Location: Guernsey, Haywards Heath, Home Office (Remote) or Manchester
Salary: £73,652 - £92,065 - depending on experience
Department: Technology and Data
We’re 1st Central, a market-leading insurance company utilising smart data and technology at pace. Rapid growth has been based on giving our 1.4 million customers exactly what they want: great value insurance with excellent service. And that’s the same for our colleagues too; we won Insurance Employer of the Year at the British Insurance Awards 2024, and our Glassdoor score is impressive!
We are seeking a Platform Architect responsible for the overall architectural and technical direction of the Focus Platform. This role involves defining and managing the platform's vision, strategy, and roadmap, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives and Enterprise Architecture standards. You’ll collaborate across enterprise change teams to deliver a platform that maximises organisational value and efficiency, while governing the platform's health and compliance.
We value flexible working arrangements, so you can choose to work remotely or from one of our offices in Salford Quays, Manchester, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, or Guernsey, with occasional office visits.
Core skills required:
* Significant experience in at least two technology solution development disciplines, such as technical or infrastructure architecture, network management, application development, middleware, database management, or cloud development
* Excellent interpersonal skills, including teamwork, facilitation, and negotiation
* Preferred: Formal architectural certification
* Preferred: Formal cloud certification
* Good understanding of SOLID principles and design patterns
* Strong analytical and technical skills
* Knowledge of cloud security best practices and compliance
* Risk identification and management skills
* Problem-solving ability with a logical approach
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Responsibilities include:
* Leading the architectural definition of the Focus Platform to meet business and technical goals
* Providing technical direction to unify engineering teams, ensuring scalability, performance, and resilience
* Monitoring and improving the platform architecture, identifying deficiencies and opportunities
* Documenting and strategising the evolution of the platform architecture
* Supporting standards, practices, and policies for the platform
* Collaborating with architects, engineers, analysts, and product owners to ensure system resilience, performance, and scalability
* Making key architecture decisions and presenting recommendations to the Architecture Review Board
* Contributing to enterprise reference architecture and solution patterns
* Identifying and deploying new technologies and innovations
* Engaging with senior stakeholders and the executive team for strategic alignment
* Ensuring compliance with company policies, standards, and regulations
* Managing department risk registers and controls
Experience & knowledge:
* Leadership experience with architects and senior engineers
* Cloud platform architecture experience, especially Azure
* Expertise in C# .Net full-stack application architecture
* Experience designing applications on cloud platforms with containerisation and serverless tech
* Proven track record delivering enterprise platforms with innovative solutions
* Experience in creating and maintaining architecture documentation and roadmaps
* Experience working within Agile frameworks
* Strong leadership and motivational skills
* Ability to communicate complex concepts clearly
* Insurance or financial services background preferred, but not essential
* Knowledge of FCA requirements, including Consumer Duty
Skills & qualifications:
* Extensive experience in at least two solution development disciplines
* Excellent interpersonal skills
* Preferred: Architectural and cloud certifications
* Understanding of SOLID principles and design patterns
* Strong analytical skills
* Knowledge of cloud security and compliance
* Risk management skills
* Logical problem-solving skills
* Excellent communication skills
Behaviours:
* Advocates and supports business and technology strategies, leading EA development and communication
* Results-driven and pragmatic in delivering value
* Self-motivated, organised, and proactive
* Able to work independently and collaboratively
* Flexible, positive, and attentive to detail
* Decisive and proactive in driving business improvements
If you’re ready for the challenge and want to join our vibrant team, we want to hear from you!
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