Principal Enterprise Solutions Architect (Infrastructure) – 18 month FTC/Secondment

The Principal Enterprise Solutions Architect (IESA) role is an 18 month Fixed Term contract role providing service to both Technology Strategy & Architecture (TSA) and UK Location Strategy Project (FRP) divisional leadership.
The role will report directly into the Head of UK LSP but will be managed and supported by the Head of the TSA division. The role holder will liaise with a broad range of stakeholders across projects and technology functions along with a range of external partners and suppliers.
The Lead IESA for Infrastructure role exists to support UK LSP initiatives that are focused on the evolution of key work sites both in Leeds and Central London. Work will entail developing and assuring conceptual and high-level designs and overseeing detailed design activity from internal and external technology providers and assuring their suitability to initiatives’ aims. This may be expected to include the management of external or internal design personnel. This work can be expected to span networks, communication rooms, security and identity, and due considerations to financial, commercial, and future operational support concerns. The sites will be a blend of owned and leased properties, both listed and modern, and as such experience in design work in such environments – including identifying the processes and activities required in planning and execution – is essential. Where initiatives will evolve with understanding or inevitable changes associated with physical space, security, space utilisation, and employee ways of working, then the role holder will be expected to advise on the impacts of such changes, technology options to support, and the risks and opportunities to the initiatives and a future operating state. They will be expected to liaise with the wider architecture and infrastructure functions in this regard and be a primary technological point of contact into the initiatives. This role will play a pivotal part in modernising the technology and physical estate of the bank and as an ‘enterprise solutions’ role will be expected to balance strategic and operational concerns, current and future state capabilities, and commercial and market realities.
Responsibilities: – Enterprise Solutions Architecture

Develops enterprise-wide technology architecture to support the evolution and modernisation of the organisation’s real estate
Leads the creation and governance of technological designs to meet the requirements of the initiatives in line with wider enterprise concerns. Ensures the buy-in of all key stakeholders
Captures and accommodates commercial considerations along with financial, operational, and physical risks and constraints. Supports the development of business cases for approval and the funding and prioritisation of work
Assures alignment to existing and emerging strategies, policies, standards and practices to ensure compliance between real estate initiatives and business strategy, technology strategy, and enterprise transformation activities

Architectural Design

Assures adoption of and adherence to organisational policies, standards, guidelines, and methods for system design
Assures the importance and value of system design principles and the selection of appropriate systems design models, paradigms, and patterns
Leads system design activities for FRP initiatives. Develops effective implementation and transition paths consistent with specified requirements, architectures, and constraints of performance and feasibility

Governance

Assures and applies the technology governance framework to enable governance activity to be conducted
Within area of accountability, determines the requirements for appropriate governance reflecting the FRP strategy, the technology architecture principles, and wider governance framework.
Ensures appropriate technical design decision authority to broadly consider benefits, opportunities, costs, and risk
Reviews and advises changes to governance practices with appropriate and sufficient independence from management activity to support FRP initiatives

Change Support

Provides portfolio, programme, project, and product support in keeping with the seniority of the role
Adheres to and advises on the requisite standards, procedures, methods, tools and techniques
Contributes to reviews and audits of project and programme management to ensure conformance to standard

Consulting

Takes responsibility for understanding stakeholder requirements, collecting data, delivering analysis and problem resolution
Identifies, evaluates and recommends options
Collaborates with, and facilitates stakeholder groups, as part of formal or informal consultancy agreements. Seeks to fully address stakeholder needs and implementation of solutionsEnhances the capabilities and effectiveness of stakeholders, by ensuring that proposed solutions are fully understood and appropriately exploited

Essential criteria:

