Principal Enterprise Architect

AstraZeneca; Macclesfield; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A global leading pharmaceutical company in the UK is seeking a Principal Enterprise Architect to drive sustainability initiatives. The role requires strategic planning over a multi-year horizon, leading architecture decisions, and collaborating across multiple domains. Ideal candidates have strong experience in enterprise architecture, combined with excellent communication and analytical skills. This position promotes a balance of in-office and flexible work arrangements.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Continuous learning opportunities

Inclusive workplace culture

Qualifications

• Relevant technical degree or equivalent required.
• Experience as an enterprise architect needed.
• Proven leadership in developing innovative solutions.
• Strong analytical skills on architecture trade-offs.

Responsibilities

• Provide enterprise design thinking and support across various domains.
• Lead efforts to ensure architecture decisions align with strategy.
• Document and share knowledge to develop architecture capability.
• Develop architecture standards and roadmaps.

Skills

Enterprise architecture

AI/ML solutions

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Education

Relevant technical degree

Masters or equivalent experience

Job description

Principal Enterprise Architect

Are you ready to inspire change and make a significant impact? At AstraZeneca, we are committed to delivering life-changing medicines while embedding sustainability into every aspect of our work. As a Principal Enterprise Architect in Sustainability, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring our architecture decisions align with both business ambitions and IT strategy. This position is focused on strategic planning over a 1‑5 year horizon, as well as immediate solution design projects. You will be instrumental in developing architecture standards, technology strategies, and roadmaps that support our mission to tackle the biggest sustainability challenges of our time.

Accountabilities

• Provide enterprise design thinking and support across various domains of architecture including Business, Application, Integration, Cloud, Data & Analytics, and AI/ML.
• Lead efforts to ensure architecture decisions support business and IT strategy, ensuring compliance with AZ standards, blueprints, and roadmaps.
• Participate in architecture assessments and reviews, contributing as a lead reviewing architect or domain expert.
• Document and share knowledge and standard methodologies to develop the architecture capability and practice.
• Be accountable for developing architecture standards, technology domain strategies, roadmaps, and blueprints.
• Define and update 'Transition' and 'To-Be' architectures applying AZ guiding principles.
• Support solution development efforts from portfolios, participate in IT initiatives, and provide guidance for better planning and decision-making.
• Maintain a view of current and future state architecture within defined focus areas.
• Develop architecture building blocks to support enterprise architecture implementation.
• Lead or actively participate in enterprise domain teams and working groups.

Essential Skills/Experience

• Relevant technical degree or equivalent.
• Experience as an enterprise architect authoring and completing architecture roadmaps.
• Experience producing application strategies/roadmaps for a global enterprise.
• Experience with rationalisation, consolidation, and integration of technology across business domains.
• Experience with large justification phase work – product evaluation, case formulation.
• Experience developing and influencing business strategies with multi‑functional team impact.
• Experience developing and leading innovative solutions.
• Proven experience of leading change and challenging approaches/ideas.
• Experience developing and managing relationships with third‑party suppliers.
• Experience designing complex technology solutions aligned to enterprise roadmaps.
• Experience in designing AI/ML solutions.
• Strong networking skills with good internal/external links.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and relationship‑building skills.
• Ability to interpret and communicate technical information into business language.
• Awareness of marketplace developments and their relevance to AZ.
• Ability to work well in diverse, multinational teams and influence others positively.
• Open mind to learning new skills and capabilities.
• Ability to follow agile and incremental architecture approaches.
• Strong analytical skills on architecture trade‑offs.

Desirable Skills/Experience

• Demonstrate initiative, strong customer orientation, and cross‑cultural working.
• People development experience.
• Budget management experience.
• Masters or equivalent experience and/or professional certification.
• Experience in sustainability initiatives in large organizations.
• Good understanding of industry technology trends regarding Agentic AI.
• Good eye for business.Understanding of the pharmaceutical/healthcare industry.

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life‑changing medicines. In‑person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace, and challenge perceptions. That’s why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn’t mean we’re not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

AstraZeneca offers an environment where technical skills meet emotional intelligence. Join a team of highly qualified professionals who are persuasive communicators with empathy. We focus on the human impact of changes we drive, leading to complete solutions for the business. With the freedom to explore innovative technologies, there’s never a dull moment as you create a significant footprint through continuous learning and growth.

Ready to take on this exciting challenge? Apply now to join AstraZeneca’s journey towards sustainability and innovation!

Date Posted: 04-Nov-2025

Closing Date: 04-Dec-2025

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.