Principal Architect - Integration

Barclays UK; London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution is looking for a senior leader to set the architecture direction for its complex IT systems. This role requires extensive expertise in designing solutions and managing innovative technology projects while fostering collaboration across teams. The ideal candidate will guide architecture standards and mentor team members, ensuring alignment with the organization's strategic objectives while upholding Barclays’ values.

Qualifications

• Expertise in complex technology architectures.
• Deep understanding of financial services technology.
• Proven record of managing large teams or projects.

Responsibilities

• Set strategic architecture direction for technology areas.
• Evaluate and design solutions for complex technology projects.
• Collaborate across teams to resolve complex technology issues.

Skills

Technical Expertise

Architectural Standards

Communication

Analytical Skills

Education

Degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

Responsibilities

• Create integration guidance on internal developer documentation site for Barclays product offerings, standards, and practices
• Guide on Kafka Strategy implementation as modern platform, e.g. topic as a service
• Define modern External API / Digital Product ecosystem including automation of API governance
• Establish a set of proven Kafka patterns, incl for safe transactions
• Consolidated Integration Domain Roadmap of what's planned for integration offerings, and significant business application investment, across the group
• Review and re-publish the REST API Standards, and review and recommend improvements for the developer support and automated governance
• Overhaul Messaging Product Strategy working with Product Line Manager
• Partner with Application Engineering teams on developer tooling and Jumpstart support for APIs, Kafka and messaging
• Guidance for developers, influence for platform teams
• Partner with Solution and Enterprise Architects on major business application investments to increase alignment and reuse opportunities
• Collaborate with Data Architecture and Engineering on API and Event schemas, taxonomy, and governance

Purpose of the role

To set direction and design solutions for the banks most complex IT systems and / or platforms, inc. using industry leading approaches in response to the most challenging functional and non-functional requirements.

Accountabilities

• Set the banks strategic architecture direction for a specialist technology area(s), e.g. development of trading platforms.
• Provision of deep technical expertise in designing and evaluating complex technology architectures to stakeholders, including overseeing and coordinating solution architects, to encourage continuous learning across the architecture community.
• Management of innovative design, engineering initiatives and complex technology projects, through the collaboration with technical experts across the bank to resolve complex problems that support the banks technology strategy.
• Development and promotion of architectural standards, guidelines and governance policies to ensure consistency, quality and compliance to support the mitigation of various risks including breaches, access and regulatory violation.
• Identification of emerging technology trends, patterns and innovations that may impact the bank and implement potential solutions that align with the banks strategic objectives.
• Development and maintenance of advisor relationships with business partners, architects and engineering teams to drive successful design, adoption and engineering outcomes.
• Advocation of optimal solutions that address the banks technological needs through clear and compelling communication to support architectural decisions.
• Support of engineering and architecture community initiatives to mentor team members, streamline operations, share and grow knowledge.

Director Expectations

• To manage a business function, providing significant input to function wide strategic initiatives. Contribute to and influence policy and procedures for the function and plan, manage and consult on multiple complex and critical strategic projects, which may be business wide..
• They manage the direction of a large team or sub-function, leading other people managers and embedding a performance culture aligned to the values of the business. Or for an individual contributor, they lead organisation wide projects and act as deep technical expert and thought leader, identifying new ways of working and collaborating cross functionally. They will train, guide and coach less experienced specialists and provide information affecting long term profits, organisational risks and strategic decisions..
• Provide expert advice to senior functional management and committees to influence decisions made outside of own function, offering significant input to function wide strategic initiatives.
• Manage, coordinate and enable resourcing, budgeting and policy creation for a significant sub-function.
• Escalates breaches of policies / procedure appropriately.
• Foster and guide compliance, ensure regulations are observed that relevant processes in place to facilitate adherence.
• Focus on the external environment, regulators, or advocacy groups to both monitor and influence on behalf of Barclays, when appropriate.
• Demonstrate extensive knowledge of how the function integrates with the business division / Group to achieve the overall business objectives.
• Maintain broad and comprehensive knowledge of industry theories and practices within own discipline alongside up-to-date relevant sector / functional knowledge, and insight into external market developments / initiatives.
• Use interpretative thinking and advanced analytical skills to solve problems and design solutions in often complex/ sensitive situations.
• Exercise management authority to make significant decisions and certain strategic decisions or recommendations within own area.
• Negotiate with and influence stakeholders at a senior level both internally and externally.
• Act as principal contact point for key clients and counterparts in other functions/ businesses divisions.
• Mandated as a spokesperson for the function and business division.

All Senior Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others.

All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass, helping us do what we believe is right. They will also be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.