Technical Architect   

Job Title            Technical Architect    

Reports To        Head of Architecture 

Location           Bradford

Job Code          IST051-2

Grade                M3

Department & Function           Technology, Digital & Transformation

Role Purpose

Advise, assist and co-ordinate integration of new and enhanced applications into the technology architecture, acting as the technical lead in architecture ensuring a consistent approach and build practices are assured, compatible with IT strategy; and consistent with vendor standards. To contribute proactively ensuring a high-quality IT service is maintained.

Role Accountabilities

Technical Assurance

• Conduct thorough reviews of technical designs and architectural documentation to ensure alignment with project requirements, best practices, and industry standards.
• Identify and address potential design flaws, security vulnerabilities, and scalability concerns during the early stages of the project.
• Design, Specify or Coding of complex, specialist or critical elements of applications/platform services.

Quality Assurance

• Establish and influence coding standards, best practices, and architectural guidelines to maintain code quality and consistency across development teams.
• Conduct code reviews to identify and rectify potential issues related to coding standards, performance, and maintainability.

Relationship Management

• Manage stakeholders, ensuring effective and timely communication, realistic expectations and displaying a positive ‘growth mindset'.
• Liaise with internal subject matter experts/Independent 3rd Party Software Vendors/Strategic software partners on matters within their area of expertise, to understand business needs and support efficient problem resolution.
• Act as expert technical consultant in the areas of software development, platform considerations and architectural issues.

Personal

• Maintain a good awareness of developments across the IT industry in technologies, tools and techniques.
• Supervise, organise and control the work of others as and when required.
• Manage engagements on smaller projects and technical change initiatives
• Providing coaching/training to less experienced colleagues and senior business stakeholders

Best Practice

• Set best practices and standards for software development, supervise and verify results of feature development and extension of MS Dynamics, Azure PaaS and bespoke software solutions. Develop, or contribute to, software peer review, development practices, security standards, software releases and technology strategy.
• Point of contact for assistance in resolving complex technical problems and using awareness of business/commercial impact, prioritises own and others workloads.
• Proactive contribution to improving the effectiveness of IT, promoting good practice throughout the department.

General

• To be committed to good outcomes for customers at all times
• Ensure compliance with all applicable UK and local regulations, Company Policies and FCA Conduct Rules
• Demonstrate behaviours in line with our Company values
• To take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and other persons who may be affected by acts and omissions at work

Person Specification

Role Related Skills, Specialist Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Basic user of Word, Excel, able to set up tables, spreadsheets, graphs etc (S)
• Basic commercial understanding of business and retailing. (K)
• Previous role held, work placement or part time role in a commercial or retail environment. (E)

Technical Knowledge

• Excellent relevant development skills including some/all of analysis; design, specification; programming; testing, implementation. (S)
• Confident and proficient in the application of structured methods, tools and techniques

Best Practice

• Able to contribute positively across differing Software Development Lifecycles, Application architectures and associated development tools, techniques and methods.

Problem Solving

• Strong planning, analytical and reporting skills, able to assimilate complex information and present concise reasoned recommendations.

Communication

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, able to engage effectively at all levels, both internally and with 3rd parties.

Business Knowledge

• Good awareness of retail and financial services business operations and how these are supported by IT systems.

Strategic thinking skills, able to place FGH

• IT activity and broader industry trends in an organisational context.

Managing Change

• Flexible and proactive approach to change, encouraging innovation and presenting change positively.

Business Knowledge

• Makes IT decisions consistent with good commercial basis.

Leadership

• Coaches/motivates/ develops less experienced/skilled members both across IT and the organisation as a whole.

Drive

• Maintains a high level of personal motivation, working with pace and energy, responding positively to setbacks, enabling performance improvement.

Accountability

• Accepting responsibility and delivering results.

Collaborative working

• Displays and encourages strong sense of teamwork within the department and across all stakeholders.

Customer Focus

• Champion a customer focussed environment striving to exceed customer expectations             

Desirable

• Intermediate to Advanced Excel user.
• Good understanding of retailing, markets, customer groups. (K)
• 6 Months plus experience in a commercial environment. (E)
• Salesforce Commerce Cloud implementation experience.
• Azure DevOps project experience managing complex software delivery pipelines
• Knowledge of Azure cloud platform services and products.
• Nice to have hands on experience programming .Net, powershell scripting, bicep/ARM templating.
• Knowledge of sql server and other data services
• Intermediate to Advanced knowledge of API development.

Other Relevant Experience

Essential

• Worked in a group or team to deliver a project.
• Demonstrable experience of developing software related to Microsoft technologies

              Desirable

• Cross functional project experience

Qualifications & Professional Development/Membership

Essential

• Maths and English grade C or above, or equivalent.
• Relevant technical certification or evidence of attainment / professional development.

Desirable

• Degree in Maths or Business Management/Administration or computing related subject.
• DP-900 - data platform fundamentals
• AZ-900 - Azure fundamentals
• AZ-305 - Azure Solutions Architect

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines with high levels of accuracy
• Strong professional integrity and ability to work constructively with multi-disciplinary teams

Desirable

• Competitor knowledge and understanding in both retail and online
• Keeping relevant skills and trends updated within industry

Special Working Conditions

Essential

• Able to commute to Bradford city centre, work additional hours to ensure projects completed on time

Desirable

• Able to travel occasionally to suppliers in Bradford and throughout UK.

FGH Development

FGH Way Level 3 Development?

FGH Values workshop?

Mandatory eLearning packages - The SMCR Conduct Rules, Customers in Vulnerable Circumstances, Anti Money Laundering, and Display Screen Equipment (DSE).?

Cyber Security Induction?