Lead Enterprise Architect
Job summary
Are you ready to be at the forefront of one of the most ambitious digital transformations in the England? Do you want to shape the future of health and care for millions of people, driving innovation that improves lives every day?
NHS England is seeking experienced Lead Enterprise Architects to provide strategic direction and leadership across our Enterprise Architecture function. This is a pivotal role in delivering the NHS' future plans and ensuring digital and data products and services are aligned. You will work at the heart of digital transformation, influencing decisions that impact millions of patients and staff. This is more than just a job - it's a chance to make a profound impact on the health of the nation.
Main duties of the job
- Lead the development and governance of enterprise architecture across business, data, application, and technology domains.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to support development of an actionable future state of architecture across England.
- Drive productivity and estate rationalisation through operational and financial efficiency recommendations, collaborating cross-functionally to support implementation and improve adoption.
- Define and maintain architecture principles, standards, and roadmaps to support NHS strategic objectives.
- Provide expert consultancy to senior stakeholders, ensuring interoperability and compliance with NHS and national standards.
- Oversee architecture assurance for major programmes, balancing innovation with risk and cost considerations.
- Mentor and develop the architecture community, fostering best practice and continuous improvement.
What's in it for you
- A leadership role in shaping national digital health strategy.
- Flexible hybrid working (40% in-person expectation) from any NHS England office nationally.
- Opportunities for professional development, including TOGAF and advanced leadership training.
- A collaborative, inclusive culture where your expertise makes a real difference.
About us
Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms -- enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.
We lead the NHS in England by:
- Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities
- Making the NHS a great place to work, where people can develop and make a difference
- Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
- Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
- Delivering value for money
Earlier this year, the Government announced that NHS England will gradually merge with the Department of Health and Social Care, to create a smaller, more strategic centre that reduces duplication and waste.
If successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As a Lead Enterprise Architect, you will play an active role in delivering the NHS 10-Year Plan , which places digital transformation at the heart of our services. Youll lead architectural conversations that span domains and influence decisions that touch every aspect of health and care in England, working across programmes, products and services to ensure digital and data delivery is not only effective and efficient, but also aligned with organisational strategy and national priorities.
Were seeking bold thinkers, strategic leaders, and collaborative problem-solvers. If you bring deep architectural expertise, a passion for public service, and the ability to navigate complexity with clarity this is your opportunity to lead change at scale.
To undertake this role, you will use your strong analytical and architectural design skills along with a proven ability to challenge assumptions, drive consensus across roles and functions and influence at all levels. You will have excellent communication skills and an ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders within a complex environment.
If youre unsure whether your experience aligns, we encourage you to reach out to us, wed be happy to have a conversation.
You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
The post of Lead Enterprise Architect has been awarded a Recruitment and Retention Premia (RRP) in response to current labour market conditions. In recognition of this, the role attracts an additional monthly RRP payment equal to 20% per annum.
Please be aware that RRP is none contractual and subject to review.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Master's degree or equivalent experience
- TOGAF 9 Certified (or equivalent)
Skills
- Proven ability to lead architecture governance, policy development, and strategic planning at organisational or national level
Experience
- Substantial experience across EA domains (business, data, application, technology) with deep expertise in at least one
- Significant experience of managing teams and initiatives, spanning management of people, processes and risk
- Significant experience in consultancy, stakeholder engagement, assurance for large-scale programmes as well as development & ownership of architectural strategies, policies, standards and guidelines
- Experience in financial planning, business case development, and procurement & commercial activities
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details
Employer name
NHS England
Address
Any NHS England Office
Nationally
LS1 4AP
Employer's website
https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/working-for/