Solution / Enterprise Architect (Contract – Outside IR35)
Insurance - Underwriting
Location: London (Hybrid)
Rate: £725–£850 per day
Contract: Outside IR35
We are seeking an experienced Solution / Enterprise Architect to support a major underwriting transformation programme within the London Markets Insurance sector.
This contract role operates at a business‐adjacent, enterprise level rather than as a hands‐on technical architect, working closely with senior business and technology leaders to translate underwriting strategy into executable architectural direction.
Role Overview
You will take ownership of an existing, prioritised underwriting business capability map and translate this into clear application, service and solution-level views across the current technology landscape. The focus is on leveraging existing platforms in the near to medium term, shaping pragmatic delivery plans and architectural decisions.
Key Responsibilities
Business Capability & Architecture Mapping
Take ownership of an existing prioritised underwriting business capability map and translate it into:
* Application mappings
* Service-level mappings
* High-level solution designs
* Map business capabilities to existing applications and platforms, rather than introducing a new workbench in the short to medium term.
Current-State & Gap Analysis
* Develop a clear understanding of the as-is architecture and operating model across underwriting systems and platforms
* Identify functional and architectural gaps against prioritized business capabilities
* Assess whether gaps should be addressed through:
* Enhancements to existing applications
* Introduction of new services or components
* Selective purchase of third-party capability solutions
Option Evaluation & Design Decision Support
* Perform options analysis and appraisal for different capability realization approaches
* Support design decision-making by outlining trade-offs, dependencies, and delivery implications
* Provide structured architectural input to inform a realistic and executable delivery plan over the coming months
Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration
* Operate very closely with senior leadership (including the program lead) as a trusted architecture partner
* Engage with multiple internal teams responsible for delivering different capabilities, including:
* Core application teams
* Strategic analytics
* Actuarial teams
* Facilitate conversations across business and technology stakeholders to align on capability ownership and implementation approach
Required Experience & Skills
Core Experience
* Proven experience operating as a Solution Architect or Enterprise Architect in complex transformation programs
* Strong background in business capability modeling and mapping
* Experience working in insurance underwriting environments
* Ability to operate at a business-facing level, close to senior stakeholders
Domain & Industry Experience (Highly Desirable)
* London Market insurance experience (strongly preferred)
* Prior involvement in underwriting workbench implementations
* Understanding of underwriting capabilities, workflows, and decisioning processes
Personal Attributes
* Comfortable working through ambiguity in early-stage design and analysis
* Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
* Able to synthesise complex information into clear architectural insights for leadership
* Analytical mindset with a focus on pragmatic, delivery-oriented outcomes
Engagement Context
* The role supports a broader underwriting transformation program where:
* Strategy has already been defined and handed over
* Focus is now on delivering prioritized capabilities using existing technology platforms
* Longer-term options (e.g., policy admin replacement or strategic workbench) will be considered later