Enterprise Architect - Software Engineering (Active SC Clearance essential)

Project overview

Enterprise Architect - Software Engineering

£600 per day outside IR35

Reading - Hybrid working

Active SC Clearance Required (DV Desirable) + must be a sole British Passport holder

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Enterprise Architect - Software Engineering to play a key role in the design, integration and ongoing development of a complex Digital Engineering environment.

This position will focus on ensuring that software engineering platforms, tools and processes are effectively integrated into the wider enterprise architecture, supporting the delivery of secure, scalable and high-performing engineering solutions.

You will provide architectural leadership across people, processes and technology, working closely with Product Owners, Delivery Managers, Engineering teams and technical stakeholders to drive innovation, architectural consistency and continuous improvement.

This is an excellent opportunity to work on complex, large-scale engineering programmes within a highly regulated environment.

Key Responsibilities

Essential Skills & Experience

Active SC Clearance + a sole British passport is essential for this role

• Lead the architecture and integration of Software Engineering environments and Software Factory solutions within a wider Digital Engineering ecosystem.
• Develop and maintain High-Level Designs (HLDs) and Low-Level Designs (LLDs), ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture standards.
• Define and implement architectural strategies, technical roadmaps, governance frameworks and design principles.
• Support the development and integration of Digital Twin and Digital Thread capabilities across engineering systems.
• Ensure architectural solutions comply with security, regulatory and governance requirements, incorporating Secure by Design principles.
• Provide technical leadership and architectural guidance to Product Owners, Delivery Managers, Engineers and wider stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities for architectural reuse, standardisation and innovation across software engineering platforms and programmes.
• Lead technical evaluations, proofs of concept and technology selection activities.
• Support procurement activities, including the preparation and management of RFIs and RFQs.
• Collaborate with internal teams, external suppliers and technology partners to ensure architectural consistency across multiple domains.
• Balance short-term delivery requirements with long-term architectural strategy, managing technical risks and dependencies.
• Drive continuous improvement and adoption of emerging technologies, tools and engineering best practices.
• 5+ years' experience in Enterprise Architecture, Solution Architecture or Business Architecture, ideally within complex engineering or technology environments.
• Proven experience architecting IT software development environments, including the integration of platforms, tools and engineering processes.
• Strong knowledge of enterprise architecture methodologies and frameworks, such as TOGAF and ArchiMate.
• Experience developing architectural designs, technical strategies, roadmaps and governance frameworks.
• Understanding of software engineering architecture, systems architecture, data architecture and the full engineering life cycle.
• Experience working within Defence, MoD or major systems integration environments, ideally involving complex engineering programmes.
• Strong understanding of security architecture, regulatory compliance, risk management and Secure by Design principles.
• Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, including Product Owners, Delivery Managers, Engineers and external suppliers.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and technical leadership skills.
• Relevant industry certification such as TOGAF, ArchiMate, AWS/Azure Architect or CISSP.
• SC Security Clearance is mandatory, with DV clearance highly desirable.

Project details

• Start: ASAP
• Duration: 3 month rolling contract
• Location: Reading, Berkshire, UK, GB
• Rate: 75-75 EUR/h