Lead Architect

Jtc-Group; Greater London; Presencial; GBP 120.000 - 180.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

JTC Group is seeking a Lead Architect within the Application Architecture team to own the target-state architecture across a fragmented, acquisition-driven tech estate. You will shape solution designs for priority initiatives and ensure alignment with AI, data and governance objectives.

You’ll work across groups to rationalise duplicated systems, evaluate buy-vs-build options, and guide vendors and tools integration while maintaining compliance awareness in a multi-jurisdiction setting.

Formación

• Senior architecture experience with target-state governance decisions.
• Experience operating in a fragmented, acquisitive estate with consolidation of integrations.
• Experience contributing to buy-vs-build and vendor decisions, incl. AI/SaaS tools.
• Fluency in AI/agentic architecture patterns and collaboration with AI teams.
• Strong solution design in cloud-native architectures, APIs and integration patterns.

Responsabilidades

• Define and own JTC’s target-state application architecture across an acquisitive estate.
• Provide architecture input into buy-vs-build and vendor decisions, incl. AI tools.
• Establish architecture standards, integration patterns, and governance participation.
• Assess acquisitions’ technology estates against target architecture and prioritise integrations.
• Design solution architectures for priority initiatives and deliverable designs.
• Collaborate with AI Engineering & Data Science and Group Data on agentic/data platform components.

Conocimientos

Senior architecture experience

Target-state architecture

Cloud-native architecture

APIs and integration patterns

M&A / acquisition-driven growth

Regulated environment awareness

Strong written communication

Educación

Degree in computer science or related

Descripción del empleo

As JTC enters the Genesis era of growth andtransformation under private equity ownership, the Group’s ambition is tobecome a data- and AI-powered specialist-services platform where everyinteraction, acquisition and piece of expertise makes the firm smarter, moreefficient and easier to scale.

The Lead Architect sits within ApplicationArchitecture, part of the Technology Strategy & Application Architecturefunction within JTC’s unified Tech-AI operating model. The role owns JTC’starget-state application architecture and leads the design of solutionarchitecture for priority initiatives, working across an estate that has beenbuilt up through acquisition and contains duplicated systems and point-to-pointintegrations requiring active rationalisation.

The postholder will provide architecture inputinto buy-vs-build and vendor decisions, including evaluating third-party andembedded AI tools, and will design the solution architecture for priorityinitiatives, working closely with AI Engineering & Data Science and GroupData so that AI, agentic and data platform components are built onto the estatecoherently and without creating vendor lock-in. As JTC continues to grow byacquisition, the role also covers assessing new acquisitions’ technology estatesagainst the target architecture and helping prioritise what gets integratedfirst.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

• Define and own JTC’s target-state application architecture, rationalising a fragmented, acquisition-built estate of duplicated systems and point-to-point integrations.
• Provide architecture input into buy-vs-build and vendor decisions, including evaluating third-party and embedded AI tools for fit with the Group’s data and application estate.
• Establish architecture standards, integration patterns and principles, and run or contribute to the architecture governance forum for the Group.
• Assess new acquisitions’ technology estates against the target architecture and help prioritise what gets integrated first.

SOLUTION ARCHITECTURE & DELIVERY

• Design the solution architecture for priority initiatives, translating the target architecture into delivery-ready designs.
• Work hands-on across specific integration and delivery projects, including those spanning multiple existing systems being consolidated or replaced.
• Partner directly with AI Engineering & Data Science and Group Data on the architecture of agentic and data platform components, ensuring AI capability is built onto the estate coherently and without creating vendor lock-in.

AI & AGENTIC ARCHITECTURE

• Maintain current, practical fluency in agentic and AI architecture patterns, including orchestration, retrieval and grounding, and MCP-style integration, sufficient to credibly shape how these fit he wider estate.
• Contribute architecture positions on AI-related integration, data dependencies and target-state implications as new agentic capabilities move from prototype into production.

REGULATORY & RISK AWARENESS

• Make architecture decisions with awareness of JTC’s regulated, multi-jurisdiction footprint, recognising that data residency, cross-border transfer and compliance requirements vary by jurisdiction and should be confirmed with Compliance and Legal rather than assumed.

DOCUMENTATION & CAPABILITY BUILDING

• Document architecture decisions, standards and patterns clearly enough to be usable by other teams without ongoing explanation.
• Contribute to theongoing development of the Application Architecture capability as the team andfunction grow.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Senior architecture experience that includes real exposure to target-state and governance decisions, combined with current, hands-on solution design experience from within the last one to two years.
• Experience operating in a fragmented, multi-entity, acquisitive estate rather than a greenfield environment, ideally including consolidation of point-to-point integrations.
• Demonstrable experience contributing to buy-vs-build and vendor decisions, including evaluating embedded AI or SaaS tools.
• Current, practical fluency in AI and agentic architecture patterns, sufficient to partner credibly with AI engineering teams.
• Strong modern solution design experience, including cloud-native architecture, APIs and integration patterns.
• Experience in a regulated, multi-jurisdiction environment, ideally Financial Services or Professional Services, with sound judgement on when to involve Compliance and Legal.
• Experience with technology integration during M&A or acquisition-driven growth is highly advantageous.
• Strong written communication skills, able to produce documentation and standards that are usable by others without ongoing explanation.
• Comfortable operating without a large architecture team, moving between strategic and hands-on delivery work as needed.
• A relevant degree in computer science, engineering or a related discipline, and relevant professional certifications, are valued but not required.

OUR COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION & WELLBEING

JTC is committed to fostering a healthy, inclusiveorganisation where all individuals feel welcome and feel able to participate inthe workplace fully. We value different perspectives, backgrounds and livedexperiences. This includes supporting employee wellbeing so that people feelequipped to thrive.

Whether you are just starting out or seeking new challenges, JTC offers an environment where you can grow, develop, and succeed at every stage of your career.

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