Principal IT Architect | Architecture Governance & Strategy

Lincolnshire Co-op; Lincoln; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

34 days annual leave

Pension scheme with up to 12% employer

Generous colleague discounts

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Lincolnshire Co-op is seeking a Principal Architect to shape our technology estate and provide architectural governance across our stores, pharmacies, and services. You will review designs, maintain roadmaps, and drive standards while collaborating with Enterprise, Solution and Data Architects and external partners.

You will chair governance boards, balance immediate delivery with long-term health of systems, and lead the development of the Architecture function within the organisation.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in solution or application architecture.
• Experience with architecture governance, design authorities or architecture review boards.
• Ability to explain complex decisions clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience across packaged and bespoke business systems.

Responsibilities

• Review and approve solution designs from internal teams and delivery partners.
• Chair the Solution Review Board and contribute to Architecture Review Board standards and roadmaps.
• Maintain architecture records, application registers and decision logs.
• Identify architectural risks and long-term impact of design decisions.
• Lead and develop the Solutions Architect role within the team.
• Explain technical decisions to senior stakeholders across the Society.

Skills

Solution architecture

Architecture governance

Cloud architecture

Stakeholder communication

Team leadership

Risk management

Education

TOGAF certification (or equivalent)

Tools

Azure

Job description

Lincolnshire Co-op is seeking a Principal Architect to shape our technology estate and provide architectural governance across our stores, pharmacies, and services. You will review designs, maintain roadmaps, and drive standards while collaborating with Enterprise, Solution and Data Architects and external partners.

You will chair governance boards, balance immediate delivery with long-term health of systems, and lead the development of the Architecture function within the organisation.