Directing the architecture of the Cloud & Engineering Platforms domain is the core of this role, which involves setting the target architecture, reference designs, and standards. The Director leads the architecture team and ensures the domain is coherent, secure, and aligned with enterprise architecture. This position also owns the design assurance process across Cloud, Edge, and Modern Engineering Platform services, embedding AI patterns for accelerated delivery and intelligent operations.
Responsibilities
Own the domain target architecture, standards, and reference designs, aligned to DPTF strategy and enterprise architecture
Lead the architecture team across the domain, managing performance, capability development, and succession
Own the design assurance process for the domain, setting what must be reviewed, by whom, and against which standards
Embed AI patterns into the domain architecture, so that AI-assisted delivery and intelligent operations are designed in rather than added later
Architect for reliability and resilience by design across the domain, supporting the SLOs the domain commits to
Ensure security and compliance, including GxP where relevant, are designed into the domain rather than inspected in afterwards
Guide technology selection and modernisation across the domain, measuring outcomes against architecture OKRs
Set the architecture standards that supplier and managed-service solutions in the domain must meet
Align the domain to enterprise architecture and technology strategy, negotiating exceptions through Enterprise Architecture rather than around it
Advise the Head of Platform Domain on architectural risk, technical debt, and the investment needed to address either
Increase pattern reuse and reduce rework across the domain, evidencing both with measures rather than assertion
Hold the boundaries with the Platform Architects on individual platform designs, the Engineering Director on build and delivery, and Enterprise Architecture on enterprise standards
Requirements
Degree in a technology or engineering discipline, or equivalent practical experience (e.g., Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems)
Overall 18 years and typically 10-12 years in technology architecture, including at least three years leading an architecture team with line responsibility
Proven experience leading architecture for a large-scale Cloud, Infrastructure & Engineering domain
Track record running design assurance governance, including holding a standard against delivery pressure
Experience architecting for reliability, resilience, and security at scale, working to SLOs and error budgets
Experience in a regulated environment, ideally pharmaceutical or GxP
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Experience setting architecture standards for supplier and managed-service delivery and enforcing them
Practical grasp of AI patterns for assisted delivery and intelligent operations at architecture level
Executive communication, translating architectural risk into investment and consequence for non-architects
Leadership of technical specialists, including developing architects who are strong individually but new to influence
Judgement about when the domain should diverge from enterprise standards and how to get that agreed properly
Ability to hold a standard when delivery timelines argue against it, without becoming an obstacle
Commercial awareness when directing supplier and vendor architecture decisions
Comfort making the cost of technical debt visible to leadership rather than absorbing it quietly
API Management
Automation Technology
Azure Logic Apps
Azure Stack
Cloud Application Architecture
Cloud Architectures
Cloud Financial Operations
Cloud Platform Architecture
Containerization
Database Management
Design Assurance
DevOps
Disaster Recovery (DR)
Edge Computing
Infrastructure As Code (IaC)
Networking Concepts
Performance Optimizations
Serverless Computing
System Monitors
Virtualization
Nice to have:
Architecture certifications desirable (e.g., TOGAF, or recognised cloud or network architecture certification relevant to the domain)
About the Company
GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together. It aims to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, focusing on innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines across four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases. GSK strives to develop and launch new, groundbreaking treatments that address critical health challenges, leveraging its existing strong performance momentum to significantly increase its positive impact on the health of billions of patients globally.
