Lead Architect - Brand new function. Insurance

JR United Kingdom; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a newly formed architecture team as a Lead Architect with a top Mutual Pensions company in Cardiff. You will oversee the transition from legacy systems to a modern microservices architecture, making a lasting impact on the technology landscape. With strong backing from the board and a clear vision, this is a chance to lead and innovate in a hands-on role that emphasizes strategic influence and operational delivery.

Qualifications

• Strong background in solutions architecture and legacy modernization into microservices.
• Deep knowledge of standard design patterns and cloud infrastructure.
• Prior experience in the Insurance industry (Life Insurance ideally).

Responsibilities

• Provide technical oversight across your assigned domain.
• Lead the architectural transition from a complex monolithic system to a modern microservices architecture.
• Define and implement standard patterns and practices for application development.

Skills

Solutions Architecture

Cloud Infrastructure

Application Security

Microservices Architecture

Stakeholder Communication

Job description

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Lead Architect - Brand new function. Insurance, cardiff

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Client:

Nixor

Location:

cardiff, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Views:

1

Posted:

04.06.2025

Expiry Date:

19.07.2025

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Job Description:

Nixor are currently seeking Principal/Lead Architects with Life Insurance / Assurance industry knowledge, to join a newly formed architecture team for the UKs largest Mutual Pensions company. This is a rare opportunity to help shape the future of their technology landscape as they transition from a legacy, "spaghetti" architecture to a modern, microservices-based target architecture over the coming years.

About the Role

As a Lead Architect, you will take full ownership of your domain, overseeing applications, cloud infrastructure, and services. This is a brand new team, who are inheriting a legacy "spaghetti" architecture, but have been given the remit (and funding) to turn that into a modern Micro-services Architecture.

These roles sit at the start of a transformative journey, offering you the chance to make a meaningful, lasting impact.

The initial value stream mapping has been completed, and the board has fully endorsed the transformation. With a clear vision of the target state, no third-party dependencies, and all work being done in-house, this is an exciting and well-supported initiative.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical oversight across your assigned domain
• Work closely with the board and other senior stakeholders
• Lead the architectural transition from a complex monolithic system to a modern microservices architecture
• Define and implement standard patterns and practices for application development, security, observability, and more
• Act as a mentor and coach to junior architects and technical teams
• Be the technical point of contact for your business unit

Why Join?

When asked why the Director of Architecture joined 6 months ago, the response was:

"I've never worked anywhere where you can make such an impact so quickly. We're building this team from the top down, and these Principal Architects will be the first hires—I want to create a high-performing architectural function. and the business are fully supporting me"

They also have:

• A large change budget is in place, with access to a significant portion of it
• Minimal internal politics – the groundwork and stakeholder alignment have already been done
• A chance to work customer-first, focusing on delivering meaningful, user-centric designs from day one

We’re seeking experienced Architects with:

• A strong background in solutions architecture (Covering Applications, Cloud, Security etc)
• Demonstrated experience modernizing legacy systems into microservices-based architectures
• Deep knowledge of standard design patterns, cloud infrastructure, and application security
• Prior experience in the the Insurance Industry (Life Insurance ideally)
• The ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders

These are hands-on leadership roles that blend strategic influence with day-to-day architectural contribution. You’ll work alongside Business Architects, leaving you more head space to guide the technical direction of your domain.