Head of Architecture and Applications

Warner Hotels; Hemel Hempstead; Sur place; GBP 110 000 - 160 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Annual Bonus

25 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays

25% discount at Warner breaks

Life Assurance

Free Car Parking

Electric Vehicle scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Refer a friend scheme

Résumé du poste

Warner Hotels seeks a Head of Architecture & Applications to define the target architecture and govern the application portfolio across 160+ services in hospitality domains. You will drive rationalisation, set architecture standards and lead integration strategy to modernise the estate.

You will partner with the data and digital engineering teams to ensure the data platform and digital products are built on sound foundations, supporting business growth.

Qualifications

• Architect with Commercial Edge and ability to balance technical and business value.
• Portfolio thinking to rationalise and build across 160+ services.
• Pragmatist who prioritises timely delivery over perfection.
• Strong communicator able to explain architecture to Finance Directors and engineers.
• Extensive experience in technology roles, especially in architecture or portfolio leadership.
• Hospitality, retail or multi-site consumer sector experience preferred.

Responsabilités

• Define and own Warner's enterprise architecture framework across applications, data, integration and infrastructure.
• Lead the application rationalisation roadmap, identifying duplication, underutilisation, and consolidation opportunities.
• Manage vendor relationships and licences to ensure value for money and alignment with strategy.
• Define integration architecture from point-to-point to API-first and event-driven models.
• Govern the integration landscape to reduce complexity and debt, improving reliability.
• Chair architecture governance forums and provide technology roadmapping for business visibility.

Connaissances

Enterprise architecture

Portfolio management

TOGAF

Cloud architecture

RPA / Power Automate

Outils

AWS

Azure

Power Automate

RPA

Description du poste

Warner Hotels operates a portfolio of 100+ technology services across a modern, cloud-first estate — but the application landscape is fragmented, point-to-point integrations are the norm, and there is no enterprise architecture function to govern where the estate is going. The result is cost, complexity, and constraint on the business's ability to grow.

We are looking for a Head of Architecture & Applications who can bring order, clarity and direction to this landscape. This role sits at the intersection of technical rigour and commercial pragmatism — someone who can define the target architecture, govern the application portfolio, and ensure that every application Warner runs is earning its place.

As the owner of Warner's enterprise architecture and application portfolio, you will define how the technology estate should evolve — across commercial applications (iStay, Maestro, Zonal), corporate platforms (ERPx, ElementSuite, Coupa), and the integrations that connect them. You will set and govern architecture standards, lead the application rationalisation agenda, accelerate automation, and ensure that our platform choices support — not constrain — the business's strategic ambitions.

Why Join Us?

• Clean mandate: The architecture function does not exist today — you will build it from the ground up with full CTO sponsorship.
• Rationalisation and AI Enabled automation agenda to drive.

Key responsibilities

Define & Own the Enterprise Architecture

• Establish and maintain Warner's enterprise architecture framework — covering application, data, integration, and infrastructure layers.
• Define target architecture principles, standards, and guardrails that all technology decisions are measured against.
• Lead architecture reviews for all significant change initiatives, ensuring alignment to the target state.
• Own the full application portfolio — 160+ services across commercial, hotel operations, F&B, corporate and back-office domains
• Lead the application rationalisation roadmap: identifying duplication, underutilisation and consolidation opportunities.
• Manage application vendor relationships and licence agreements, ensuring value for money and strategic alignment.
• Define Warner's integration architecture — moving from point-to-point towards an API-first, event-driven model.
• Govern the integration landscape to reduce complexity, eliminate technical debt, and improve reliability.
• Work closely with the Head of Data & Digital Engineering to ensure the data platform and digital products are built on sound integration foundations.
• Contribute to the overall IT strategy — specifically the 'Simplify the Core' pillar.
• Chair architecture governance forums and ensure all significant technology decisions are reviewed, documented, and aligned.
• Provide technology roadmapping capability, ensuring the business has visibility of where the estate is going and why.

You’ll need to be comfortable working with this technical toolkit:

• Enterprise architecture frameworks (TOGAF or equivalent).
• Application portfolio management across SaaS and on-premise.
• Power Automate / RPA
• Hospitality application landscape: PMS (Maestro), POS (Zonal), booking engines (iStay), ERP (ERPx/Unit4), HCM (ElementSuite).
• Cloud architecture: AWS and Azure.

Who You Are

• An Architect with Commercial Edge: You can design elegant systems and also make the business case for why they matter.
• A Portfolio Thinker: You see the whole estate, not just individual applications. You can rationalise as well as build.
• A Pragmatist: You know when 'good enough and deployed' beats 'perfect and delayed'.
• A Communicator: You can explain architecture decisions to a Finance Director as clearly as to an engineer.
• You’ll have extensive experience within technology roles, working within architecture or application portfolio leadership.
• Hospitality, retail or multi-site consumer sector experience strongly preferred

The benefits of working with us

• Annual Bonus
• 25 days annual leave per year + flexible 8 bank holidays + you can purchase up to 5 days additional leave per year
• 20% discount at breaks at Warner, Butlins & Haven + additional discounts during your stays
• Help @ Hand from Unum - including virtual GP, Physiotherapy support, Mental Health sessions
• Life Assurance
• Free Car Parking
• Electric Vehicle scheme
• Enhanced Family Friendly policies
• Refer a friend scheme
• Aslan: Our Reward & recognition portal includes access to a financial wellbeing platform
• Access to a discounts platform including a points based discount plan to increase your retail discounts
• Employee Assistance Programme
• L&G Care Concierge
• Glow Getters and Long Service Awards

We genuinely care about every candidate's experience during the recruitment process and are here to provide support where we can. If you require any assistance or reasonable adjustments while applying, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at: [e-mail]