Solution Architect

Howden is a collective – a group of talented and passionate people all around the world. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 18,000 employees spanning over 100 countries.

People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down headhunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work / life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.

The Howden Group Holdings (HGH), Group IT Enterprise Architecture (EA) function is responsible for aligning the Group’s technology strategy with the overall business strategy via its three service pillars:

reviewing and governing the solution architecture for all change deliveries, ensuring integrity of the solution architecture and key design decisions in line with technical suitability, Group standards, policies and principles, defining solutions (where required) and providing architecture guidance and architecture management services for change planning & delivery with the objective of ensuring alignment to Group’s strategic objectives, compliance to Group policies and conformance to Group standards reviewing, introducing and maintaining principles and standards for design governance in line with evolving business needs and Group policies

Howden Group are embarking on a number of strategic systems and technology transformation initiatives for its business units and regions across the globe. The Solution Architect role reporting to the Enterprise Solution Architect will play a leadership role on Howden Group IT projects reviewing requirements, solution specifications, reviewing solution options, defining and documenting high-level and detailed solution architecture for projects by engaging all relevant business and IT stakeholders, ensuring consistent implementation of strategic solutions across the business and representing the project in Architecture review and governance forums.

The Solution Architect will provide architecture and technical leadership and own day-to-day management of architecture activities and architecture deliverables (Business Architecture, Systems and Technical architecture domains) on projects ensuring delivery of high-quality architecture deliverables aligned to strategic target architecture and relevant roadmaps.

Key Responsibilities / Accountabilities

The Solution Architect will be accountable for the definition and delivery of high-level solution architecture and details design artefacts and manage change governance of the overall architecture for key delivery initiatives. Key responsibilities include:  

• Day-to-day management of all architecture activities including coordination between analysis, design and build activities across delivery teams (e.g. delivery work-streams, suppliers, partners etc.)

• Development of high-level and detailed solution architecture documentation to enable consistent communication and common understanding of the overall architecture for senior leadership and delivery teams

• Ensuring development of solution options where required, consistent review of solution options for strategic alignment and rigorous management of key design decisions, working with wider business and IT stakeholders and leveraging existing governance forums

• Provide timely reporting and escalation of architecture activities, architecture risks, issues, assumptions and dependencies for key projects/programmes

• Ensuring timely delivery of high-quality architecture activities and deliverables for the programme

• Liaising with architecture and wider programme and BAU resources for delivery and governance of architecture deliverables

• Acting as the technical and architecture authority on the programme/projects (and wider strategic solutions as required)

• Managing architecture change on the programme/projects and governance of the e2e solution architecture

• Maintaining architecture documentation and architecture plans for the programme

• Providing architecture and technical oversight during delivery ensuring delivery alignment to approved architecture

• Creating and maintaining target, transition-state architecture and associated architecture roadmaps for the programme

As a senior member of the delivery team and the Group Enterprise Architecture function, the Solution Architect may be required to perform wider duties and tasks within the capabilities and responsibilities of the role.

Skills and abilities needed to perform role

• Business and systems analysis and design skills

• Enterprise and Solution Architecture skills using industry standard architecture frameworks and methodologies e.g. TOGAF, British Computer Society (BCS) Enterprise and Solution Architecture approach

• Strong technical skills in defining systems and technology solution architecture using Microsoft Azure, Microsoft .NET and Microsoft enterprise platforms and technologies such as Microsoft Entra ID and M365 Services (SharePoint, Teams, Exchange Online).

• Strong technical skills in defining and systems and technology solution architecture using Salesforce technologies (e.g. Salesforce Lightning PaaS for application development) and ServiceNow

• Strong technical skills in Enterprise-grade integration architecture including modern RESTful API approaches and traditional file transfer, messaging, web services and ESB approaches

• Good technical skills and awareness of enterprise-grade solution architecture definition integrating channel solutions with core business systems, CRM (preferably some Salesforce CRM technical awareness), HR and Finance systems (preferably some awareness or experience of Workday HCM and Workday Finance implementations), modern Data platform and Business Intelligence (BI) skills

• Good technical, infrastructure and security architecture skills including good understanding and awareness of IT service management (e.g. ITIL) and IT governance (e.g. CoBIT) frameworks

• Good technical skills and awareness of web / digital technologies and the business advantages of varying technology and operational approaches to managing web based sales and communications channels

• Strong documentation, communication (written and verbal) and presentation skills, especially the ability to tailor messages to senior stakeholder and technical delivery teams

Knowledge and Experience

• Experience working in an insurance (preferably insurance broking) environment and good knowledge , understanding of insurance systems (preferably insurance broking platforms)

• Experience initiating and providing architecture leadership for large scale business-critical transformation projects

• Knowledge or good awareness of the London Insurance Market concepts and ways of transacting speciality business

• Good knowledge and awareness of enterprise-grade CRM (Salesforce preferably), HR and Finance (Workday preferably) systems, amongst others.

• Knowledge of working in a regulated environment e.g. FCA, PRA and wider regulatory, compliance environment for global insurance businesses (e.g. GDPR)

• Knowledge of Business Intelligence and Data platform technologies (e.g. Microsoft Fabric, Databricks etc.).

• Good knowledge of technology governance standards

• Good knowledge of technology best practice including SDLC

• Working knowledge of Enterprise and Solution Architecture frameworks and methodologies (e.g. TOGAF)

Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science or a related Science & Technology of Engineering discipline

•  British Computer Society (BCS) certification in Enterprise & Solution Architecture, TOGAF or Archimate certification

A career that you define. At Howden, we value diversity – there is no one Howden type. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us:

• Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new

• We support each other in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges

• We are determined to make a positive difference at work and beyond

We're committed to providing reasonable accommodations at Howden to ensure that our positions align well with your needs.  Besides the usual adjustments such as software, IT, and office setups, we can also accommodate other changes such as flexible hours* or hybrid working*.

If you're excited by this role but have some doubts about whether it’s the right fit for you, send us your application – if your profile fits the role’s criteria, we will be in touch to assist in helping to get you set up with any reasonable adjustments you may require.

*Not all positions can accommodate changes to working hours or locations. Reach out to your Recruitment Partner if you want to know more.