Solution Architect

An exciting role has arisen to join Admiral IT as Solution Architect. Admiral IT has a long history of supporting business innovation and bringing new products to market. As an example, the department completed a refresh of the core policy administration systems in 2016 to facilitate continued innovation within an increasingly digital marketplace.

The department continues to build on top of and around the core systems to bring more innovation and technical excellence, including Cloud adoption/migration, Big Data, machine learning and data analytics technologies and furthering our digital offerings with a focus on digital customer engagement.

About the role

The Solution Architects operate within the CTO function and take primary responsibility for the design and end to end solution for projects and programmes delivered through the Tribes, aligned to the Enterprise Principles, Roadmaps and Vision. The Solution Architects will champion technology standards, standard patterns and best practices. They will feed their depth of knowledge and expertise into the enterprise roadmaps and offer coaching and consultancy to the Tribes. Solution Architects will also take part in the governance forums to develop and ensure the ongoing conformity to the enterprise roadmaps and technology standards.

Reporting to the Head of Solution Architecture, the Solution Architect will provide the Tribes and large programmes with design support and consultancy for each delivery, will champion quality and sound, work with the senior engineers, Tech Leads and Heads of Tech to ensure roadmap alignment, act as the bridge between the tribes and architecture, and ensure optimal use of enterprise assets including conformity to technology standards. technology standards.

Responsibilities

• To act as a lead in the development of fit for purpose solutions with end-to-end responsibility including solution alignment to business requirements, technology selection, user experience, solution maintainability and ensuring the solution meets non-functional requirements (scale, performance, security).
• To work in tandem with the Enterprise and Domain Architects to understand the business goals and vision, and to contribute to the Enterprise Roadmaps.
• Work closely with the Tribe / Projects leads supporting them as required.
• Producing documentation of a high-quality and to a detailed level.
• Ensuring all Decision Points, Building Blocks, Design Principles, Design Rationale, and all interdependencies are understood, documented, and communicated across IT, where appropriate
• Proactively manage and address project risks and issues, escalating high priority issues to management with suggested solutions
• Provide consultancy services to internal customers by offering technical guidance, and ensuring architecture principles, design standards and operational requirements are met.
• Provide consultancy services and advice to senior developers, Tech Leads and Head of Tech.
• Ensuring delivery of projects on time and to budget, by adopting delivery-focussed Admiral working practices and methodologies.
• Maintain and comply with best standards and practices regarding both solution architecture deliverables and relevant governance frameworks.
• Chair and actively promote the Technical Design Authority forums and act as an escalation point for wider Enterprise governance.
• Keep the Head of Solution Architecture and the Chief Architect informed and updated as appropriate
• Contribute to the architecture repository, using approved modelling tools and language.

Requirements

• Proactive and will take initiative; able to gain an understanding of what needs to be done and deliver
• Focussed on delivering business value above technology or architectural purity
• Passionate about what they do
• A continual learner (inquisitive with a desire for self-improvement)
• Comfortable and willing to speak up / make their voice heard
• Self-motivated, creative, and highly disciplined
• Solutions driven
• Positive attitude and a team player
• Able to work with all levels of seniority across IT and the wider business
• Excellent communicator, verbal and written

Technologies

• Track record of solving complex problems.
• You will have worked with many technologies across all aspects of IT with demonstrable experience across much of our core technology, including:
• Azure and Google Cloud Platform
• Guidewire Insurance Suite
• Java, Spring, Angular
• Docker, Kubernetes, Jenkins, GitHub, SonarQube
• Elastic, Redis, Oracle, SQL Server
• vSphere, BigIP, F5, JBoss, RHEL, Windows Server, O365, AD, Citrix
• Terraform, Ansible
• You will be expected to maintain your expertise staying current in relevant technologies through research and other means
• You will have produced numerous technology documents including High Level Solution Designs and Solution Architecture documents
• You will champion and oversee the design, adoption, and implementation of best practices
• You will continuously identify and promote innovative ways of using technology to maximise business value

(We are happy to discuss remote working options, however the role will be UK based with some travel to our Cardiff office).

Why work for us?

Our culture is very important to us and is why Admiral has continually achieved a high ranking in the Great Places to Work Best Workplaces, (5th in 2020) every year since it was introduced in 2001, the only company to have done so.

There are other many benefits including:

• Working with a top-class team within an award winning FTSE100 company
• Working with cloud-based technologies and industry leading tools to solve exciting AI/ML challenges to maintain Admiral’s competitive advantage
• Be given the opportunity to work in a way that allows you to give your best including flexible working patterns and remote working
• Be part a company that is passionate about your development and your wellbeing
• Continually improve and evolve your skills through training, on-the-job experience, and collaboration with experts
• Share in the success of business though share/rewards scheme.

*Applications will be reviewed and first stage interviews will take place throughout February*

Salary, Benefits and Work-Life Balance

We do not have a set salary for this position, as it will be dependent on the successful candidate’s experience. We are happy to see CVs from all candidates who meet the requirements and will be happy to discuss the remuneration package.

At Admiral, we are proud to be a diverse business where we put our people and customers first. We have great benefits to ensure employees have a great work-life balance; it's one of the reasons we’re consistently voted one of the Sunday Times Best Big Companies to Work For in the UK. We want you to have an element of freedom to define a working lifestyle that supports this, so accommodate flexible hours wherever possible.

You can also view some of our other key benefits here; https://admiraljobs.co.uk/employee-benefits/.

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