Hours: 35 Hours per week. Closing Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2026.
As a Senior Technology Architecture Manager, you will lead the Platform Architecture (L3) capability within Technology Services, providing deep technical and design leadership across cloud, infrastructure, colleague technology, digital, data, core banking and integration platforms. You will ensure designs are secure, scalable, resilient and cost‑effective, while aligning closely to Enterprise Architecture (L1) direction and Solution Architecture (L2) end‑to‑end designs. This role partners closely with Platform Owners and Engineering leaders to uplift non‑functional excellence, codify architectural guardrails, drive simplification and embed automation—directly supporting the TTR vision of improved flow, stronger engineering capability and more predictable value delivery. You will also act as a deputy for the Director of Technology when required.
Who are we?
Not just another building society. Not just another job. We’re the fourth biggest building society in the UK, and what makes us a bit different is that we’re a mutual organisation. We don’t have shareholders; we’re owned by our members. Our colleagues say Skipton is a great place to work, and you could be one of them — bringing new ideas on how we can keep customers at the heart of what we do. Whatever your background, and whatever your goals, we’ll help you take the next step towards a better future. Our aspiration is to treat Technology as a business in its own right — with a strong Office of the CIO and an architecture capability that enables us to make the right technology choices, not just for today but for the future growth of the Society. We are creating clearer ownership, stronger decision‑making and a more joined‑up view of technology across TTR by introducing senior leadership roles that support long‑term strategy and help unlock the full value of technology for our colleagues, customers and members.
What’s in it for you?
Skipton values work/life balance, and we are proud to support hybrid and flexible working where possible. Our newly refurbished head office offers a vibrant and collaborative working space.
Benefits
- Annual discretionary bonus scheme
- 25 days’ annual leave + bank holidays, rising by 1 day per year of service (up to 30 days)
- Holiday trading scheme, allowing you to buy and sell additional annual leave
- Matching employer pension contribution (up to 10% per annum)
- Colleague mortgage (conditions apply)
- Salary sacrifice scheme for hybrid & electric cars
- A commitment to training and development
- Private medical insurance for all colleagues
- 3 paid volunteering days per year
- Diverse and inclusive colleague networks including Carers and Pride Alliance
- Health and wellbeing support, including cycle‑to‑work scheme and discounted gym membership
What will you be doing?
Platform Architecture Leadership
Oversee platform architectures to ensure they are resilient, adaptable and future‑proofed to support long‑term business evolution and regulatory change.
Lead the definition and evolution of platform capabilities, developing clear north‑star visions and 3–5‑year maturity horizons.
Embed future‑ready design principles that avoid long‑term lock‑in and reduce fragility while enabling scalable growth.
Ensure architecture supports automation, reduced handoffs and enhanced flow efficiency.
Strategic Alignment & Governance
Govern architectural alignment across platforms and into Solutions Architecture to reinforce organisational coherence.
Identify duplicated patterns and technical debt, define transition states and simplification strategies.
Establish architecture guardrails, reference models and reusable patterns to increase consistency and decision quality.
Lead platform‑level architecture for SaaS integrations, including APIs, events, data contracts, identity and observability.
Strategic Delivery & Prioritisation
Play a central role in prioritisation forums such as LPM, Platform Councils and Strategy & Roadmap Planning.
Ensure decisions support short‑term business outcomes and long‑term enterprise direction.
Shape incremental migration paths that enable phased modernisation with reduced disruption.
Leadership & Capability Development
Lead, coach and mentor Platform Architects in strategic thinking, technical excellence and pragmatic delivery.
Maintain a forward‑looking view of technology trends and integrate relevant innovations into platform roadmaps.
Strengthen the architecture community across TTR, embedding shared standards and learning.
Collaboration & Enterprise Impact
Partner with ExCo, Directors, Platform Owners, Engineering and IT leaders to shape strategic capability uplift and investment decisions.
Ensure cohesive business, data, integration, application and technology architectures across value streams.
Maintain high‑quality architectural artefacts that guide both strategic planning and real‑time delivery.
What do we need from you?
Knowledge, skills & experience
- Extensive senior experience in architecture leadership roles (Enterprise, Head of Architecture, Chief Architect).
- Proven ability to develop, mature and lead architecture teams and communities.
- Experience working across large‑scale transformation programmes.
- Ability to influence senior stakeholders, including ExCo and ELT.
- Deep architectural modelling, conceptual thinking and simplification skills.
- Experience governing architecture across multiple business domains and technology stacks.
Behaviours
- Strategic thinker with a strong enterprise‑wide perspective.
- Naturally curious with a continuous‑learning mindset.
- Inspirational leader able to motivate teams and model thought leadership.
- Collaborative, pragmatic and outcomes‑focused.
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