Principal Architect in RTGS Technology

The Real Time Gross Settlement service (RTGS) and CHAPS, the wholesale payment service are key to the UK's economy. Over £775 billion is settled each day across this critical national infrastructure. We are in the process of an exciting and transformational programme to renew RTGS, enhancing not just resilience but also promoting completion and innovation! And we are leading policy work to understand future demand for payments and international efforts to enhance cross-border payments. Role and responsibilities This role reports into the Head of the Technology Strategy and Architecture division with services provided by the role and its reports, along with day to day management, delivered in the RTGS Technology Domain. The role will be focused on applying architectural risk assessments for all changes and releases to the RTGS technology platforms and applications, including business as usual changes. The role will work with all of the RTGS technical teams in developing their component roadmaps. A key aspect of the role is to work with both business and operational policy areas to help them define and shape the future roadmap for RTGS over a multi-year horizon This will also require being clear on where architectural direction must be unique to the RTGS agenda and where it should align with the Bank's wider architectural direction or controls.The role will require a balance of strategic expertise and a material delivery attitude. While directive in nature, and with governance and control responsibilities, the role will exist in a delivery-oriented environment and is required to both 'lead through others' and participate 'hands-on'. This role requires confidence, leadership, and excellent communication skills. You will need to influence senior management and facilitate the development of technology enabled strategies and investments with the business. In this role, you are responsible for:-

• Subject matter expertise for the RTGS technical estate, informing, shaping, supporting and challenging both technical and business area.
• Senior partner and peer influencing and management
• Supporting and directing any staff in your reporting line and ensuring adherence to any necessary standards practices
• Understanding the vision and direction for your domain, at the same time as feeding into and supporting relevant enterprise wide technical strategies, roadmaps and guardrails
• Playing the part of a key member of both the RTGS management team and the Technology Strategy & Architecture management team
• Participating and contributing to the Bank's current and future architectural governance processes and boards
• Representing RTGS as its Principal Architect in any discussion with colleagues from Technology Strategy and Architecture to both inform and support the development of its services and architectural practices
  
  Ability to understand the RTGS technology estate and its strategic direction
• Ability to develop, govern, and evolve target state architectures and supporting roadmaps. This with a focus on re-use, rationalisation, simplification, innovation, and other technological drivers as necessary
• Ability to influence business direction and translate associated business plans and requirements into supporting RTGS and broader enterprise strategies and other direction-setting artefacts
• Ability to shape the delivery of such directions either through projects or product and platform investments
• Ability to communicate and handle challenge on complex issues with Bank senior management, governance boards, and external authorities, anticipating risks and potential opportunities to challenge the status quo
• Ability to regularly demonstrate strategic thought leadership, articulating technical options and their business and operational trade-offs to Business leaders. This to meet their needs, ensure acceptance of downside trade-offs, and communicate the art of the possible where appropriate
• Ability to understand and assess business as usual changes - providing assurance and controls on changes being implemented
• Ability to build effective networks at senior levels to drive credibility
• Ability to mentor, coach, develop, and lead teams, and own or support recruitment
• A sound understanding of system quality characteristics and their implications for a business and its operations
Desirable criteria:
• Ability to think critically, to develop long term strategies and target and transitional states, and to advocate those directions with business partners
• Ability to effectively manage and support a breadth of collaborators and demonstrate understanding of their expectations
• A sound general knowledge of IT and technology solutions and paradigms, and to speak to the appropriateness or otherwise of their use in varying contexts.
• A sound understanding of the relevant legislation and compliance for the domain
• A solid experience of standard architectural and delivery frameworks and methodologies
• A solid experience of manging direct reports and owning line management responsibilities
• Ability to scenario plan, both formally and informally, in order to anticipate problems, issues and identify mitigating paths and solutions
• Ability to self-manage and self-motivate
Our Approach to Inclusion

The Bank values diversity, equity and inclusion. We play a key role in maintaining monetary and financial stability, and to do that effectively, we believe we need a workforce that reflects the society we serve. At the Bank of England, we want all colleagues to feel valued and respected, so we're working hard to build an inclusive culture which supports people from all backgrounds and communities to be at their best at work. We celebrate all forms of diversity, including (but not limited to) age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. We believe that it's by drawing on different perspectives and experiences that we'll continue to make the best decisions for the public. We welcome applications from individuals who work flexibly, including job shares and part time working patterns. We've also partnered with external organisations to support us in making adjustments for candidates and employees in the recruitment process where they're needed. For most roles where work can be carried out at home, we aim for colleagues to spend half of their time in the office, with a minimum of 40% per month. Subject to that minimum requirement, individuals and managers should work together to find what works best for them, their team and stakeholders.

This role offers a salary of circa. Leeds ranging from £82,840 to £95,580 and London from £92,040 to £106,200. We encourage flexible working, part time working and job share arrangements. Part time salary and benefits will be on a pro-rated basis as appropriate. In addition, we also offer a comprehensive benefits package as detailed below:
• A non-contributory, career average pension giving you a guaranteed retirement benefit of 1/95th of your annual salary for every year worked. There is the option to increase your pension (to 1/50th) or decrease (to 1/120th) in exchange for salary through our flexible benefits programme each year.
• A discretionary performance award based on a current award pool.
• A 8% benefits allowance with the option to take as salary or purchase a wide range of flexible benefits.
• 26 days' annual leave with option to buy up to 12 additional days through flexible benefits.
• Private medical insurance and income protection.
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