Head of Architecture - Data

As an integral member of the M&S Architecture team, you’ll be joining a well-loved, historic brand with technology solutions that serve millions of customers and empower thousands of colleagues every year. As the Head of Architecture for data, you will be accountable for defining and owning the full architectural vision and strategy, architecture blueprints, guardrails, outcome & capability led transition roadmaps.  You will lead a team of architects with a wide area of influence across solution architecture, engineering, delivery, product management and key business stakeholders to enable the implementation of your target.

At M&S, we’re transforming and modernising our approach to technology, ensuring the business continues to differentiate through strategic technology investments and growing our architecture capability as a key enabler.   

What you’ll do

• Decides and sets direction on 1–3-year technical strategy, target architectures, transitional states, blueprints, principles, standards & rolling adaptable costed roadmaps for their area.  This is in collaboration with D&T product, engineering, data and business stakeholders with a clear line of sight to business need / outcome/ vision and simplifies the landscape.

• Accountable for governing technology life-cycle management, technology selection and implementation patterns across D&T and work in collaboration with the organisation to set pan-M&S standards for your area. 

• Technical advisor to product teams, communicating the vision and plan and how technology will support their outcomes alongside guiding and assuring the successful implementation of the target architecture at squad level   

• Lead architecture team and demonstrate thought leadership across the wider organisation fostering innovation and continuous improvement 

• Support partner management and lead technical aspects of commercial negotiations for the partners/potential partners in their landscape 

Who you are

• Expert Enterprise Architect with 15+ years expertise & deep knowledge in their domain proven track record of leadership and strategic thinking 

• Proven track record of delivering digital transformation at scale and execution at pace within the last 5 years of emerging architecture and technology trends.

• Outcome based thinker able to assess emerging/disruptive technology, evaluate drive strategic implementation 

• Strong leadership capabilities, developing high-performing architecture teams. Demonstrated ability to lead & motivate cross-functional and virtual teams of high seniority/expertise.  Agile architecture experience of working in Tribe / squad environments working in sprint deliveries.  

• Engage with senior business leaders to understand the strategic direction, proactive problem-analysis & design thinking skills with the capability to offer up innovative ideas to the business & other areas of D&T 

What’s in it for you

Being a part of M&S is exactly that – playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day. We’re an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value, service to every customer, whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us.

Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special…

• After completing your probationary period, you’ll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.

• Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days!

• Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.

• A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.

• A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.

• Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.

• Industry-leading parental, adoption and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.

• Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist to support you and your family.

• A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you're passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.

Everyone’s welcome

We’re ambitious about the future of retail. We’re innovating, disrupting, and leading the way into a more inspiring, digital era. It’s an exciting time to be part of M&S.

To support us on our journey, we’re building inclusive, diverse teams where everyone can be themselves, do their best work, and make change happen. We support each other and succeed together.

Don’t worry if you don’t meet every single requirement of the job description. It’s more of a guide to what’s possible within the role. If you’re passionate, ready to work hard, and think the role feels right for you, we’d love to hear from you. #hybridrole #LI-Hybrid #LI-OT1