Head of Architecture Practice

Helping over ten million people around the world manage their savings, retirement plans and life insurance requires a lot of people behind the scenes.  It’s up to us in L&G Group functions – which includes our tech and digital teams, Group Finance, HR, Risk and Corporate Affairs – to provide the essential support services that all areas of the business need, here in the UK and overseas. Simply put, we enable everyone at Legal & General to do what they do best. That means we’re helping to improve our customers’ lives and contributing to the success of the business every day.  

In Group Technology, we want to help you develop, both professionally and personally, which is why everyone gets at least 12 training days every year. You get to pick what you do, as long as it’s broadly relevant to our work or purpose.  You also get to be part of a community of people with similar skills and interests, so there’s always someone to help. We know our people thrive when they’re doing interesting work and succeeding, so we will stretch you on both ‘what’ you deliver and ‘how’ you deliver it. You’ll have regular performance conversations with your manager, but we’ll also empower you to be personally accountable to achieve great results for yourself, your team, Group Technology and our customers.

We’re looking for a Head of Architecture Practice to join Legal & General in either London, Hove or Cardiff.

You’ll play a key role in developing the practice of Architecture at L&G, creating an architecture community and facilitating consistent capability across c.300 architecture resources including 100 internal heads. In addition to this you’ll identify opportunities to increase efficiency / promote reuse, and properly embed Architecture-related IT controls.

What you'll be doing:

• Designing, developing and continuously improving Architecture services. This will take a collaborative approach to refine the Architecture services and engagement model to support strategic change initiatives, remove constraints and optimise solutions between internal customers, stakeholders, and technology teams
• Working in collaboration with the architecture leaders both within Group and across L&G to develop and implement reusable architecture assets and build these into a unified and complete library that can be used as a resource across L&G. Assets will include approaches, frameworks, reference models, templates and tools aligned with industry best practice
• Working with architecture teams, both within Group and the Divisions, to ensure that capability developed allows them to meet all architecture-related controls within L&G’s IT Control Framework, and more broadly reflects the relevant parts of the L&G’s IT Policies and Standards
• Acting as an ambassador and champion to cultivate relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders, including and most notably i) divisional IT Directors and COOs in order to generate consensus as to the practice of Architecture, and ii) external networks of business and technology advisors for applicable industry practices to ensure collaborative delivery of the strategy
• Ideating and implementing optimised operating models and ways of working that can be used by areas with Architecture capability, as required, so that they have outcomes in line with Legal & General’s commitment to delivering good customer outcomes
• Supporting the Group Chief Architect in day-to-day operation of the Group Architecture team. This includes determining and tracking metrics and OKRs, managing budget and financial plans, manging the architecture talent strategy (including career framework, skills framework, workforce analysis and planning), identifying dotted line relationships and facilitating collaboration with key teams outside Group Architecture, supporting supplier strategy and how we use external partners, and socialising the Architecture Value Proposition across L&G
• Supporting the Group Chief Architect by advising on the Group Architecture team design, ways of working, culture and brand so that it is optimised to deliver against business and technology priorities
• Designing the Office of Architecture (be these direct reports or through matrix management) and then building the capability of the team through effective management, coaching and role modelling that align to Legal & General’s behaviours

Who we're looking for:

• You’ll have proven experience of building and leading an Architecture practice in a consulting or financial services organisation
• You should also have experience of building excellent working relationships and networks with C-suite, board-level executives, and leadership teams across organisational boundaries
• Strong knowledge of Business & IT architecture design and key areas including Organisational Structures, Transformation, cloud, integration, data & innovation
• Knowledge and experience of IT industry standards and governance, suppler management best practice, methods and approaches
• Extensive people management experience and ability to manage multi-disciplinary teams, both through direct reporting lines and via matrix management
• TOGAF or similar certification preferred or equivalent experience

Whatever your role, we reward performance and behaviour with a package that looks after all the things that are important to you. Here are some of the benefits we offer: 

• The opportunity to participate in our annual, performance-related bonus plan and valuable share schemes  
• Generous pension contribution  
• Life assurance   
• Private medical insurance (permanent employees only) 
• At least 25 days holiday, plus public holidays, 26 days after 2 years’ service. There’s also the option to buy and sell holiday 
• Competitive family leave 
• Participate in our electric car scheme, which offers employees the option to hire a brand-new electric car through tax efficient salary sacrifice 
• There are the many discounts we offer – both for our own products and at a range of high street stores and online   
• In 2023, some of our workspaces were redesigned. Our offices are great spaces to connect and collaborate and have your wellbeing at the heart

Legal & General is a leading financial services organisation, named Britain’s Most Admired Company in 2023, for the second year running. Rated top in our sector and top for inspirational leadership, we have a strong heritage and an exciting future.  

We’re one of the world's largest asset managers, homebuilders, pension providers and insurers. Connecting to form a unique business model which drives value for our customers and society. And enabling our people to create impact through work that is meaningful and valued.  

If you join us, you’ll be part of a welcoming, inclusive culture, with opportunities to collaborate with people of diverse backgrounds, views, and experiences. Guided by leaders with integrity who care about your future and wellbeing. Empowered through initiatives which support people to develop their careers and excel.  

We strive to be open, mindful, and inclusive, so are always willing to discussing flexible working arrangements and reasonable accommodations for candidates with specific needs. It doesn’t matter if you don’t meet every single criterion in this advert. Instead, think about what you excel at and what else you can bring in terms of strengths, potential and connection to our purpose. 

If you’re open to find out more, we'd love to hear from you.