Lead Data & AI Architect

Frazer-Nash Consultancy; Irlam; Hybrid; GBP 73,000 - 88,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

25 days holiday

Company pension

Private healthcare

Bonus scheme

Professional development

Life assurance

Cycle to work

Share purchase scheme

Rail ticket loan

Job summary

Frazer-Nash Consultancy is seeking a Lead Data & AI Architect to provide strategic technical leadership across our Digital & AI capability. The role shapes the architecture vision for data, analytics, automation and GenAI solutions, ensuring security, scalability and governance across complex programs.

You will mentor architects and engineers, establish standards and reference architectures, and collaborate with senior stakeholders to drive technology direction and delivery.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading Data AI architectures across complex organisations.
• Experience shaping architecture strategy for analytics, automation and GenAI.
• Strong knowledge of enterprise data platforms and integration architectures.
• Experience setting technical standards and architecture governance.
• Ability to communicate complex concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience coaching architects and technical leaders.

Responsibilities

• Lead architectural strategy for Data AI across programmes and products.
• Develop reference architectures, standards and guardrails for data platforms.
• Provide architecture assurance and risk management across projects.
• Mentor and grow architecture and technical delivery capability.
• Collaborate with senior stakeholders to align technology with business strategy.

Skills

Data architecture leadership

AI architecture

Enterprise data platforms

Stakeholder management

Governance & compliance

Security & data sovereignty

GenAI governance

Mentoring & coaching

Job description

Title

Lead Data & AI Architect

Salary:

£73,000 - £88,000

Location:

Any Frazer-Nash office location with flexible hybrid working between office, client sites and home.

Closing date:

16th September 2026

At Frazer-Nash, we empower endeavour for real results. Our Digital AI team helps clients and the wider business unlock the value of data, artificial intelligence, analytics and automation, delivering innovative solutions in complex and highly regulated environments.

We are seeking an experienced Lead Data & AI Architect to provide strategic technical leadership across our Digital & AI capability. This is a senior role responsible for shaping the architecture vision for Data & AI solutions, ensuring they are scalable, secure, reusable and aligned with business strategy, governance requirements and client expectations.

As the recognised authority for Data & AI architecture, you will work closely with senior stakeholders across the business, shaping technology direction, providing architecture assurance and developing the development of reference architectures, standards and technical guardrails for enterprise data platforms, analytics, automation and GenAI solutions.

The ideal candidate will have a solid technical leadership background, with experience that should include several of the following:

• Defining and owning strategic Data AI architectures across complex organisations.
• Managing the development of enterprise data platforms, analytics, automation and Generative AI solutions.
• Acting as a design authority and providing architecture assurance for significant digital programmes and products.
• Establishing architecture standards, reference architectures, governance processes and reusable technical patterns.
• Managing technical risk and making architectural decisions that balance innovation, security, maintainability and long-term value.
• Providing strategic direction on data governance, security, sovereignty, integration and model lifecycle management.
• Advising senior stakeholders on technology strategy, delivery approaches and investment decisions.
• Improving consistency and reuse across Digital & AI products, platforms and delivery teams.
• Mentoring architects, engineers and technical leaders to build organisational capability.
• Supporting the adoption of emerging technologies whilst ensuring robust governance and assurance.

Essential Requirements

• Significant experience leading Data and AI architecture within complex or regulated environments.
• Significant experience shaping architecture strategy for analytics, automation, Generative AI and software-enabled products.
• Solid understanding of enterprise data platforms, integration architectures and modern Digital & AI technologies.
• Experience acting as a design authority, setting technical standards and assuring solutions through governance processes.
• Solid understanding of security, data sovereignty, data separation, assurance and model lifecycle controls.
• Experience shaping architecture direction across multiple products, programmes or delivery teams.
• Effective stakeholder management skills with the ability to communicate complex technical concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to provide constructive challenge and specialist advice to senior leadership teams.
• Experience coaching, mentoring and developing architecture, engineering or technical delivery capability.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.

Desirable Requirements

• Experience working within highly regulated sectors such as defence, nuclear, energy, transport or government.
• Experience designing and governing enterprise-scale GenAI solutions.
• Knowledge of cloud-based Data AI platforms and services.
• Experience supporting governance, audit, accreditation or assurance activities.
• Understanding of enterprise architecture frameworks and best practice.
• Experience establishing architecture communities, standards or centres of excellence.
• Knowledge of software engineering, DevOps and modern delivery approaches.
• Chartered status or relevant professional certifications.
• Experience delivering large-scale digital transformation programmes.
• Strong understanding of data governance, information management and data quality practices.

Due to the nature of the work that Frazer-Nash Consultancy undertake, candidates will be required to undergo pre-employment screening and must be able to satisfy clearance criteria for UK National Security Vetting.

Benefits

We provide our people with a comprehensive benefits package that comprises:

• Happy To Talk Flexible Working
• Competitive salary
• 25 days' holiday entitlement
• Holiday purchase scheme
• Company pension scheme
• Targeted professional development
• Life Assurance
• Private healthcare membership
• Bonus scheme linked into company performance
• Paid membership fees to a professional institution
• Support in attaining professional membership
• Cycle to work scheme
• Share purchase scheme
• Season rail ticket loan