Hybrid Head of Architecture and Platform Engineering bei Law Debenture

About Law Debenture 

Law Debenture is an Investment Trust supported by a wholly owned professional services business. LawDeb is an unusual and exciting proposition; on a day–to-day basis we are nimble, ambitious and small enough to know everyone by name, whilst also benefiting from the profile and credibility of a listed business. This is thanks to our 135-year-old FTSE250 investment trust and our fast-growing independent professional services business of over 300 colleagues across 6 business lines.

At LawDeb, doing work that has a positive impact is important to us. We need the very best people to be the custodians of our business for the next stage of our proud history and growth. We’re ambitious to innovate, collaborate and push forward in providing peace of mind and excellence for our clients and each other.

We’re on a journey to shape a culture we’re all proud to be part of. One where everyone feels trusted, supported and empowered to own their success. Working at LawDeb, you will have access to our enviable network of clients and innovative projects, as well as brilliant colleagues to learn from and collaborate with.

Role Overview

We are looking for a Head of Architecture and Platform Engineering to lead the technical architecture strategy and platform engineering capabilities across Law Debenture's Independent Professional Services division, ensuring our technology foundations support business growth and operational excellence. You will be responsible for defining and implementing enterprise architecture standards, overseeing platform engineering operations, and providing technical leadership that enables our development teams to deliver secure, scalable, and efficient solutions.

Working closely with the Head of Software Engineering, you will establish architectural governance whilst fostering a collaborative environment that enhances our Microsoft-centric, Azure-native technology estate.

Job Role & Responsibilities

• Define and maintain enterprise architecture strategy, standards, and governance frameworks that align with business objectives and regulatory requirements
• Lead the platform engineering team (3 platform engineers plus 1 cyber engineer) in designing, implementing, and maintaining our Azure-native infrastructure and platform services
• Collaborate with the Head of Software Engineering to establish software architecture patterns, integration approaches, and technology standards across the development lifecycle
• Drive maximisation of our Microsoft E5 licence investment through strategic architecture decisions and platform optimisation
• Oversee architecture for system integrations, working with existing tools including Sage, Kantata, Concur, and Workato, whilst identifying opportunities for enhanced connectivity
• Establish and maintain architectural review processes, ensuring all technology decisions align with enterprise standards and security requirements
• Work with outsourced partners (Masergy, Rapid 7) to ensure platform architecture supports our network and security requirements
• Lead technical due diligence and architecture assessments for new technology initiatives and vendor selections
• Provide technical leadership and strategic guidance to support business growth and operational efficiency objectives

People Manager Responsibilities

• Manage and develop the platform engineering team, conducting regular 1:1s and leading performance review processes with clear feedback and development paths
• Set and track individual development goals for team members, ensuring alignment with both career aspirations and business requirements
• Lead recruitment for platform engineering roles, including technical interviews and effective onboarding programmes
• Foster a culture of collaboration between platform and software engineering teams, ensuring knowledge sharing and cross-functional effectiveness

Architecture Leadership

• Establish architecture review boards and governance processes appropriate for our organisation size and complexity
• Create and maintain architecture documentation, standards, and best practice guidelines
• Drive adoption of modern platform engineering practices including infrastructure-as-code, observability, and automated deployment patterns
• Ensure architecture decisions support regulatory compliance and security requirements across all business lines

Strategic Technology Planning

• Contribute to technology roadmap development and strategic planning processes
• Assess emerging technologies and their potential application within our technology estate
• Support vendor management activities, particularly for platform and infrastructure services
• Collaborate with the ITSM team to ensure architecture decisions support operational excellence

General Duties 

• Foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and technical excellence within the technology organisation
• Support change management initiatives and contribute to business transformation projects
• Undertake training and development as appropriate and engage fully in the performance management process
• Contribute to the LawDeb culture positively, attend meetings as required, and carry out duties willingly and diligently
• Carry out such other tasks as you may be reasonably directed to do by your line manager and the senior management team from time to time

Essential Knowledge, Skills & Experience 

• Extensive experience in enterprise architecture roles with demonstrated success in leading technical strategy and platform engineering teams
• Strong expertise in Microsoft Azure platform services, architecture patterns, and cloud-native solution design
• Proven experience with Microsoft 365 and enterprise licensing optimisation, particularly E5 suite capabilities
• Demonstrated experience in leading platform engineering teams and establishing infrastructure-as-code practices
• Strong understanding of financial services regulatory requirements and security architecture principles
• Excellent leadership and communication skills with experience influencing senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams
• Proven track record of establishing architecture governance frameworks and technical standards in mid-sized organisations
• Experience with system integration patterns and API architecture design
• Strong knowledge of DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and platform automation

Preferred Knowledge, Skills & Experience 

• Professional Services or similar regulated industry experience
• Experience working with outsourced infrastructure and security providers
• Knowledge of integration platforms and middleware solutions
• Familiarity with ITSM frameworks and operational excellence practices
• Experience with vendor management and technology procurement processes
• Relevant professional certifications (e.g., Azure Solutions Architect, TOGAF)

Your Reward

• Competitive salary with performance bonus scheme
• Generous pension contribution
• Full healthcare cover
• Health cash plan
• Life assurance
• Buy/sell annual leave scheme

Additional Information

People who thrive at LawDeb make the most of this foundation to grow themselves, help us improve and have fun playing their part in building the culture that’s fuelling our growth.

LawDeb hires people based on personal merit and qualifications regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background or any other protected attribute. We celebrate the diversity of our colleagues and provide an inclusive environment so you can bring your true self to work. We recognise that our people are our strength and the diverse talents they bring to our global workforce are directly linked to our success. If you feel that you require any reasonable adjustments to be able to participate in this recruitment process, please provide further details where prompted.