Principal IT Solution Architect

The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited; Stratford-upon-Avon; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading insurance provider in the UK is seeking an experienced Principal IT Solution Architect to guide a major transformation programme. You will be responsible for shaping the technical vision, ensuring robust and strategically aligned solutions. This position requires deep expertise in enterprise architecture and strong team leadership skills. The company offers a competitive salary starting from £100,000 plus benefits including an annual bonus, pension scheme, and health insurance.

Benefits

Annual bonus up to 25%

Contributory pension scheme

Private medical insurance

28 days annual leave

Family Friendly policy

Gym membership contribution

Employee Volunteering days

Qualifications

• Proven experience in senior-level Enterprise or IT solution architecture.
• Experience leading teams of architects.
• Strong understanding of insurance business processes.

Responsibilities

• Shape and deliver the technical vision for the transformation programme.
• Act as the architectural authority for the programme.
• Mentor a team of architects and maintain design quality.

Skills

Enterprise architecture

Stakeholder management

Insurance industry knowledge

Team leadership

Strategic vision

Technical expertise

Education

Formal Architectural certification

Tools

SAFe certification

PMP certification

PRINCE2 certification

Job description

NFU Mutual are seeking an experienced Principal IT Solution Architect, you will take a leading role in shaping and delivering the technical vision for a major transformation programme. This initiative focuses on modernising our insurance trading platform, implementing a digital customer portal, and strengthening our customer data mastering capabilities.

You will act as the architectural authority for the programme, ensuring technology solutions are robust, strategically aligned, and future-ready. Balancing immediate programme priorities with long-term enterprise objectives, you will provide the architectural leadership needed to deliver solutions that not only meet business needs but also drive sustainable value.

This role demands a strong blend of technical expertise, strategic vision, and senior stakeholder engagement. You will collaborate with business leaders, programme sponsors, and delivery teams to influence decision-making, align initiatives with enterprise roadmaps, and ensure architectural consistency across all programme workstreams.

In addition to setting the architectural direction, you will guide and mentor a team of architects (both internal and partner resources), fostering best practices and maintaining high standards of design quality and governance.

Responsibilities and Qualifications

You are a highly capable and strategic IT professional, combining leadership, influencing, and negotiating skills with strong stakeholder engagement and relationship-building abilities. You bring deep expertise in enterprise and solution architecture, applying strategic thinking and planning to deliver robust, business-aligned solutions.

• Proven experience in senior level Enterprise or IT solution architecture in a leadership role (e.g. Principal / Lead Architect / CTO) within major transformations is essential.
• Experience in stakeholder management and engagement up to C suite is essential.
• Experience of leading teams of experienced architects.
• Strong understanding of insurance business processes, regulatory requirements and industry standards.
• Extensive experience within insurance system re-platforming is required
• Formal Architectural certification highly desirable
• Product, Project or programme management experience / certification (e.g., SAFe, PMP, PRINCE2, MSP) is a plus.

About the Company

We're one of the UK's leading general insurance and financial services companies. For over 110 years we've put our customers at the heart of everything we do. Our people are just as important to us.

We pride ourselves on being "a great place to work" and our Gallup Exceptional Workplace 2025 award was not only awarded with Distinction but also named us as the first UK-based company to receive a Gallup Exceptional Workplace for ten years in a row.

Benefits and Rewards

When you join our team, you can expect a supportive culture and an attractive range of rewards and benefits including:

• Salary - from £100,000 (depending on experience)
• Annual bonus (up to 25% of salary)
• Contributory pension scheme, up to 20%, including your 8% contribution
• 28 days annual leave + bank holidays + buy/sell/save holiday trading scheme
• A Family Friendly policy that helps you balance your work and family responsibilities
• Private medical insurance + options to add family members
• Access to savings at High Street brands, travel and supermarkets
• £20 contribution to a monthly gym membership - subject to T&Cs
• Health and wellbeing plan - cashback for dentist, opticians, physio and more
• Employee Volunteering - volunteer in the community for one day each year
• Unlimited access to Refer a Friend £500 bonus scheme
• Life Assurance cover of 4 x salary
• Employee discounts of 15% on a range of NFU Mutual insurance policies.
• Salary sacrifice employee car scheme - subject to eligibility

We support an inclusive workplace and value all the differences that make us unique. We celebrate the creativity and innovation that comes from diverse perspectives and experiences and share a common vision of doing the right thing for our customers and employees.

We recognise that some candidates may experience barriers during the recruitment process. So, we encourage candidates to discuss any adjustments or accommodations they need to be the best they can be throughout our recruitment process.

We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, a Race at Work and Women in Finance Charter signatory and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, regardless of age, ethnicity, disability, neurodiversity, gender, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.