Chief Data Architect

Chief Data Architect

£160,000 - £180,000

London (Hybrid - 1 Day per Week in Office)

The Company

This is a high-growth, private equity-backed financial services business operating within the consumer credit and instalment payments market. As part of a wider investment programme across technology, data, and product, the organisation is modernising its technology landscape and embracing next-generation engineering practices.

Significant work has already been completed to establish strong governance, architectural principles, and technology foundations. The business is now looking for a Chief Architect to lead the next phase of transformation.

The Role

As Chief Architect, you will define and drive the enterprise architecture strategy, helping the organisation evolve towards a modern, AI-enabled technology landscape.

Working alongside the other members of C-Suite, you will form a key part of the senior technology leadership team, shaping the future direction of engineering, cloud, applications, and platform architecture.

Key responsibilities include:

• Defining and delivering the organisation's enterprise architecture strategy.
• Driving the adoption of modern technologies, AI-enabled development, and emerging agentic engineering capabilities.
• Developing target-state architectures and technology roadmaps across cloud, applications, data, and platforms.
• Ensuring architecture enables business growth, product innovation, and operational efficiency.
• Leading architecture governance, standards, and design authority processes.
• Partnering closely with product, engineering, and data teams to deliver scalable technology solutions.
• Acting as the senior architectural authority across major transformation initiatives.
• Balancing strategic vision with hands-on technical leadership and architectural guidance.

Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in a senior architecture leadership role, such as Chief Architect, Head of Architecture, or Enterprise Architect.
• Broad architecture expertise across cloud, applications, software engineering, platforms, and technology operations.
• Strong Azure and cloud architecture experience.
• Experience establishing and evolving architectural principles, governance frameworks, and target operating models.
• Good understanding of AI, modern engineering practices, and emerging agentic technologies.
• Ability to translate architectural strategy into practical delivery outcomes.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience partnering with executive, product, engineering, and data leaders.
• Hands-on technical credibility and a willingness to remain close to architectural detail.
• Experience within financial services, fintech, or other regulated environments would be advantageous.