence

Build, mature, and lead the enterprise architecture capability (roles, skills, career pathways).
Influence senior executives and stakeholders to align on architectural direction.
Navigate organisational complexity to unblock decision‑making and delivery progress.Vendor & Partner Management

Lead strategic vendor selection, negotiation, and relationship management.
Define and track performance through KPIs, SLAs, and value delivery metrics.
Manage commercial risks and ensure optimal partner performance.Technical Breadth

Oversee architectural styles such as microservices, API‑first, SOA, and event‑driven architecture.
Evaluate cloud models (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS) in multi‑cloud environments.
Integrate architectural decisions into enterprise delivery methodologies (SDLC, ITIL, DevOps).
About You
You will be a strategic, influential technology leader who has:

Led large, complex enterprise architecture functions.
Demonstrated experience turning technology strategy into execution at scale.
Deep understanding of architecture disciplines: business, information, solution, data, platform, and technical architecture.
Strong communication and executive presence.
Proven success managing vendors, major technology platforms, and enterprise portfolios.
The ability to simplify complex challenges, guide decision‑making, and inspire teams.
What You'll Bring

A visionary mindset capable of shaping long-term technology direction.
Strong analytical thinking and an outcomes‑focused approach.
Ability to operate confidently at executive level.
Passion for innovation, modern engineering practices, and future‑ready architecture.
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