Principal System Architect

Job Description

We believe in better. And we make it happen. Better content. Better products. And better careers. Working in Tech, Product or Data at Sky is about building the next and the new. From broadband to broadcast, streaming to mobile, SkyQ to Sky Glass, we never stand still. We optimise and innovate. We turn big ideas into the products, content and services millions of people love. And we do it all right here at Sky.

This role sits within Enablement Platforms in UK&I Technology reporting into the Head of Software Engineering. It is at the heart of the Sky UK technology landscape that supports every major product and customer experience at Sky, responsible for customer management and engagement platforms powering Sky Glass, Sky Q, Mobile, Broadband & Talk, Sky Protect, and exciting future products. You’ll work closely with the wider Architecture, Engineering and Product communities, taking ownership, bridging gaps between teams, championing our platforms, and ensuring the opportunities and benefits for technical and operational simplification are translated into clear, compelling narratives for all levels of stakeholders.

We are looking for someone who thinks strategically, thrives on solving complex problems creatively, has an eye for detail, and enjoys helping others succeed. You can balance quality, performance, and maintainability while delivering on time; you enjoy breaking down complex solutions into well‑understood, manageable technology change and you have a proven track record of orchestrating and guiding multiple disciplines and teams to deliver technology change that realises tangible business benefit.

What You’ll Do

• Define enabler features to drive the technology roadmap for your agile release train.
• Own the technology strategy and vision and systems architecture runway for your agile release train, informed by the wider technology strategy.
• Engage with wider architecture, engineering and product teams to gain consensus on approach. Participate in relevant technology forums and governance.
• Ensure system architecture is ready for PI planning and work closely with engineering teams to ensure understanding of the capability changes proposed.
• Work closely with solution architecture and engineering to ensure that change to shared capabilities is carefully coordinated and well communicated.
• Take accountability for strategic initiatives, shared capabilities, and cross‑cutting objectives driven from the platform portfolio, while ensuring alignment and effective coordination within the respective product portfolio.
• Work closely with engineering teams throughout each PI to assist in the delivery of the work.
• Support the breakdown of capabilities into features.

What You’ll Bring

• Experience working within an agile framework, at scale with demonstrable experience of how to align systems architecture considerations with agile principles and practices.
• Experience of strong and close communication, collaboration, and team skills with both technology and business stakeholders.
• A deep understanding and proven experience of technology architecture and frameworks including technology change and delivery lifecycles.
• Broad and varied technology experience across architectural domains (e.g. data, infrastructure, integration, security, customer management, digital, app).
• Significant experience in a systems and engineering design background.
• Significant experience in a senior architecture or engineering role.
• Experience of customer relationship management systems architecture including customer engagement, commerce and fulfilment domains.
• Line management experience or a willingness to support direct reports.
• Nice to have: Experience in media and/or telecoms industry.

The Rewards

• Sky Q, for the TV you love all in one place.
• The magic of Sky Glass at an exclusive rate.
• A generous pension package.
• Private healthcare.
• Discounted mobile and broadband.
• A wide range of Sky VIP rewards and experiences.

Inclusion & How You’ll Work

We are a Disability Confident Employer, and welcome and encourage applications from all candidates. We will look to ensure a fair and consistent experience for all, and will make reasonable adjustments to support you where appropriate. Please flag any adjustments you need to your recruiter as early as you can.

We’ve embraced hybrid working and split our time between unique office spaces and the convenience of working from home. You’ll find out more about what hybrid working looks like for your role later on in the recruitment process.

Your Office Space

Livingston Watermark House – lively campus with free shuttle to Livingston North train station and town centre, on‑site parking for cars, motorbikes and bicycles. Osterley – 10‑minute walk to Syon Lane train station, free shuttle to various tube stations, bike shelters and showers, 13 subsidised restaurants, cafés, Waitrose, gym, cinema, beauty salon. Leeds – tech hub under a mile from Leeds train station, parking in surrounding streets and at CitiPark, pool, table tennis, gym.

Application Details

If you believe in better, we’ll back you all the way. Just so you know: if your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a criminal record check. And depending on the role you have applied for and the nature of any convictions you may have, we might have to withdraw the offer.

Seniority Level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment Type

Full‑time

Job Function

Engineering and Information Technology

Industries

Broadcast Media Production and Distribution

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