Senior IT Solution Architect

NFU Mutual; Stratford-upon-Avon; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

£85,000 - £100,000 salary

Annual bonus up to 25%

Contributory pension scheme

28 days annual leave

Private medical insurance

Gym membership contribution

Employee discounts

Job summary

A leading UK financial services organization is seeking a Senior Solution Architect to drive technology transformation focusing on cyber security. This hybrid role involves supporting the IT Cyber Security program, developing solution architectures, and collaborating with stakeholders to deliver effective architectural outcomes. Candidates should have a strong background in IT architecture and cyber security, along with relevant certifications. The position offers a salary of £85,000 - £100,000 and includes various benefits, such as a contributory pension scheme and annual bonus.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in Cyber Security solutions and IT architecture.
• Experience delivering solutions across hybrid environments.
• Familiarity with IT security best practices.

Responsibilities

• Support the IT Cyber security programme.
• Develop cyber security solution architectures.
• Work closely with IT and business stakeholders.

Skills

Cyber Security knowledge

Stakeholder management

Architecture standards

Agile methodology

Decision-making

Education

Relevant certifications (e.g., TOGAF, ITIL)

Experience in IT Solution architecture

Tools

Azure

AWS

Job description

• Be the strategic force behind technology transformation at NFU Mutual
• Possess current knowledge of the cyber security landscape, including leading technologies and industry trends.
• Hybrid role based out of our Head Office in Stratford-upon-Avon

About the role

NFU Mutual currently has a vacancy for a Senior Solution Architect to support the ongoing development of the IT Cyber architecture for NFUM. This role will be working within the IT architecture team, directly supporting the NFUM IT Cyber Security programme which includes specialists in different architecture and business domains whilst reporting to the Solution Architecture Manager.

The primary responsibility will be to provide support to the NFUM IT Cyber security programme, liaising with other specialists from within the architecture team and programme as appropriate, to develop cyber security solution architectures, create associated solution architecture artefacts and provide solution architecture support to the programme. The role will also be responsible for contributing to and authoring architecture artefacts, such as solution outline definitions, roadmaps, standards and patterns under the guidance and with support of the lead programme Architect.

As a Senior Solution Architect, you will be working closely with IT and business stakeholders, third‑party suppliers, and fellow architects, you will enable effective architectural change, act as an escalation point for complex technical issues, and contribute to the ongoing development of architecture standards and strategy. You will also bring thought leadership on emerging technologies, trends, and best practices to continually evolve the organisation’s technology landscape. Additionally, the successful candidate will be capable of working on other IT projects and programmes outside the cyber security as and when required.

About you

You excel at managing and influencing a wide range of stakeholders, building strong, credible relationships across business, IT, and third‑party partners to shape and deliver effective architectural outcomes. You are highly collaborative, working closely with delivery teams and fellow architects to co‑create end‑to‑end solutions that balance strategic intent with practical delivery. You bring confident, well‑reasoned decision‑making to complex architectural challenges, able to assess options, and provide clear direction. Through your ability to influence and challenge constructively, you guide stakeholders towards sound architectural decisions that align with governance, standards, and long‑term business goals.

The successful candidate should ideally have:

• Good understanding and interest in the Cyber Security technology landscape and industry trends.
• Knowledge of market leading Cyber Security technologies & architectures
• Demonstrable experience of both IT Solution architecture delivery and specifically within the area of Cyber Security solutions, including awareness of the latest techniques, standards and best practices used.
• Awareness of best practice in IT architecture - ideally with current industry standard certifications e.g. TOGAF Practitioner.
• Demonstrable experience and understanding of a broad range of IT technologies and domains including not only applications but also Infrastructure and Data.
• Good familiarity with IT security best practice for IT system and software development.
• Experience and knowledge of software, system and integration testing; including best practice and automation.
• Experience delivering solutions across hybrid environments, including on‑premise, Azure, AWS, and SaaS, with familiarity in both traditional and cloud‑native technologies.
• Good familiarity with IT architecture governance best practices.
• Demonstrable capability of effectively working with agile teams in a collaborative manner within a commercial environment.
• Experience of DevOps – including Configuration Management, Environment Management, Continuous Integration/Deployment and Release Management.
• Ability to identify and quantify key risks, including familiarity with risk management frameworks.
• Experience of translating business requirements into IT solutions and an ability to define the necessary NFRs to meet required business outcomes.
• Experience of working to tight deadlines and ability to perform under pressure.
• Qualifications & frameworks: Ideally hold relevant qualifications or practical exposure to recognised industry standards and ways of working, including TOGAF Practitioner, ITIL v4 Foundation, DevOps fundamentals, and Agile development frameworks (or equivalent experience).

At NFU Mutual, 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 a 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 and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, regardless of ethnicity, disability, gender, religion, sexual orientation, long‑term health, or Protected Characteristics.

Benefits and Rewards

• Salary – £85,000 - £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.

Working at NFU Mutual

We’re one of the UK’s leading general insurance and financial services organisations, and for over 110 years we’ve put our customers at the heart of everything we do. Our people are just as important to us, so we’re proud to be recognised as “a great place to work”.

Our Gallup Exceptional Workplace 2025 award was not only awarded with Distinction, but it also marked us as the first UK based company to earn a Gallup Exceptional Workplace award for ten consecutive years. We’ve also been consistently recognised by Glassdoor. We appeared in the Glassdoor Best Places to Work UK list in 2023, 2024 and 2026 — and in 2026, we were the highest ranked insurance business in the UK, highlighting our strong employee experience and the positive feedback our people share on the platform.

Additionally, we were named in the LinkedIn Top 15 Companies 2025 list of “Best midsize employers to grow your career in the UK”, and we’ve been certified as a UK Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026.

We offer a supportive and empowering culture where people are inspired to perform, given opportunities to grow, and recognised and rewarded for their contribution. Our people are proud to work for a company that respects them and their communities, and they trust us to be financially sustainable—so we’re successful now and in the future.