Enterprise and Solutions Architect Lead

About The Role The Enterprise & Solutions Architect Lead is responsible for Enterprise Architecture, Technology Governance and Solutions Delivery across Alef Education s Digital Office. Reporting to the Head of Digital Office, the role leads Enterprise Change Management and Governance, and provides technical leadership of solutions delivery. Overseeing Solutions Architects responsible for Technical Ownership and Solutions Engineering, their supporting development resources, and the technical element of outsourced projects and vendor relationships. The role drives Strategic Initiatives including AI Automation and provides technical oversight of RFPs, proposals and bids for the Business and Growth teams, while also leading Business Continuity and Compliance and linking into Procurement, Finance, HR, Compliance, Security and Legal. The ideal candidate combines deep enterprise architecture, governance and business continuity expertise with proven solution delivery, vendor management and team leadership experience. Key Responsibilities: Enterprise Change Management and Governance • Lead enterprise architecture due diligence on software, tools and platforms, ensuring all new technology is assessed for business fit, cost, security and compliance prior to adoption. • Establish and operate the enterprise change management and governance framework, including architecture review and approval of technology changes and procurement requests. • Conduct cost analysis and total cost of ownership assessments across software, tools and vendors, identifying consolidation and cost-saving opportunities. • Provide architectural oversight of projects across the Digital Office, ensuring alignment with enterprise standards, roadmaps and governance gates. • Link into Procurement, Finance, HR, Compliance, Security and Legal on technology evaluations, contracts and renewals. Solutions Delivery and Technical Leadership • Oversee the Solutions Architecture and Engineering function, including Solutions Architects responsible for Technical Ownership of core systems and for Solutions Engineering, together with supporting developers and vendors (internal and external). • Ensure all solutions are scalable, secure and aligned with business requirements, promoting best practice in development, testing, documentation and quality assurance. • Oversee project timelines, deliverables and risks, ensuring successful delivery and seamless integration of solutions. • Manage the technical element of outsourced projects and associated vendor relationships, ensuring delivery quality, vendor accountability and alignment with enterprise standards. Strategic Initiatives and Bid Support: • Provide technical oversight and ownership of RFPs, proposals and bids for the Business team, working in partnership with the Growth team. • Identify and prioritise AI Automation opportunities informed by BIA outcomes, leading the delivery of AI automation projects. • Lead and support strategic initiatives across the Digital Office, ensuring benefits, costs and risks are clearly defined and tracked. Business Continuity • Lead Business Impact Analyses (BIA) across business applications and services, and maintain and test business continuity and disaster recovery plans. • Oversee the ongoing maintenance and support of business applications, ensuring they remain current, supported and fit for purpose. • Ensure application compliance with internal policies, contractual obligations and regulatory requirements. • Drive cost optimisation across applications and infrastructure, including licensing, usage rationalisation and contract reviews. Compliance • Support ISO certification and Integrated Management System (IMS) requirements, including audits, evidence gathering and corrective actions. • Develop and maintain policies and processes, leading process improvements and gap analyses across the Digital Office. • Embed security requirements into architecture, applications and change activity, working closely with the Security function. Team Leadership and Stakeholder Management • Lead, mentor and develop the team, conducting performance evaluations, setting goals and fostering a culture of continuous learning. • Work closely with the Centralised IT function and business units to ensure alignment of solutions with business needs. • Communicate architectural decisions, risks and recommendations clearly to leadership and stakeholders across the organisation. •