Enterprise/Infrastructure Architect

ZipRecruiter; Northampton; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in financial services seeks an experienced Enterprise Architect to shape technology strategy across Consumer Banking & Payments. This hybrid contract role focuses on Cards and Payment Gateways and requires expertise in cloud platforms, microservices, and enterprise solutions. Ideal candidates will possess deep technical knowledge and a strong grasp of market trends in the Cards & Payments sector.

Qualifications

• Expertise in the Cards & Payments industry is crucial.
• Experience in enterprise solutions within financial services is required.
• Proficient in defining enterprise-wide technical strategies.

Responsibilities

• Define and own technology strategy and architectures for Cards and Payment Gateways.
• Lead architecture governance from conceptual designs to technical validation.
• Evaluate industry trends and present findings to stakeholders.

Skills

Enterprise Architecture

Cloud platforms

Microservices

Data transformation

Infrastructure and Security

High-availability system architectures

Job description

Job DescriptionEnterprise Architect

Location: Northampton (Hybrid 2 days onsite)
Contract Duration: Until 31st December 2025
Day Rate:Up to £410 per day Inside IR35
Security Clearance: Candidate must be eligible for BPSS

Role Overview: We are seeking an experienced Enterprise Architect to lead the development and ownership of technology strategy and architecture across key domains within Consumer Banking & Payments – with particular focus on Cards and Payment Gateways. This is a contract opportunity running until the end of December 2025, requiring a strategic thinker with deep technical knowledge and a passion for innovation in the financial services sector.

Key Responsibilities:

• Define and own the technology strategy, roadmaps, and target architectures for domains such as Cards and Payment Gateways.
• Collaborate with CIOs, Business Architects, and stakeholders to align business outcomes with technology direction.
• Evaluate industry trends and emerging technologies, presenting findings to senior stakeholders and building proof of concepts as needed.
• Lead the architecture governance process – from conceptual designs to technical solution validation.
• Drive compliance with enterprise policies, ensuring secure, scalable, and resilient system designs.
• Partner with engineering and operations teams to ensure architectural alignment with strategic objectives.
• Maintain oversight of technical debt and continuously refine architectural standards and patterns.

Required Skills and Experience:

• Expertise in the Cards & Payments industry, with knowledge of market trends, innovations, and challenges.
• Proven experience designing and delivering end-to-end enterprise solutions in a financial services environment.
• Real-world experience in defining and implementing enterprise-wide technical strategies.
• Deep technical knowledge, including:
  
  • Cloud platforms (AWS and/or Azure)
  • Microservices, messaging, APIs
  • Data transformation/ETL
  • Monitoring tools
  • Infrastructure and Security
• Understanding of:
  
  • Secure systems and software design
  • High-availability/resilient system architectures
  • Multi-data-centre deployments
• Strong communicator with the ability to translate complex technology into clear business .
• Hands-on ability to support solution architects and development teams with critical issue resolution.