A sound knowledge of IT infrastructure and technology solutions and paradigms, and to speak to the appropriateness or otherwise of their use in varying contexts
Experience in workplace infrastructure transformations and evolutions, including properties with a variety of physical and listed status constraints
Ability to shape the delivery of initiatives either through projects or product and platform investments
Ability to communicate and handle challenge on complex issues with Bank senior management, governance boards, and external authorities, anticipating risks and potential opportunities to challenge the status quo
Ability to regularly demonstrate strategic thought leadership, articulating technical options and their business and operational trade-offs to Business leaders. This to meet their needs, ensure acceptance of downside trade-offs, and communicate the art of the possible where appropriate
Ability to build effective networks at senior levels to drive credibility
Ability to mentor, coach, develop, and lead internal and external technical teams
A sound understanding of system quality characteristics and their implications for a business and its operations
Ability to think critically, to develop long term solutions and target and transitional states, and to advocate those directions with business partners
Ability to effectively manage and support a breadth of stakeholders and demonstrate understanding of their expectations
A sound understanding of the relevant legislation and compliance for the domain
A solid experience of standard architectural and delivery frameworks and methodologies

Our Approach to Inclusion

The Bank values diversity, equity and inclusion. We play a key role in maintaining monetary and financial stability, and to do that effectively, we believe we need a workforce that reflects the society we serve.

At the Bank of England, we want all colleagues to feel valued and respected, so we’re working hard to build an inclusive culture which supports people from all backgrounds and communities to be at their best at work. We celebrate all forms of diversity, including (but not limited to) age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. We believe that it’s by drawing on different perspectives and experiences that we’ll continue to make the best decisions for the public.

We welcome applications from individuals who work flexibly, including job shares and part time working patterns. We’ve also partnered with external organisations to support us in making adjustments for candidates and employees in the recruitment process where they’re needed.

For most roles where work can be carried out at home, we aim for colleagues to spend half of their time in the office, with a minimum of 40% per month. Subject to that minimum requirement, individuals and managers should work together to find what works best for them, their team and stakeholders.

Finally, we’re proud to be a member of the Disability Confident Scheme . If you wish to apply under this scheme, you should check the box in the ‘Candidate Personal Information’ under the ‘Disability Confident Scheme’ section of the application.

Salary and Benefits Information

We encourage flexible working, part time working and job share arrangements. Part time salary and benefits will be on a pro-rated basis as appropriate.

Salary in Leeds ranging from £82,840 to £95,580 and London from £92,040 to £106,200

In addition, we also offer a comprehensive benefits package as detailed below:

A non-contributory, career average pension giving you a guaranteed retirement benefit of 1/95th of your annual salary for every year worked. There is the option to increase your pension (to 1/50th) or decrease (to 1/120th) in exchange for salary through our flexible benefits programme each year.
A discretionary performance award based on a current award pool.
A 8% benefits allowance with the option to take as salary or purchase a wide range of flexible benefits.
26 days’ annual leave with option to buy up to 12 additional days through flexible benefits.
Private medical insurance and income protection.

National Security Vetting Process

Employment in this role will be subject to the National Security Vetting clearance process (and typically can take between 6 to 12 weeks post offer) and the passing of additional Bank security checks in accordance with the Bank policy. Further information regarding the vetting and security clearance requirements for the role will be provided to the successful applicant, and information about how the Bank processes personal data for these purposes, is set out in the Bank’s Privacy Notice .

The Bank of England welcomes applications from all candidates, but as a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) approved sponsor, we have a responsibility to comply with the Immigration Rules and guidance. As such, our ability to employ individuals who require sponsorship for immigration purposes is limited. The Bank cannot guarantee that you and / or the role you are applying for will be eligible for sponsorship and that any application made to UKVI will be successful. Eligibility will therefore be considered on a case by case basis.

The Application Process

Important: Please ensure that you complete the ‘work history’ section and answer ALL the application questions fully. All candidate applications are anonymised to ensure that our hiring managers will not be able to see your personal information, including your CV, when reviewing your application details at the screening stage. It’s therefore really important that you fill out the work history and application form questions, as your answers will form a critical part of the initial selection process.

Please apply online, ensuring that you complete your work history and answer ALL the application questions fully and in detail as your application will not be considered if all mandatory questions are not fully completed.