Head of Enterprise Architecture bei Cardiff University

As an employee of Cardiff University the post holder will: 

 •            Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements in respect of equality and diversity, data protection, copyright and licensing, security, financial and other University policies, procedures and codes as appropriate. 

 •            Take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and of other persons who may be affected by your acts or omissions at work in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, EC directives and the University’s Safety, Health and Environment Policies and procedures and to cooperate with the University on any legal duties placed on it as the employer. 

Date advert posted: Monday, 03 November 2025

Closing date: Monday, 01 December 2025

This post has previously been advertised to employees of Cardiff University only.  We now invite external applications.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds.  We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.

• Responsible for ensuring that all Digital IT architecture supports the university's mission of excellence in teaching, research, and civic mission
   
• Operate at a strategic level, developing, planning, delivering and maintaining the enterprise architecture strategy for the institution, ensuring alignment with both the University and IT/Digital strategies.  Ensure that architectural solutions are aligned with established standards and principles, leverage common services, manage/mitigate business risk, and operate within agreed financial parameters.
• Provide strategic leadership and expert guidance in Enterprise Architecture, acting as a subject matter expert in architecture framework development, tool suite selection, and methodology design, and is accountable for architectural and design governance across the institution. Act as the chief advisor to Professional Services Board and the University Executive Board.
• Define as-is and to-be business architectural models that demonstrate the interoperability of products, processes, operations, and systems, making independent decisions that significantly influence services and outcomes across the University.

• Own the setting and maintenance of the overall standards and quality of service for Enterprise Architecture at the university, ensuring consistency and excellence across all activity.  Prepare and deliver dashboards to relevant governance bodies and stakeholders.
• Ensure that dependencies are effectively managed and where appropriate escalate and coordinate across the Enterprise Architecture function.  Resolve complex and unprecedented architectural challenges, applying strategic insight and judgement to assess implications and ensure effective decision-making.
• Define strategic, core, and support processes that span functional and organisational boundaries, and articulates the primary business functions, distinguishing between customer-facing, supplier-related, execution, and management activities.
• Lead on investigative analysis, facilitate scoping and priority setting of large or highly complex process improvement and/or systems enhancement, applying business modelling methods to deliver results-oriented, standardised systems and services.  Review and evaluates ideas, projects, and opportunities to develop new products and services, and identifies opportunities for continuous service improvement and automation across University IT and the wider university.  Provide options appraisals and recommendations for investment business cases providing accurate cost estimations.
• Maintain a broad and current understanding of industry trends and innovations, assessing their impact on university business processes, data, and technology, to inform enterprise strategic decisions.
• Resolve complex and unprecedented challenges with strategic foresight. Evaluates and presents information to facilitate effective and timely decision-making, using clear and concise communication materials.

• Identify and describe external entities relevant to Enterprise Architecture such as customers, suppliers, and systems, and the internal resources, controls, and personnel deployed to manage them
• Team Development and motivation of others:
• Foster cross-departmental collaboration to identify strategic opportunities and support the emerging pipeline and direction of IT services.  Lead and manage cross function teams,, manage inter-team dynamics and foster cross-functional relationships to support institutional goals.

• Manage (directly or via matrix management) individuals and teams, ensuring clarity of role and alignment of performance objectives with Enterprise Architecture objectives, across the whole of the IT profession within the University.
• Contribute to the leadership and ongoing development of the IT department by active participation and collaboration with colleagues in the Senior Management Team, contributing to the development and implementation of strategy, policy and plans.
• Complete tasks normally associated with junior colleagues to meet operational demands. Undertake duties associated with a more senior role for developmental purposes.
• Develop and role-model effective communication and establishing good working relationships, leading by example to eliminate potential internal barriers, enhance collegiality and develop best practice
• Lead and manage recruitment, performance management and appraisal, ensuring effective staff performance, and encouraging and facilitating training and development where required. 
• Support and guide team members in welfare issues, escalating as necessary to specialist support areas

• Ensure University governance and University procurement policies and procedures are adhered to. Liaise with the Data Protection Officer and Governance colleagues for information governance issues relevant to the Enterprise Architecture function.
• Independently define and uphold the standards and quality benchmarks for enterprise architecture and related services across the University.
• the Head of Enterprise Architecture provides direct input into the governance cycle that supports the achievement of key goals, planning and execution of strategic initiatives or programmes, and delivery of business value
• Ensure that architectural designs adhere to appropriate standards (cyber security, corporate, industry, national and international).

• Participate in strategic planning networks and lead architecture forums to support strategic planning across the University, linking business processes to project delivery and identifying the impact of large-scale initiatives
• Initiate as needed cross institution working groups to involve multiple stakeholders to ensure consistent approaches to enterprise architecture are developed and embedded.
  Collaborate with Heads of Department across the University to develop cross-sectional design strategies, technology roadmaps, and supporting policies, eliminating design silos and promoting integrated, strategic delivery.
• Liaise with the Central Communication teams to ensure that the benefits of infrastructure and application projects are clearly articulated and realised across the University.
• Engage with senior stakeholders, including Business Partners, across the University to identify strategic benefits of technology choices and formulate a cross-sectional technology plan that delivers efficiencies and maximises the value of existing and potential solutions.
• Develop relationships with suppliers and partners at executive level both within the UK and internationally, influencing developments to the benefit of the University.
• Work collaboratively across University IT team, identifying capability and initiative needs, translating enterprise strategic priorities into actionable deliverables and roadmaps.

• Undergo personal and professional development that is appropriate to the role and which will enhance performance.
• Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties.
• Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity.
• Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role.

1. A degree or equivalent experience / professional qualifications/ project management qualification (e.g. Prince2, MSP, MoP).
2. Domain knowledge of transformational digital/IT portfolios of change, ideally within a Higher Education setting.
3. Demonstrable leadership experience within the Higher Education Sector.
4. Additional Management qualifications in ITIL, or similar coupled with evidence of a continual professional development.
5. Welsh Speaker.