We are looking for an Enterprise Architect to act as the vital link between our business teams to understand what we need to do, our technology teams to drive the right strategic technology decisions for the Council and our Transformation teams to make that a reality.

 We want to be the leading local council in digital innovation. To achieve this, we need the right people inputting into the technology roadmap, ensuring the technology strategy is aligned to the business strategy.

 We're looking for an exceptional individual to lead Enterprise Architecture for the Council; you’ll collaborate with stakeholders, present solution options and proposals whilst supporting architectural governance. As Enterprise Architect you will ensure that the council deploys solutions in a proportionate and fit for purpose way. Is this you? If so, we’d like to hear from you.  

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 28 days annual leave per year, 29 days for senior managers (pro rata, depending on how many hours per week you work), plus bank holidays. An additional 5 days, linked to continuous service, and ability to purchase up to 6 weeks additional leave per year.
• Cycle to Work scheme. 
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Car Lease scheme
• Payment of professional subscription / membership - If your job description requires that you are registered with or are a member of a professional body, WNC will pay for your professional subscription or membership fees.
• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
• Ongoing training and development opportunities.
• A variety of flexible working options to support your work/life balance, including full or part time, term time, 9-day fortnight, etc. (subject to business needs).
• Our West Ways of Working – We want our workforce to thrive, and we equip our employees with the right technology to support hybrid and collaborative working, on or off site, depending on the role.
• Making a difference - If you want to use your skills and experience with an organisation that are genuinely invested in making a difference, are committed to improving people's lives, and whose success has a direct impact on the wellbeing of your family, friends and people in your local area, then West Northamptonshire Council is the place for you.

As the Enterprise Architect you will create models for support the Councils technology and architecture goals. These models will be across several architectural domains including business, applications, data and infrastructure.

 The purpose of the DTI team is to provide digital and technology support for West Northamptonshire Council and our partners North Northamptonshire Council, Milton Keynes Council, and Cambridgeshire County Council. You'll join us on our journey as we create better end-to-end services for our councils and residents.

Day to day, your job will look like:  

• YOU are the lead consultant for technology when engaging with senior stakeholders including up to Director Level across the business. You need to get under the skin of their service roadmaps and ensure that the architecture is aligned to their service goals and needs.
• You are producing the enterprise architecture artefacts as required to model and document the business area you are supporting and the underlying systems that support the area.
• Thinking about what is best for the organization you will balance the needs of the stakeholders and the most efficient technology.
• Contribute to and help maintain the Enterprise Architecture repository of information.
• Collaborate with the Solution Architectural Practice to ensure seamless working practices and collaboration.
• Briefing your Solution Architecture colleagues appropriately.
• Lead on governance and production of architectural principles, roles, policies and standards.
• Mentor and develop junior architects in the team.
• Being a proactive thinker, do-er and challenger, so that we can do our best work.

Ideally you will have previous experience as an Enterprise Architect or a Senior Solutions Architect with experience of operating in a large and complex organisation. The successful candidate will have demonstrable experience of bridging technology and business strategy. Critical thinking, the ability to quickly become familiar with technology and business perspectives and communicate with clarity to different audiences are key skills required for success in the role

You will be able to smoothly translate organisational strategy into technology roadmaps based on a track record of delivering Architecture services, coupled with an appropriate qualification. You will have a broad technical competence, be Cloud native and be able to make recommendations on the choice of patterns based on knowledge and experience. This skill will be supported by a natural curiosity and optimism.

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. 

Hear more from our Chief Executive, Anna Earnshaw, about what it's like to work at West Northants Council https://youtu.be/lV0EfeUF4aU  

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential.  We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner

The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us.

If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.