Interim Head of Architecture

Sword Group; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Sword Group is seeking an experienced professional to serve as interim Head of Architecture, providing direction to the Architecture team and ensuring alignment with organisational strategy, standards and governance. You will influence enterprise and solution architecture decisions across IT, OT and digital programmes.

You will build trusted relationships with executives and delivery partners, develop target-state architectures and roadmaps, and oversee architecture reviews to drive

Qualifications

• Led or managed an Architecture function or major workstream.
• Experience as Head of Architecture, Chief Architect, or Lead Enterprise Architect.
• Strong understanding of Enterprise and Solution Architecture.
• Broad knowledge across applications, infrastructure, cloud, integration, data, security and OT/IT environments.
• Experience in architecture governance, guardrails and decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day leadership to the Architecture function.
• Act as interim Head of Architecture and collaborate with senior architecture leadership.
• Develop and mature enterprise architecture strategies, roadmaps, and capability models.
• Review architecture outputs for alignment with standards and governance.
• Communicate complex architectural issues to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Represent Architecture in high-level technology and project discussions.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Architecture governance

Technical breadth

Communication

Job description

Sword is a leading provider of business technology solutions within the Energy, Public and Finance Sectors, driving real transformation change within our clients. We use proven technology, specialist teams and domain expertise to build solid technical foundations across platforms, data and business applications. We have a passion for using technology to solve business problems, working in partnership with our clients to help in achieving their goals. The successful candidate will act as the effective interim Head of Architecture providing direction to the Architecture team, strengthen governance and assurance, and ensure that technology and solution decisions align with organisational strategy, standards and the wider client's architecture processes. This is a senior, influential role requiring extensive Enterprise Architecture experience, strong technical breadth and the ability to build trusted relationships with executives, programme leaders, technology teams and third-party suppliers.

Key Responsibilities

Provide day-to-day leadership and direction to the Architecture function. Act as the effective interim Head of Architecture, working closely with the senior leader responsible for Architecture, Data, Analytics, Automation, AI and Engineering. Support and coordinate a team of Enterprise and Solution Architects. Establish clear priorities across architecture assurance, strategic development and project support. Provide technical leadership and informed challenge across IT, OT and digital initiatives. Support the transition to a permanent Architecture leadership structure and facilitate an effective handover when permanent staff are appointed. Develop and mature enterprise architecture strategies, roadmaps, capability models and associated architectural collateral. Review the existing architecture repository and identify material gaps, inconsistencies and improvement priorities. Ensure architecture outputs remain practical, usable and aligned to organisational and programme objectives. Translate business strategy and investment priorities into clear architectural direction and guardrails. Support the development of target-state architectures and transition roadmaps across relevant business and technology domains. Lead the architecture assurance of project, programme, vendor and partner solutions. Establish and maintain appropriate architectural guardrails, principles and decision-making processes. Ensure proposed solutions follow agreed architecture standards and governance requirements. Provide constructive challenge to projects, programmes and suppliers where designs do not align with strategic direction or required standards. Work with project and programme teams to resolve architecture risks, gaps and dependencies. Ensure alignment with wider SSE Group architecture processes, standards and governance mechanisms. Support architecture forums, design reviews and decision-making bodies as required. Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across technology, operations, transformation and capital delivery. Communicate complex architectural issues clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences. Work collaboratively with IT, OT, Engineering, Data, Analytics, Automation and AI stakeholders. Represent the Architecture function in high-level technology and project discussions. Provide clear recommendations and elevate significant architecture risks or decisions where appropriate.

Previous Experience

Previous experience leading or managing an Architecture function, team or significant architecture workstream. Experience performing responsibilities comparable to a Head of Architecture, Chief Architect or Lead Enterprise Architect. Strong understanding of both Enterprise Architecture and Solution Architecture. Broad technical knowledge across applications, infrastructure, cloud, integration, data, security and operational environments. Significant experience of architecture governance, design assurance and technical decision-making. Experience establishing or applying architecture principles, standards, guardrails and review processes. Experience assuring solutions produced by projects, suppliers and external delivery partners. Experience developing architecture strategies, roadmaps, capability models and target-state architectures. Strong stakeholder management skills, including experience influencing senior business and technology leaders. Excellent communication, facilitation and relationship-building skills. Ability to provide leadership and structure in an evolving environment with changing priorities. Experience supporting significant transformation or digitalisation programmes. Desirable Experience Experience within utilities industry Experience in an asset-intensive organisation such as utilities, transport, infrastructure, engineering, manufacturing or oil and gas. Experience of Operational Technology environments and the relationship between IT and OT. Understanding of architecture considerations within