Principal Architect

Phoenix Group is seeking three Principal Architects to join their Business & Enterprise Architecture team, playing a vital role in aligning IT capabilities with business strategies. The positions are permanent and can be based in Birmingham, Telford, London, or Edinburgh, offering a salary between £70,000 and £95,000, alongside a substantial benefits package. Candidates should possess a strong understanding of enterprise architecture frameworks, experience in developing roadmaps, and the ability to provide consultative advice. Phoenix Group promotes an inclusive workplace and encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds. The application deadline is 27 June 2025.

The Principal Architect plays a key role in aligning IT capabilities to business strategies and overseeing execution. The Principal Architect role owns the definition, planning and governance of the Target States, associated Roadmaps and transition states across a given scope.
We have an incredible opportunity to join us here at Phoenix Group for x3 Principal Architects to join our Business & Enterprise Architecture team.
Job Type: Permanent
Location: This role could be based in either our Birmingham, Telford, London or Edinburgh offices with time spent working in the office and at home.
Closing Date: 27/06/2025
Salary and benefits: £70,000- £95,000 plus an indicative bonus range of 30%-60%, private medical cover, 38 days annual leave, excellent pension, 12x salary life assurance, career breaks, income protection, 3x volunteering days and much more.
Who are we?
We want to be the best place that any of our 6,600 colleagues have ever worked.
We’re Phoenix Group, we’re a long-term savings and retirement business. We offer a range of products across our market-leading brands, Standard Life, SunLife, Phoenix Life and ReAssure. Around 1 in 5 people in the UK has a pension with us. We’re a FTSE 100 organisation that is tackling key issues such as transitioning our portfolio to net zero by 2050, and we’re not done yet
The role
The Principal Architect plays a key role in aligning IT capabilities to business strategies and overseeing execution. The Principal Architect role owns the definition, planning and governance of the Target States, associated Roadmaps and transition states across a given scope. Scope may be a major or complex programme of work, a technology architecture domain or a Value Centre – providing solution oversight, ensuring solutions delivery is executed in line with published roadmaps and standards.
Principal Architect role owns the definition, planning and governance of the Target States, associated Roadmaps and transition states across a given scope including:
– Formulation of strategy and setting direction – Design, plan and articulate the planned evolution of the IT Architecture for the given scope
– Building and maintaining relationships with business leaders, product managers and product owners
– Facilitate innovation – Identify technology enabled innovation opportunities that enable business strategies
– Orchestrating the delivery of business outcomes – Provide consultative advice, adapted to stakeholder context, and Influence and guide AOP investment decisions.
– Guiding Execution – Working closely with, supporting and guiding the solution architects working across Change and Engineering Delivery
– Proactive Application Portfolio Management – Managing the data that provides visibility into our technology estate, the positioning of technology.
What are we looking for?
– A strong understanding of enterprise architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF, Zachman) with the ability to leverage this knowledge and drive strategic alignment and ensure efficient enterprise architecture practices.
– Demonstrable experience of working closely with strategic 3rd parties to ensure solutions are architected in alignment with group architectural blueprints and roadmap
– Comprehensive experience of developing roadmaps and transition States which enable the Target State to be realised in a controlled but timely manner
– Extensive experience in providing consultative advice, adapted to stakeholder context, and provide actionable recommendations to influence and guide technology investment decisions.
– Proficiency in process mapping and optimization techniques.
– Proven experience of driving execution of change to deliver the strategy outcomes, reduce risk, contain cost, improve agility and accelerate time to value
We want to hire the whole version of you.
We are committed to ensuring that everyone feels accepted and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. If your experience looks different from what we’ve advertised and you believe that you can bring value to the role, we’d love to hear from you.
If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, please let us know so we can help you to be at your best.
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