Technical Design Authority

Sword Group; Aberdeen City; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development

Flexible working

Generous benefits package

Job summary

Sword Group is seeking an experienced Technology Architecture Lead (TDA) to steer architectural direction for major strategic projects and digital transformation initiatives across our client base. You will define architectures, governance, and integrations, ensuring alignment with business requirements and security.

The role emphasizes collaborative leadership across networks, cloud, data, and applications within complex programmes.

Qualifications

• Strong architecture experience across Networks, Voice/UC, on-premise infrastructure, Data/IM, virtualised platforms, cloud services (SaaS, IaaS, PaaS), database technologies and Applications.
• Proven ability to design integrations, interfaces and enterprise data flows.
• Experience working within M&A environments.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts for diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead architectural direction of major strategic projects and digital transformation programmes.
• Create and maintain architecture diagrams based on business functions and portfolios.
• Ensure enterprise architecture standards and controls are embedded in all designs.
• Develop end-to-end designs including application, infrastructure, networks, data flows, APIs and integrations.
• Support and guide workstreams post-design to maintain alignment with architectures.
• Maintain focus on operational readiness, monitoring, resilience and cost ownership.
• Ensure customer business requirements are met and architectural compliance is validated for security.

Skills

Enterprise architecture

Networks

Cloud services

Data flows

APIs & integrations

M&A experience

Influence & governance

Stakeholder facilitation

Job description

Sword is a leading provider of business technology solutions within the Energy, Public and Finance Sectors, dedicated to driving transformational change for our clients. We leverage proven technology, specialist teams, and extensive domain expertise to create robust technical foundations across platforms, data, and business applications. Our mission is fueled by a passion for technology as a means to solve complex business problems and achieve our clients’ objectives.

About the role:

We have an opportunity for an experienced TDA to lead architectural direction of major strategic projects and digital transformation programmes, for the Sword customer base.

Architecture Definition & Governance

• Create and maintain architecture diagrams based on business functions and portfolios.

• Ensure enterprise architecture standards and controls are embedded in all designs.

• Develop designs, including end-to-end application architecture, infrastructure components, Network components, data flows, APIs and integrations.

• Support and guide network, applications and infrastructure workstreams post-design to maintain alignment with approved architectures.

• Maintain a focus on operational readiness, supportability, monitoring, resilience, transition to BAU, support costs, and ownership.

• Ensure the customer’s business requirements are met.

• Maintain and follow enterprise architecture standards.

• Support correct and accurate Integration with existing systems.

• Always aim to avoid unnecessary complexity.

• Aim to deliver value within budget and timescales.

• Strong architecture experience across Networks, Voice/UC, on-premise infrastructure, Data/IM, virtualised platforms, cloud services (SaaS, IaaS, PaaS), database technologies and Applications.

• Proven ability to design integrations, interfaces and enterprise data flows.

• Experience working within M&A environments.

• Ability to translate complex technical concepts for diverse audiences.

• Strong facilitation, documentation and governance skills.

• Collaborative, pragmatic and confident in leading cross-functional decision-making.

• Collaborative approach, working in large programmes providing support and direction.

• Maintain architectural compliance, while Validating compliance with security requirements.

At Sword, our core values and culture are based on caring about our people, investing in training and career development, and building inclusive teams where we are all encouraged to contribute to achieve success.We offer comprehensive benefits designed to support your professional development and enhance your overall quality of life. In addition to a Competitive Salary, here’s what you can expect as part of our benefits package:

• Personalised Career Development: We create a development plan customised to your goals and aspirations, with a range of learning and development opportunities within a culture that encourages growth.
• Flexible working: Flexible work arrangements to support your work-life balance. We can’t promise to always be able to meet every request, however, are keen to discuss your individual preferences to make it work where we can.
• A Fantastic Benefits Package: This includes generous annual leave allowance, enhanced family friendly benefits, pension scheme, access to private health, well-being, and insurance schemes.

At Sword we are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, ensuring that all applicants receive fair and equal consideration for employment, regardless of whether they meet every requirement. If you don’t tick all the boxes but feel you have some of the relevant skills and experience we’re looking for, please do consider applying and highlight your transferable skills and experience. We embrace diversity in all its forms, valuing individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. Your perspective and potential are important to us.

If we can do anything to help make the hiring process more accessible, please let our talent acquisition team know when you apply so we can support any adjustments.