Role Description

As Principal Enterprise Architect you will own the preparation of architecture, blueprints, roadmaps and standards, which support the business functions at an enterprise level; aligning people, process and technology to the Allianz UK Business and Group IT strategy.

Working closely with the business and IT teams across Allianz, you will be responsible for the alignment of the IT Strategy to the day to day standards and practises adopted across Allianz in both the 'Run' and 'Change' parts of the organisation.

You will ensure the best deployment of the Companies capabilities and investment across the Group in terms of IT processes, systems and technologies, and ensuring these are appropriately aligned to Allianz business priorities and needs.

Using internal and external trends, you will provide the organisation with opportunities to support the business strategy; influencing the change portfolio to drive the realisation of business value; and acts as a catalyst for business transformation.

A particular focus of the role is to ensure consistency of direction and choices for the technology landscape for Allianz, avoiding and removing unnecessary differences and duplication and ensuring that systems integrate together as they need to.

You will also act as a lead consultant for a business domain  to support and advise senior stakeholders (up to and including C-level)  in their decision making around Business Strategy and initiative  delivery. 

This role reports directly to the Head of Enterprise Architecture or a Principal Enterprise Architect.

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Salary Information

Pay is based on relevant experience, skills for the role, and location. Salary is only one part of our total reward package.

Key Accountabilities

Strategic Activities

• Working with others in the Enterprise Architecture  function, develop the IT Strategy based on the agreed Allianz Operational Strategies.
• Developing multi-year strategies and implementation roadmaps for various business units across the enterprise.
• Leading conversations with the business to identify, and assess appropriate technology and systems change initiatives in the context of the business and IT strategy.
• Understands disruptive forces and the business's economic and financial position that could be susceptible to transformation in order to guide investment decisions.
• Provides perspective on the readiness of the organisation to change and innovate in line with the Business and IT strategies
• Planning and managing the continual improvement of the overall technology architecture via projects and programmes in line with Allianz' strategic goals.

Facilitate Innovation

• Assesses disruptive forces impacting the organisation and identifies technology-enabled innovation opportunities that enable business strategy.
• Scans emerging technologies and the business ecosystem for major disruptive technology and non-technology trends that affect the business.  Provides practical advice and best practices to take advantage of new, or emerging, opportunities and deliver business outcomes.
• Tracks and applies innovative technologies, anchoring them in the business and operating model to assess their potential.

Management Activities

• Developing and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders including UK OE Business teams, H4, Allianz Technology, strategic suppliers and internal technology teams  .
• Reviewing reports on business & operational architecture, including key issues, change initiatives and escalation of design decisions.
• Forming part of the Architecture Design Authority for a given architecture domain or domains.
• Providing a level of oversight and support for programmes and projects and their associated architecture deliverables and ensures that appropriate architectural governance is followed.
• Designing and maintaining enterprise architecture blueprints and roadmaps.
• Ensuring enterprise architecture artefacts, frameworks and patterns are developed and maintained as references for the development teams across IT.
• Identifying all areas of risk, including Architectural, Technical and Security, and manages them with the co-operation of the appropriate stakeholders, initiating appropriate work to address these or escalates as necessary.
• Providing Architectural guidance and consultancy to the Allianz Technology solution and technical architecture teams and other areas of IT and the organisation as required.
• Providing technology, architecture, business and design expertise to business and project teams, including business case and design reviews, to ensure alignment of deliveries with overall business operational and technical strategies.
• Establishing and managing standards for all key aspects of technology.
• Establishing and managing systems documentation across Allianz to ensure that software and licence lifecycles are managed effectively, that system interfaces are understood and the functional purpose of each system is clearly identified.
• Ensuring optimisation of major software licensing contracts in conjunction with Vendor Management - demonstrate best value utilisation of software.
• Ensuring optimisation of the deployment / delivery of infrastructure within aligned to the business plans and system needs, the choice of equipment, ownership models and use of external vs internal resources.
• Coaches members of the EA team on own area of expertise as required and mentors as requested.

Common Activities

• Establishing, Managing and Chairing architecture / design/ governance meetings as needed.
• Encouraging high quality standard of solution architecture across all business and technology projects, weighed against the tactical demands of programme delivery on the basis of what is best overall for the Company.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships across the organisation.
• Building strong awareness of the Allianz business in the UK and globally.
• Participating and driving the Enterprise Architecture Community of Practice.
• Contributing to wider Allianz Group Enterprise Architecture initiatives were appropriate and championing the UK OE in such conversations.
• Enhancing their skills through continual learning, application of the Personal Development Plan, and keeping abreast.
• Ensuring staff are recruited in order to fulfil the requirements of the function, and maintain effective performance measurement, management and development procedures.
• Partnering with colleagues across the business (Change, IT, Facilities and Data) in the effective delivery of all BAU IT services and project and programme related activities.
• Lead the development of Enterprise Architecture Services, ensuring they align with the needs or the organisation and key stakeholders.

