Lead Software Architect
Key Details
Salary: £68,600 to £91,700
Location: Cambridge, UK – Hybrid
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time, 35 Hours Per Week
Overview
We are looking to appoint an experienced and motivated Lead Software Architect to join our Academic Technology group at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a global academic publisher.
As Lead Software Architect, you will be accountable for owning the software architecture and engineering delivery across a product or platform vertical within our Academic Technology group. Working at the intersection of solution architecture, product and engineering, you will translate solution designs and product priorities into well‑architected, shippable software, ensuring that technical direction is sound and delivery is sustained from planning through to production and live operation.
Key Responsibilities
* Owning the software architecture for an assigned product or platform area, ensuring solutions support both current delivery and future scalability.
* Driving engineering delivery from planning through to production, translating solution designs into implementable engineering plans with clear scope, dependencies and sequencing.
* Providing technical leadership and direction to distributed engineering teams, including far shore, near shore and contract resources.
* Removing technical blockers, making pragmatic trade‑off decisions and keeping delivery on track.
* Defining and upholding technical standards, patterns and engineering conventions.
* Leading the adoption of AI‑assisted software development practices and tooling across engineering teams.
* Owning operational readiness, including infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, monitoring and developer experience.
* Evaluating technology and tooling choices, including build‑vs‑buy decisions, with clear and defensible rationale.
Qualifications
As a senior software architecture or engineering leader, you will have a proven record of owning complex platforms or digital products end‑to‑end. You will be confident operating across technical and non‑technical audiences, bringing sound judgement, strong communication skills and a pragmatic approach to decision‑making. You will have experience translating product and solution designs into engineering delivery, leading distributed teams, and balancing technical quality with delivery pace in complex environments. Experience in content platforms, education technology, modern web technology stacks or the introduction of new engineering tools and practices will strengthen your application.
Benefits
* 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
* Private medical, Dental and Permanent Health Insurance
* Discretionary annual bonus
* Group personal pension scheme
* Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary
* Green travel schemes
We are a Disability Confident (DC) employer committed to equality and inclusion ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. The DC scheme's offer of an interview commitment applies to applicants who opt in, and disclose a disability or a long‑term health condition, and best meet the minimum criteria for the role.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is an approved UK employer for the sponsorship of eligible roles and applicants under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please see the gov.uk website for guidance on your eligibility.
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