Divisional Enterprise Architect

Howden; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 260,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Howden Asia seeks an experienced Enterprise Architect to define and own the regional architecture, collaborating with country leaders and Group Architecture to deliver a modernization roadmap. The role is senior and hands-on, with a path to lead Asia’s architecture in a federated model.

You will apply Group standards, drive architectural governance, manage risks, and ensure security, resilience and regulatory alignment across Asian markets while growing a regional capability from the ground up.

Qualifications

• Strong grounding in enterprise architecture and roadmapping.
• Ability to win sponsorship from senior leaders and engage with Group Architecture.
• Familiarity with TOGAF, ArchiMate, C4 or equivalent frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Define regional enterprise architecture vision, principles and target-state roadmaps.
• Document current-state architecture across Asia for modernization.
• Lead modernization program through architecture governance gates and regional initiatives.
• Provide input on portfolio prioritization and major regional programs.
• Design multi-year modernization roadmap for back- and middle-office efficiency.

Skills

Enterprise Architecture

Roadmapping

Stakeholder Management

Architecture Frameworks

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Technology or Engineering

Advanced certifications (TOGAF/ArchiMate/C4)

Job description

At Howden, we employ talented individuals and empower them to make a real difference to the company, whilst building successful and fulfilling careers.

The entrepreneurial atmosphere is one of the biggest reasons people love to work for us. We are a leading independent, global insurance brokers but have a noticeably flat hierarchy. It doesn’t matter how junior or senior, anyone with a good idea will be heard. This means our employees can shape their own career paths and determine their own success.

This atmosphere attracts the brightest talent in the market. If that includes you, get in touch.

Job Role: Divisional Enterprise Architect

A LEADING GLOBAL INDEPENDENT BROKER

Howden is a specialist commercial insurance broker. Its regional footprint covers Singapore (regional headquarters), Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Japan and India. It is part of the London-headquartered Howden Broking Group, a leading independent, global broker with offices in over 55 countries worldwide. The Group is pursuing an ambitious 5 year growth agenda towards 2030.

The Opportunity:

This is a strategy and delivery role. You will define and own the regional enterprise architecture for Howden Asia and turn it into deliverable transformation across the region.

Asia today operates across eight geographic entities with fragmented business systems. That is the opportunity. Working with the entities, and aligned with the Group Architecture team, you will define the target-state, incorporating Group standards into Asia-appropriate patterns, and lead the delivery of the regional architecture roadmap. You will actively engage in delivery with local entity resource, third-parties and Group resource.

As the regional architecture matures and the modernization roadmap lands, you will grow from a founding, hands-on role into the architecture leader for Asia. You will not do this alone — you operate in a federated model: Group provides the framework, standards and architecture community; you drive the architecture on the ground in Asia.

Role Overview:

We are looking for an experienced enterprise architect for Howden Asia. This is a senior, hands-on role: you will define the architecture, work directly with country and regional leaders and Group Architecture to land it. It will suit someone ambitious who knows enterprise architecture well and wants to define and grow a regional capability from the ground up.

YOUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Architecture Strategy

• Develop the regional enterprise architecture vision, principles and target-state roadmaps, aligned with divisional and Group objectives.
• Document the current-state architecture across Asia entities as the foundation for modernization.

Demand and Delivery

• Set the regional architecture agenda with senior leaders (COOs, CCOs, CTOs) to prioritise the platform and integration moves that unlock 30/30 growth.
• Lead the architecture proposal for the Core Broking System Modernization Programme through the Group architecture gate and PIC submission, addressing local market, regulatory, operating-model, LoB and TOM variances across entities.
• Provide architecture input into portfolio prioritization, sequencing and major regional initiatives (transformation, M&A integration, platform modernization).
• Design the multi-year modernization roadmap for back- and middle-office efficiency supporting the 30:30 growth plan.
• Maximise leverage of Group shared platforms and services to reduce duplication across the Asia estate.
• Manage architectural risks, technical debt and long-term cost implications of design decisions.
• Promote system rationalisation, reuse and simplification across the regional estate.

Architecture Governance & Assurance

• Review solution designs and major initiatives for alignment with EA principles, Group standards and long-term sustainability.
• Ensure architecture appropriately considers security, resilience, scalability and regulatory requirements across Asia markets.
• Support lifecycle planning for legacy systems and drive sustainable transition strategies.

Working with Group

• Apply Group’s architecture frameworks, standards and patterns in-region, translating them into Asia-appropriate designs rather than building parallel governance from scratch.
• Serve as the primary regional interface to Group Enterprise Architecture, ensuring two-way alignment and transparency
• Engage actively in the Group architecture community, sharing knowledge and adopting best practice.

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL BE:

• Strong grounding in enterprise architecture and roadmapping, with a track record of delivered transformation.
• Strong commercial and influencing skills, able to win sponsorship from senior leaders (COOs, CTOs, CCOs) and engage credibly with Group Architecture.
• Familiarity with recognized architecture frameworks (e.g. TOGAF, ArchiMate, C4 or equivalents).
• Bachelor’s degree in Technology, Engineering or related discipline; advanced certifications preferred.
• Experienced in financial services, insurance, or similarly regulated environments.
• In-depth knowledge of the Asia insurance market and multi-country operating environments is essential.
• Experience building an architecture capability in an immature or greenfield environment.
• Able to balance strategic rigor with hands-on delivery, and comfortable navigating ambiguity in a fast-paced environment.
• A collaborative, enabling mindset and appetite for driving change.

YOUR BENEFITS AND SALARY:

• Commensurate with qualification and experience.
• Working in a collaborative environment with excellent learning opportunities.
• A mission-critical mandate with genuine scope to shape a regional capability, in close partnership with Howden’s Group Architecture leadership and global architecture community.