Focus Platform Architect

First Central Services UK Ltd; Haywards Heath; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent insurance company seeks a Platform Architect in Haywards Heath to guide the architectural direction of the Focus Platform. Candidates must have extensive experience in technology and be skilled in cloud and application development. The role offers flexible work arrangements and aims to optimize platform efficiency and compliance.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in technology solution development disciplines like cloud development and architecture.
• Formal certifications in architecture and cloud preferred.
• Experience with Azure, C# .Net, and enterprise-class platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead architectural definition and ensure alignment with business objectives.
• Provide technical direction and unify engineering teams.
• Monitor and identify opportunities for platform improvements.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Leadership

Education

Formal architectural certification

Formal cloud certification

Job description

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Focus Platform Architect, Haywards Heath

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Client:

First Central Services UK Ltd

Location:

Haywards Heath, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

a954f131b567

Job Views:

3

Posted:

29.06.2025

Expiry Date:

13.08.2025

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Job Description:

We’re 1st Central, a market-leading insurance company utilising smart data and technology at pace. Rapid growth has been based on giving our 1.4 million customers exactly what they want: great value insurance with an excellent service. And that’s the same for our colleagues too; we won Insurance Employer of the Year at the British Insurance Awards 2024 and our Glassdoor score is pretty mega too!

Were seeking a Platform Architect who'll beresponsible for the overall architectural and technical direction of the Focus Platform. This role involves defining and managing the platform's vision, strategy and roadmap, ensuring alignment with the organisation's objectives and prescribed Enterprise Architecture. You’llcollaborate across enterprise change teams to deliver a platform that maximisesorganisational value and efficiency, while governing the platform's health and compliance.

We value flexible working arrangements, so you can choose to work remotely or maybe you live within a commutable distance from one of our offices in Salford Quays, Manchester, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, or Guernsey, and want to work in the office occasionally.

Core skills were looking for to succeed in the role:

Significant experience in at least two technology solution development disciplines, including technical or infrastructure architecture, network management, application development, middleware, database management or cloud development

Excellent interpersonal skills in areas such as teamwork, facilitation and negotiation

Formal architectural certification is preferred

Formal cloud certification is preferred

Good understanding of SOLID principles and common design patterns

Excellent analytical and technical skills

Understanding of cloud security best practices and compliance requirements

Identification and management of risk

Problem solving skills, with the ability to adopt a logical approach

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

What’s involved:

You’ll lead the architectural definition of the Focus Platform, ensuring it meets business and technical objectives

You’ll provide technical direction for the platform in order to unify engineering teams, including software and cloud infrastructure, ensuring scalability, performance, and resilience.

Horizon scans the enterprise change environment whilst monitoring the current-state Focus Platform Architecture to identify and anticipate deficiencies/opportunities through the technologies and architecture used or misalignment with business and technology strategies. Works with the Product Owner to drive platform change required to enable business and technology strategies

You’ll define, document and maintain the reference platform architecture and develops a strategy for the evolution of the platform architecture from current to future state

You’ll support Focus Platform Architecture standards, practices and policies

You'll work closely with Architects, Principal Engineers, Business Analysts, Product Owners, to provide oversight and guidance for platform architecture changes, ensuring systems and services are designed with appropriate resilience, performance, and scalability, aligned to the prescribed Enterprise Architecture

You’ll identifycritical architecture decisions that require changes to the platform architecture, making recommendations to the Architecture Review Board

You’ll contribute principles, guidelines, standards and solution patterns to the Enterprise Reference Architecture, based on feedback and lessons learned during platform development.

You’ll identify opportunities to deploy new technologies and innovations that would support, enhance, improve or replace platform features in line with the business, product and technology strategies

You’ll regularly engage with the Exec Team and Senior Stakeholders across change disciplines and within the wider business, providing consultative and advisory services

You’ll comply with the requirements, and act in accordance with, the Group Code of Conduct and Fitness and Propriety policies at all times

You’ll ensure compliance with Company Policies, Values and guidelines and other relevant standards/ regulations at all times,

You’ll be responsible for maintaining department risk registers (as applicable), providing evidence and commentary for controls, updates for Mitigation Actions and maintaining control matrices and Attestations.

Experience & knowledge

Experience of leadership of Architects and Senior Engineers

Experience of Cloud platform architecture, particularly in Azure

Expert in C# .Net full-stack application architecture, from SPA to SQL databases

Experience of designing applications on cloud platforms (AWS, Azure) with an understanding of containerisation (Docker, Kubernetes) and serverless technologies

Significant experience in the delivery of enterprise-class platforms with a strong appetite for innovation

Experience in developing and managing a Platform vision and strategy

Exposure to multiple, diverse technologies, platforms, and processing environments

Good understanding of strategic and emerging technology trends, and the practical application of existing and emerging technologies to new and evolving business and operating models

Experience of creation and maintenance of reference architecture documentation and roadmaps, ideally leveraging architectural tooling

Experience of delivering architecture and governance services within an Agile delivery framework

Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate teams and support in developing the organisation’s objective

Experience delivering presentations to senior-level executives and technical audience

Ability to communicate complex and abstract concepts in an easy to understand and follow manner

Ideally an insurance or financial Services background, although other backgrounds will be considered

Knowledge of FCA requirements (including Consumer Duty)

Skills & Qualifications

Significant experience in at least two technology solution development disciplines, including technical or infrastructure architecture, network management, application development, middleware, database management or cloud development

Excellent interpersonal skills in areas such as teamwork, facilitation and negotiation

Formal architectural certification is preferred

Formal cloud certification is preferred

Good understanding of SOLID principles and common design patterns

Excellent analytical and technical skills

Understanding of cloud security best practices and compliance requirements

Identification and management of risk

Problem solving skills, with the ability to adopt a logical approach

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Behaviours

Understands, advocates and augments the business and technology strategies — and, more specifically, EA development and service delivery. Is prepared to “sell” the EA process (overall, not just for enterprise technology architecture), its outcome and ongoing results, and to lead the communication or marketing activities needed to ensure enterprise success and use.

Commercially focussed and results driven taking a pragmatic approach to delivering value

Self-motivated and enthusiastic

An organised and pro-active approach

Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team

A flexible approach and positive attitude

Emphasis on attention to detail and accuracy

Takes initiative to make decisions

Strives to drive business improvements to contribute to the success of the business

So, if you’re up for the challenge and would like to join our vibrant and busy team, we want to hear from you today.

What can we do for you?

People first. Always. We’re passionate about our colleagues and know the best people deserve an extraordinary working environment. We owe it to them so that’s what we offer. Our workplaces are energetic, inspirational, supportive. To get a taste of the advantages you’ll enjoy, take a look at all our perks in full .

Intrigued? Our Talent team can tell you everything you need to know about what we want and what we’re offering, so feel free to get in touch.