Principal Enterprise Architect

Plymouth Community Homes; Poltimore; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Hybrid working

Flexi-time

Pension scheme

Annual leave 25–30 days + bank hols

Job summary

Plymouth Community Homes is seeking a Principal Enterprise Architect to provide enterprise-wide architectural leadership and shape our technology landscape. You will translate business strategy into practical outcomes, guiding governance, standards, and future-state roadmaps across business, data, applications, and security.

You will influence senior stakeholders, drive transformation programmes, and modernise legacy systems while delivering value and safer, smarter technology investments.

Qualifications

• Degree-level qualifications or equivalent professional experience.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and facilitation skills.
• Experience delivering enterprise architecture roadmaps and governance.

Responsibilities

• Define and mature enterprise architecture function, governance and standards.
• Develop roadmaps aligned to strategy and transformation priorities.
• Provide strategic leadership across business, data, applications, security, and technology.
• Advise senior stakeholders on investments and operating models.
• Support large-scale transformation programmes and digital initiatives.
• Drive simplification, integration and modernisation across the technology estate.
• Ensure programmes and procurements deliver value for money and strategic objectives.
• Shape future cloud services, AI, automation, cyber security and data platforms.
• Influence senior decisions through strong relationships.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic thinking

Business–IT alignment

Communication to non-technical

Governance and standards

Problem solving

Leadership

Education

Degree-level qualifications

TOGAF

ArchiMate

Microsoft Azure certifications

Cloud/security architecture certifications

Tools

Azure

TOGAF tools

Job description

We're looking for a Principal Enterprise Architect who can provide enterprise-wide architectural leadership, shape our future technology landscape, and help deliver our vision of becoming a truly digital organisation. As our Principal Enterprise Architect, you'll sit at the heart of strategic decision-making, shaping how business strategy, digital services, data, applications and technology come together to deliver real organisational value.

This is far more than a technical architecture role. You'll be a trusted adviser to senior leaders, helping translate strategic ambitions into practical, achievable outcomes while ensuring our technology investments are secure, sustainable, integrated and aligned with our long-term goals.

You'll lead the development of enterprise architecture principles, standards, capability models and future-state roadmaps, providing governance and assurance across major programmes, projects and technology investments. You'll also play a vital role in driving innovation, modernising legacy systems, reducing complexity and enabling smarter ways of working.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Defining and maturing PCH's enterprise architecture function, governance and standards
• Developing enterprise-wide architecture roadmaps aligned to organisational strategy and transformation priorities
• Providing strategic architectural leadership across business, data, application, security, integration and technology domains
• Advising senior stakeholders on technology investment decisions and future operating models
• Supporting large-scale transformation programmes and digital innovation initiatives
• Driving simplification, integration and modernisation across our technology estate
• Providing assurance that programmes, projects and procurements align with strategic objectives and deliver value for money
• Shaping the future of cloud services, AI, automation, cyber security, digital workplace technologies and data platforms
• Building strong relationships across the organisation and influencing decision-making at senior levels

We're seeking a strategic leader who can see the bigger picture while maintaining a clear focus on delivery.

You’ll have significant experience operating as an Enterprise Architect, Principal Architect or equivalent senior architecture professional, with a proven track record of influencing senior stakeholders and turning organisational strategy into practical, successful outcomes.

You'll bring:

• Extensive experience developing enterprise architecture frameworks, standards, governance and roadmaps
• Strong knowledge across business, data, application, integration, security and technology architecture
• Experience providing assurance across complex programmes, technology investments and procurements
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, influencing and facilitation skills
• The ability to communicate complex concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Strategic and systems-thinking capabilities, connecting people, process, information and technology to achieve business outcomes
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the confidence to challenge constructively and influence decision-making
• Degree-level qualifications or equivalent professional experience, alongside ongoing professional development
• Professional certifications such as TOGAF, ArchiMate, Microsoft Azure, cloud, security or data architecture certifications would be advantageous.

At Plymouth Community Homes, we're on an ambitious transformation journey. With over 16,000 homes and services supporting more than 35,000 people across Plymouth, we're investing in our future and using technology, data and innovation to drive better outcomes for our residents and colleagues.

This is an exciting opportunity to join an organisation with ambitious growth plans, a new long-term strategy and a genuine appetite for innovation and digital transformation.

At PCH, you'll have the freedom to shape enterprise architecture at a strategic level while continuing to develop your own professional expertise and leadership capability.

What we can offer you:

• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• Flexi-time opportunities
• Excellent pension scheme with generous employer contributions
• 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days, plus Bank Holidays