IT Risk and Controls

• Accountable for feeding into IT Risk and controls processes for all things related to architecture.
• Accountable for managing risks relevant to their area and ensuring that the IT Risk log is kept up to date, risks are assigned, owned and mitigated within the team.
• Identifying all areas of risk, including Architectural, Technical and Security, and manages them with the co-operation of the appropriate stakeholders, defining appropriate work to address these or escalate as necessary.

IT Security and Access Controls 

• Accountable for ensuring security is considered as part of the design and delivery process in consultation with the CISO function

Budget and Cost Control

• Ensuring project costs within the Enterprise Architecture team are in line with expected budgets for the solution.
• Supporting the annual budgeting processing to prepare high level estimates for initiatives on change roadmaps.

Technical Skills

• Excellent analytical skills, including the ability to understand business processes and models.
• Ability to convey Architecture through the use of a variety of communication techniques.
• Deep knowledge of IT technologies and technical architectures.
• Has end to end project lifecycle experience as a lead architect.
• Able to demonstrate mastery of managing the trade-offs that may be necessary between concept and delivery.
• Commercially savvy - able to work with suppliers and other Allianz teams to deliver the best value for Allianz overall.
• Deep Insurance knowledge in at least one domain, ideally more.
• Broad and deep technology and architecture knowledge.
• Knowledge of software as a service (SaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), API's, microservices, event-driven communication and predictive analytics.
• Owning and understanding business priorities; Negotiating changes with projects & programmes; Being seen as a point of expertise and trusted advisor to both business and IT staff.
• Deep understanding of solutions available in the market.
• Deep understanding of IT risk management processes.
• Management of third parties - be they onshore, near-shore or offshore.
• IT contract & License management and negotiation experience.

Experience

• Operating at a senior level in Enterprise Architecture ideally within a regulated industry, financial services desirable.
• Working closely with, and influencing, senior stakeholders across a large multi-national commercial organisation.
• Coaching technical delivery resources to ensure the appropriate interpretation and adoption of architecture standards.
• Interpreting and applying architecture standards and blueprints set out by a large parent organisation.
• Reviewing and quality assuring architectural and design artefacts and processes.
• Operating as a Senior Enterprise Architect or Senior Solution Architect ideally within an Insurance industry

What We Will Offer You

Recognised and rewarded for a job well done, we have a range of flexible benefits for you to choose from- so you can pick a package that's perfect for you. We also offer flexible working options, global career opportunities across the wider Allianz Group, and fantastic career development and training. That's on top of enjoying all the benefits you'd expect from the world's number one insurance brand, including:

• Flexible buy/sell holiday options
• Hybrid working
• Annual performance related bonus
• Contributory pension scheme
• Development days
• A discount up to 50% on a range of insurance products including car, home and pet
• Retail discounts
• Volunteering days

Our Ways of Working

Do you need flexibility with the hours you work? Let us know as part of your application and if it's right for our customers, our business and for you, then we'll do everything we can to make it happen. Here at Allianz, we are signatories of the ABIs flexible working charter. We believe in supporting hybrid work patterns, which balance the needs of our customers, with your personal circumstances and our business requirements. Our aim with this is to help innovation, creativity, and you to thrive - Your work life balance is important to us.

Integrity, Fairness, Inclusion & Trust

At Allianz, we believe in fostering an inclusive workforce and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Our commitment to equal opportunities, gender equity, and balanced gender representation, is demonstrated by our numerous accreditations: EDGE certified for gender inclusion, Women in Finance Charter members, Disability Confident employer, Stonewall Diversity Champion, Business in the Community's Race at Work Charter signatories, and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard employer.

We embrace neurodiversity and welcome applications from neurodivergent and disabled candidates, offering tailored adjustments to ensure your success.

We encourage our employees to advocate for their needs, whether it's assistive technology, ergonomic equipment, mentoring, coaching, or flexible work arrangements.

Accessible Application for All

As part of the Disability Confident Scheme, we support candidates with disabilities or long-term health conditions through the Offer an Interview Scheme, for those meeting the essential skills for the role.

Contact our Resourcing team to opt into this scheme or for assistance with your application, including larger text, hard copies, or spoken applications.

Hr-recruitment@allianz.co.uk

For any inquiries or to submit your application, please contact: Scott Burns

Closing date 20/01/2026

We reserve the right to close the advert early if we reach enough applications.

Join us - Let's Care for Tomorrow.

88854 | IT & Tech Engineering | Professional | Allianz Executive | Allianz UK | Full-Time | Permanent

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