Lead Application Architect

Bestway Group; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Pension

22 days annual leave

Onsite parking

Life assurance

Job summary

Bestway Group is modernising its application estate towards cloud-native architecture. We are seeking a hands-on Lead Application Architect to own design, set engineering standards, and drive AI-assisted practices across the team.

You will bridge Solution Architects and developers, turning high-level designs into implementable LLDs, ensuring secure, maintainable code that aligns with architectural goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• Proven experience in Java/Spring Boot and microservices architecture.
• Experience translating high-level designs into implementable specs (LLD, ADRs).
• Familiarity with Azure services and containerisation.
• Strong automated testing and CI/CD mindset.

Responsibilities

• Own component- and code-level design, translating HLDs into LLDs.
• Maintain ADRs and conduct design reviews with TDA.
• Define Java coding standards and automated enforcement.
• Lead AI-assisted development across the SDLC and review AI-generated code.

Skills

Java

Spring Boot

Microservices

Architecture governance

AI-assisted development

REST API design

OAuth2/OpenID Connect

Code reviews

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science / Software Engineering or equivalent

Tools

Azure

Docker

GitHub Actions

Job description

Responsibilities

• Application & low-level design: Own component-level (C4 Level 3) and code-level (C4 Level 4) design and LLDs for our applications. Translate Solution Architects' HLDs into clear implementation designs, and make sure the team understands the why behind each decision and the constraints that apply.
• Architecture governance: Write and maintain Architecture Decision Records (ADRs), run design reviews, and work with the Technology Design Authority (TDA) so that application-level decisions are traceable and consistent.
• Engineering standards: Define Java coding standards covering exception handling, stream/resource handling, structured logging (Application Insights) and security-first practices. Automate them through project templates, linters and CI quality gates rather than manual policing.
• AI-assisted development: Lead the adoption of AI tools across the SDLC (code generation, code review, refactoring, test generation, documentation, legacy code analysis). Define guidelines for usage, review of AI-generated code, and security and IP protection, and measure the impact on delivery speed and quality.
• Cloud-native modernisation: Guide the move of legacy applications to Azure Container Apps. Build reusable reference implementations covering health checks, secret management (Azure Key Vault), stateless design and containerisation best practices.
• Mentorship: Coach junior and mid-level developers through code reviews, pairing and technical guidance, and help build a culture of engineering excellence and continuous improvement.
• Quality: Work with the QA Lead to embed automated testing (unit, integration, contract) into the standard delivery pipeline.
• Significant experience in software engineering, with substantial production experience in Java and Spring Boot and in microservices architecture.
• Proven experience designing applications at component and code level, and documenting them (C4 model, LLD, ADRs).
• Experience building applications on Azure (e.g. Key Vault, Storage, Service Bus) and a solid grasp of containerisation and cloud-native principles.
• Working knowledge of CI/CD (Docker, GitHub Actions) from a developer's perspective.
• Strong understanding of REST API design and OAuth2 / OpenID Connect.
• Strong commitment to automated testing, and the ability to set testing standards the team can adopt.
• Hands-on experience with AI coding assistants, and a practical view on using them safely and effectively.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to explain technical trade-offs to developers, architects and business stakeholders.
• Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or equivalent experience.

Desirable

• Node.js experience.
• Experience with FusionAuth or other identity providers; transactional email (SendGrid, DMARC).
• Experience leading or mentoring engineering teams, or line management.
• Microsoft Azure certifications (e.g. AZ-204, AZ-305).
• Experience modernising legacy applications.

Bestway is modernising its application estate towards cloud-native architecture. We are looking for a hands-on Lead Application Architect to own application-level design, define our engineering standards, and introduce AI-assisted development practices across the team.

You will sit between our Solution Architects, who define high-level designs, and the development team, who deliver them. You will turn HLDs into well-documented, implementable designs (Low-Level Design) and make sure the code that results is consistent, secure and maintainable.

About Bestway: Bestway Group is a diversified multinational family owned business with annualised turnover in excess of £4.5 billion. Starting off as a chain of retail convenience stores, the Group has grown to become a diversified multinational business with interests across the wholesale, pharmacy, real estate, cement and banking sectors. The Group is also the largest overseas investor in Pakistan. Owned by the Pervez, Choudrey and Sheikh families, Bestway Group was founded in 1976 by Sir Anwar Pervez OBE H Pk, who remains Chairman. Serving over 12 million customers and employing over 28,000 individuals, the Group supports and serves communities through its operations across the UK, Pakistan and the Middle East.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Pension
• 22 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Onsite parking
• Life assurance

Equal Opportunity Employer

Bestway Group is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity and inclusion. We welcome people of different nationalities, backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives. We want strong, and diverse teams built from talented individuals with different backgrounds identities and experiences.