Head of Architecture - Specialty

Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 24,000 employees spanning over 56 countries.People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It's what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down headhunters for years. Whatever your priorities - work / life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering - you'll find like-minded people driving change at Howden. Role Howden is a collective - a group of talented and passionate people all around the world. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mind-set, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 20,000 employees spanning over 100 countries.Our people are our biggest asset as well as our largest shareholder group and are everything that makes us unique; our inclusive culture, the quality service we offer our clients, and our continued growth, all come from our people-first approach. There's no such thing as individual success. We all need to play our part, contributing our skills and experience to make a true difference. That's Howden.We have always been employee-owned and driven by entrepreneurial spirit. Right from the beginning, we've focused on employing talented individuals and empowering them to make a real difference to the company, whilst building successful and fulfilling careers at the same time. Simply put, we hire talented specialists and give them what they need to make a difference for clients. Always have, always will.People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It's what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down disappointed head-hunters for years. Whatever your priorities - work/life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering - you'll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.As the Head of Architecture (Specialty) , reporting into the Head of Group Architecture with a dotted line to Specialty CTO, you will lead the definition of the target architecture, architecture roadmaps and transition-state architectures for Howden Specialty. You will be a member of the Howden Group Architecture function with end-to-end architecture responsibility for the Specialty business, embedded in key Howden Specialty initiatives, working collaboratively with Specialty (UK and globally) business stakeholders and broader Group Services stakeholders to ensure the target architecture, roadmaps and transition-state architectures are aligned to Specialty needs and broader Group objectives. This is a technology and architecture leadership role ensuring alignment of Specialty target architecture and roadmaps to strategic Group objectives with a strong focus on maximising reuse of existing Howden Group capabilities and alignment to strategic Group initiatives.The role is expected to work collaboratively across Specialty business, Howden Group Services (including Group Risk, Legal, Finance, HR, IT, Security, Data etc), to ensure Specialty target architecture, solution architectures for key Specialty initiatives and roadmaps are aligned to Specialty requirements and broader Group objectives. This is both a strategic and hands-on leadership role, ideal for a technology and architecture leader with a strong understanding of Specialty (retail & wholesale) Insurance Broking domain with a special focus on strong London Market Specialty Broking business knowledge, London Market Insurance Broking systems and vendors, strong Enterprise Architecture management skills (including setting up and running Technical Design Authorities on major change programmes) and hands-on technical solution architecture experience ideally with good software engineering background. Develop and maintain Enterprise architecture assets for Howden Specialty e.g. capability models, architecture inventory of apps & tools, target-architecture artefacts, architecture roadmaps and transition-state architecture artefacts, solution architecture artefacts for key Howden initiatives, technical debt registers, consistently with Group Architecture practices, processes and tools Establish and run a delegated (from Group Architecture) architecture governance forum (i.e. Speciality Technical Design Authority) for Howden Speciality linked to Speciality IT change/release management Lead and champion the adoption and usage of strategic Group assets, technologies and tools Define Howden Specialty application integration strategy aligned to Group's strategic application integration capability i.e. Howden Digital Backbone Provide architecture, technology thought-leadership and architecture advisory (including IT Due Diligence support) for M&A initiatives and vendor selection for Specialty, aligned to Group policies and standards Provide technology and architecture direction and guidance for Specialty change initiatives ensuring alignment to broader Group strategic objectives and reuse of Group capabilities and assets Manage the delivery of solution architecture and technical oversight for all strategic Howden Specialty change initiatives Deliver high-level and detailed solution architecture for strategic Howden Specialty change initiatives, ensuring appropriate consideration of solution options where required, consistent review of solution options for strategic alignment and rigorous management of key design decisions, working with Specialty and Group stakeholders Provide timely reporting and escalation of architecture activities, architecture risks and issues to Group Head of Architecture As a member of Group Architecture leadership, drive continuous improvement of Group Architecture capability contributing to management of Group Architecture operations and key Group Architecture capabilities (including deployment and management of Architecture tooling, processes, architecture repositories and repository assets).As a senior member of the Group Architecture team, the Head of Architecture (Specialty) may be required to perform wider duties and tasks within the capabilities and responsibilities of the role.The ideal candidate will have proven architecture & technical leadership experience, with strong negotiation, influencing and communication & presentation skills, specifically ability to tailor messages to senior stakeholder and technical delivery teams. The role requires strong Specialty (London Market and globally) Insurance Broking domain knowledge with excellent knowledge of Specialty Insurance Broking systems, technologies (including emerging solutions) and vendor landscape. Key skills and experience for the role include: Strong Architecture and IT governance experience, specifically experience and skills establishing and running group-wide/global Architecture Review Boards, Design Authority for major change programmes etc. Strong business and systems analysis and design skills Enterprise Architecture and Solution Architecture skills using industry standard architecture frameworks and methodologies e.g. TOGAF Strong technical skills in defining systems and technology solution architecture using Microsoft Azure and Microsoft enterprise technologies. Strong technical skills in defining and systems and technology solution architecture using Salesforce technologies Strong technical skills in Enterprise-grade integration architecture including modern RESTful API approaches, event driven architecture, and traditional messaging, web services and ESB approaches. Excellent technical skills and awareness of enterprise-grade solution architecture skills with a focus on Enterprise Application integration