Job Title: Solution Architect
Business Value Stream / Platform: Long Standing Customers
Contract Type: Permanent
Working style: Hybrid 50% home/office based
Closing date: 23rd June 2025
Context
At Royal London Group, our Solutions Architects play a pivotal role in evolving our technology landscape. Your primary objective is to enable our organization to safely exploit the potential of technology capabilities to serve our society better. Your contribution directly impacts the value to our customers and members, and business growth across Domains / Business Value Streams such as Protection / Assurance, Equity Release, Long-term Savings / Pensions, Long Standing Customers, and Annuities.
Our Solutions Architects work with Senior Solutions Architects, Business Analysts, and operational colleagues to develop technology products and solutions for our core propositions. You will have the opportunity to bring your experience in modern architectural practices to innovate, refresh our estate, and experiment across a complex range of organizational capabilities within a bounded context. Projects involve cloud computing, AI, consolidation, migration, integrations, and simplification, often requiring changes to business processes, operating models, applications, data flows, infrastructure, and third-party services.
We seek candidates with a solid grasp of business goals, objectives, and outcomes, as well as business capabilities, value streams, and processes, essential for solution architecture.
We are committed to your growth, offering continuous learning, mentorship, and a clear path for professional development. Join a supportive and inclusive team that values collaboration, trust, empowerment, and collective achievement.
About the role
* Reports to the Principal Architect (Lead Domain Architect) and aligns with the Business Value Stream to deliver innovative solutions that meet strategic business outcomes.
* Leads large-scale migrations of Policy Administration Systems and challenges the status quo with modern architecture solutions.
* Works in a fast-paced, regulated industry environment, preferably within Insurance, Life Assurance, Pensions, or Annuities.
* Develops own and team capabilities, coaching and mentoring other architects.
* Explores emerging technology trends and applies them to traditional problems.
* Utilizes architecture modeling languages such as ArchiMate, C4, and EA tools like Ardoq, BizzDesign, LeanIX, Orbus Infinity, and frameworks like TOGAF, Zachman.
* Collaborates with business analysts to understand and implement business requirements.
* Manages architecture design through governance processes, including presenting solutions to design forums and stakeholders.
* Ensures designs consider all architecture aspects and supports engineering teams with implementation.
* Maintains enterprise architecture tooling with updates on new technologies and designs.
Responsibilities across three key dimensions:
* Interpret Business Needs: Translates requirements into execution-ready architectural designs, working with analysts and engineers to ensure traceability and alignment with business capabilities.
* Assess Technology: Monitors current solutions, supports product lifecycle decisions, and identifies opportunities for modernization and technical debt reduction.
* Apply Technology: Designs and evaluates technology solutions aligned with enterprise strategy, ensuring integration and capability development.
Five Core Competencies:
* Interpersonal Excellence: Communicates concepts effectively to engage stakeholders and peers.
* Business and Technology Strategy: Aligns technology initiatives with strategic goals, building resilience and flexibility.
* Critical Thinking: Challenges legacy assumptions, solves problems, and navigates complex situations.
* Digital Enablement: Uses design-thinking to address end-user needs and manage interdependencies.
* Architecture Foundations: Designs transition states and roadmaps with a focus on non-functional requirements.
Skills
Core competencies include technical breadth in design leadership, analysis, and support for technology solutions, with hands-on experience in modeling languages, migration technologies, policy platforms, and modernization practices. Knowledge of SDLC methodologies like Agile, DevOps, and principles such as Domain Driven Design is essential. Engineering experience in cloud, Java/.NET, database technologies, and observability platforms is preferred.
About Royal London
We’re the UK’s largest mutual life, pensions, and investment company, offering protection, savings, and asset management products. Our values include empowerment, trust, collaboration, and achievement. We offer benefits like 28 days annual leave, pension schemes, and private medical insurance.
Inclusion, diversity, and belonging
We celebrate diverse backgrounds and perspectives, recognizing that our differences strengthen our organization.
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