Enterprise Architect

Bird & Bird; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

private medical cover

life assurance

critical illness cover

regular health assessments

cycle to work scheme

online GP appointments

discounted gym memberships

electric vehicle scheme

Hybrid working policy – London office

Job summary

Bird & Bird is seeking an Enterprise Architect to bridge business needs and technology across the IT landscape in London. You will shape architectures for core platforms, including practice management, document management, cloud services, security, and AI-enabled initiatives.

You will collaborate with Infrastructure, Information Security, Legal Tech, Data Architecture, and PMO to design scalable, secure solutions that integrate with iManage, Intapp, Azure, and AWS while delivering a seamless

Qualifications

• Enterprise architecture patterns and SDLC knowledge.
• Cloud platforms and migration experience (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud).
• Experience with legal tech platforms (iManage, Intapp).
• Security and access platforms (Netskope, zero trust).
• AI paradigms and services integration into enterprise systems.
• Strong analytical skills and stakeholder communication.
• Understanding regulatory standards in the legal industry.

Responsibilities

• Craft the technical vision, architecture, and specifications for new systems and enhancements across the core technology stack.
• Design end-to-end integrations to ensure interoperability and a consistent user experience.
• Shape cloud migration initiatives with scalable, secure designs aligned to cloud strategy.
• Collaborate across IT with multiple teams to productionize solutions.
• Evaluate business challenges and map technology to ROI.
• Design AI-enabled solutions with value, including RAG and data pipelines.
• Ensure data privacy, security, and regulatory compliance.
• Provide technical leadership through proofs-of-concept and production rollouts.
• Translate complex requirements to actionable technical solutions for stakeholders.

Skills

Enterprise architecture patterns

SDLC

Microservices

APIs

Enterprise-scale solutions

Cloud platforms

AI paradigms

Analytical ability

Communication

Regulatory & data management

Tools

Power Apps

Power Automate

Tines

iManage

Intapp Open

Intapp Time

Aderant

Azure

AWS

Google Cloud

Netskope

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for an Enterprise Architect to join our IT team. In this newly created role, the Enterprise Architect will bridge the gap between business requirements and technology by expanding the firm's overarching technical architecture.

The Enterprise Architect designs and oversees the implementation of scalable, secure, and well-governed solutions and platforms across our core technology stack, spanning practice management, document management, cloud platforms, security, and emerging technology including AI.

Embedded within our Business Solutions Team, the role works across the whole of IT, collaborating closely with Infrastructure, Information Security, Business Solutions, Legal Tech, Data Architecture and Insights, Finance Systems and our Project Management Office to ensure solutions and platforms are designed from the ground up with our full estate in mind.

They will analyse requirements, evaluate infrastructure, platforms and solutions, and propose and create scalable, secure designs that integrate the firm's existing systems and meet the firm's goals. This includes major platforms such as iManage, Intapp Open, Intapp Time, Aderant, Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, endpoint devices and Netskope, alongside the responsible adoption of AI where it safely and securely delivers genuine value.

This role is for a forward-thinking technologist who is passionate about both established and emerging technology, understands how enterprise systems interoperate, embraces AI where appropriate, and has a drive to deliver a seamless user experience.

Bird & Bird's Technology Team mission is to support the strong technology focus of the Firm, provide modern technology to support the business and creative solutions for our Clients.

In London, the team comprises 50 technology staff covering a broad range of technologies and specialisms including business architecture, business solutions, project and programme management, modern infrastructure and they are all primarily focused on international projects working alongside colleagues in our 34 offices.Whether it's analysing new solutions, driving innovation, developing client solutions or providing a first class, high availability infrastructure and support we are a diverse, energised group focused on service and contributing to both the internal and external use of technologies. We work extensively across the network and seek candidates who are keen to engage internationally and make wider contributions both internally and externally than just IT service and delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Solution & Platform Design: Craft the technical vision, architecture, and specifications for new systems and enhancements across the firm's core technology stack, from document and practice management through to cloud, security, and emerging technology (AI).
• Systems Integration: Design end-to-end solutions that integrate the firm's existing enterprise systems ensuring interoperability, resilience, and a consistent user experience. You'll need to be able to work with established tools such as Power Apps, Power Automate or Tines to prototye, test and build core integrations.
• Cloud & Migration Architecture: Shape and support major platform initiatives, such as the migration of key solutions to the cloud, ensuring designs are scalable, secure, and aligned with the firm's cloud strategy across major platforms.
• Cross-Team Collaboration: Work across the whole of IT, partnering with Infrastructure, Information Security, Business Solutions, Legal Tech, Data Architecture and Insights, Finance Systems and our Project Management Office to take solutions and platforms from concept through to production.
• Business Translation: Evaluate business challenges and map out where technology, whether traditional software, integration, or AI, can yield the highest return on investment.
• Emerging Technology (AI): Design responsible AI-enabled solutions where they add value, including retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), data pipelines, and agentic workflows, ensuring they mesh smoothly with existing enterprise systems.
• Governance & Security: Ensure all designs comply with data privacy, security, responsible AI principles, and the regulatory standards specific to the legal industry.
• Technical Leadership: Guide our passionate team and analysts through proofs-of-concept, implementation, and production roll-outs.
• Stakeholder Alignment: Translate complex business requirements into actionable technical solutions and communicate them effectively to non-technical stakeholders.

What You'll Bring

• Deep understanding of enterprise architecture patterns, software development lifecycles (SDLC), and the design of microservices, APIs, and large scale enterprise-grade solutions.
• Deep understanding of cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud), including hybrid and migration architectures.
• Experience designing and integrating solutions across enterprise line-of-business systems; familiarity with legal sector platforms such as iManage and Intapp, or comparable document, practice, and time management systems, is a strong advantage.
• Understanding of enterprise security and access platforms (e.g. Netskope, zero trust architectures) and how they shape solution design.
• Solid understanding of modern AI paradigms (Generative AI, agentic workflows, ML pipelines, MCP) and leading AI services (ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini), with a focus on how AI interoperates with existing firm systems.
• Strong analytical capabilities to evaluate technologies and determine the most cost-effective, scalable options.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication to negotiate, pitch ideas, and bridge the gap between engineers and executives.
• Knowledge of data management, risk management, and the regulatory standards specific to the legal industry.

What's In It For You

• private medical cover
• life assurance
• critical illness cover
• regular health assessments
• cycle to work scheme
• access to online GP appointments
• discounted gym memberships
• electric vehicle scheme
• Our hybrid working policy requires colleagues to bein our London office for three days per week.

If you require any assistance, please email us at [e-mail]

Bird & Bird opens up a world of possible for lawyers and professionals everywhere. Working for a leading international law firm like Bird & Bird means working alongside people who are truly collegiate in the way they work with everyone. We work as one global team, with over 70% of work involving people from across the firm. And that's only increasing! It's this common purpose and shared approach that makes for a more productive and collaborative place to work. Your firm. Your future.

If you want to find out more, visit www.twobirds.com

As a disability and neurodiversity inclusive employer we want to ensure that you have a barrier-free recruitment experience at Bird & Bird. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please provide details to your recruitment contact who will be in touch to discuss any details provided and understand more about your individual adjustment needs.