Head of Solution Architecture

Legal & General; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-related bonus

Generous pension contribution

Life assurance

Healthcare plan

25+ days holiday

Electric car scheme

High street discounts

Job summary

A leading financial services group in London is seeking a Head of Solution Architecture. In this pivotal role, you will define and govern technology solutions across product and platform teams while ensuring alignment with long-term strategy. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in solution design, strong stakeholder engagement skills, and experience in regulated financial services. This position offers a collaborative and inclusive environment with various benefits, including a performance-related bonus and flexible working options.

Qualifications

• Expertise in solution design across hybrid environments.
• Ability to clearly communicate complex ideas to diverse audiences.
• Experience leading solution design in regulated financial services.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing capabilities.
• Experience applying agile methodologies within product operating models.
• Proven ability to lead and develop diverse teams with inclusive practices.
• Sound commercial judgement and strategic decision-making.
• Comfort in coaching architects on modern design techniques and tools.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain solution design standards and methodologies.
• Lead assurance for complex technology initiatives.
• Engage stakeholders to ensure designs deliver business value.
• Engage with stakeholders to ensure designs deliver business value.
• Build and lead a community of practice for solution design.
• Coach and mentor architects in modern design techniques and tools.
• Monitor and improve design processes and introduce innovation.
• Ensure digital products support fair customer outcomes under Consumer Duty.

Skills

Solution design expertise

Stakeholder engagement

Agile methodologies

Commercial awareness

Agile methodologies

Product operating models

Leading diverse teams

Commercial awareness

Education

TOGAF or BCS Solution Development

Job description

Legal & General (L&G) is a leading UK financial services group and major global investor. We’ve been safeguarding people’s financial futures since 1836, and strive to build a better society, while improving the lives of our customers and creating value for shareholders.

We are one of the world’s largest asset managers and provide powerful asset origination capabilities. Together, these underpin our retirement and protection solutions: we are an international player in pension risk transfer, in UK and US life insurance, and in UK workplace pensions and retirement income.

L&G Institutional Retirement looks after around 700,000 institutional customers who have their retirement benefits secured with us. Operating continuously in the UK market from our entrance in 1987, we are the UK’s longest-running insurer. Our Institutional Retirement business is the UK’s longest-serving active bulk annuity provider.

Institutional Retirement is the only insurer to have been operating continuously in the UK market from our entrance in 1987 to the present day. Our UK retirement annuity book stands at an estimated £86.1 billion at 31 December 2023.

Job Description

Are you passionate about shaping the future of enterprise technology design? We’re looking for a strategic and inclusive leader to join our Institutional Retirement business as Head of Solution Architecture. This is a pivotal role where you’ll define and govern how we design technology solutions across our product and platform teams, ensuring they’re secure, scalable, and aligned with our long‑term strategy.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. If you’re excited by the opportunity to lead with purpose and make a real impact, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll be doing

• Defining and maintaining solution design standards, patterns and methodology
• Leading assurance for complex and business‑critical technology initiatives
• Partnering with product, platform and engineering leads to embed design early
• Engaging with stakeholders to ensure designs deliver business value
• Building and leading a community of practice for solution design
• Coaching and mentoring architects in modern design techniques and tools
• Monitoring and improving design processes and introducing innovation
• Ensuring digital products support fair customer outcomes under Consumer Duty

Qualifications

• Demonstrating deep expertise in solution design across hybrid environments
• Holding relevant qualifications such as TOGAF or BCS Solution Development
• Communicating complex ideas clearly to technical and non‑technical audiences
• Leading solution design in large‑scale, regulated financial services settings
• Showing strong stakeholder engagement and influencing capabilities
• Applying agile methodologies and product operating models effectively
• Managing and developing diverse teams in line with inclusive practices
• Bringing commercial awareness and sound judgement to strategic decisions

Benefits

• The opportunity to participate in our annual, performance‑related bonus plan and valuable share schemes
• Generous pension contribution
• Life assurance
• Healthcare plan (permanent employees only)
• At least 25 days holiday, plus public holidays, 26 days after 2 years’ service. There’s also the option to buy and sell holiday
• Competitive family leave
• Participation in our electric car scheme, which offers employees the option to hire a brand‑new electric car through tax efficient salary sacrifice (permanent employees only)
• Discounts we offer – both for our own products and at a range of high street stores and online
• In 2023, some of our workspaces were redesigned; our offices are great spaces to connect and collaborate and have wellbeing at the heart

Additional Information

At L&G, we believe it's possible to generate positive returns today while helping to build a better future for all.

If you join us, you’ll be part of a welcoming, inclusive culture, with opportunities to collaborate with people of diverse backgrounds, views, and experiences. Guided by leaders with integrity who care about your future and wellbeing, and empowered through initiatives which support people to develop their careers and excel.

We care passionately about outcomes rather than attendance and are therefore open to discussing all kinds of flexible working options including part‑time, term‑time and job shares. Although some roles have limited flexibility due to customer demand, we accommodate requests when we can.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t meet every single criterion in this advert. Instead, think about what you excel at and what else you can bring in terms of strengths, potential and connection to our purpose.

Location

London, England, United Kingdom

Employment type

Full‑time