Head of Architecture

Description:

Head of Architecture (Microsoft & D365 Focus)

???? London or East Midlands| Senior Leadership Role

Overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a strategic and hands-on Head of Architecture to shape and lead the technology vision within a rapidly growing, highly regulated organisation.

This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for defining and governing architecture across a modern, cloud-first technology estate. You will bridge business ambition and technical execution, ensuring scalable, secure, and high-performing platforms-primarily leveraging the Microsoft ecosystem and Dynamics 365.

The Role

You will own and evolve the architecture strategy, setting clear standards, principles, and patterns that enable delivery teams to move quickly without compromising quality or governance.

Operating within a distributed architecture model, you will influence across multiple domains and teams, embedding architectural best practice while avoiding centralised bottlenecks.

Key focus areas include:

Establishing organisation-wide architecture standards, governance, and design patterns
Driving Microsoft-first architecture across cloud, data, integration, and business platforms
Leading architecture alignment across digital, operational, and business systems
Translating business strategy into scalable, secure technical solutions
Acting as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on technology direction and investment

Technology Landscape

This organisation is heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, with a strong focus on:

Azure (cloud platform, integration, security, and scalability)
Dynamics 365 (Customer Engagement, Finance & Operations, and Power Platform integration)
Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI)
Modern Data Platforms (Azure Data Services, data governance, analytics)
API-first & event-driven architectures
Enterprise-scale integration across SaaS and legacy systems

Key Responsibilities

Define and govern the architecture roadmap aligned to business priorities
Lead architectural design across D365 solutions and Microsoft cloud platforms
Establish best practices for integration, data architecture, and platform engineering
Chair architecture governance forums and ensure high-quality decision-making
Develop architectural guardrails, patterns, and reusable frameworks
Mentor and uplift a distributed community of architects and engineers
Ensure compliance with regulatory, security, and data governance standards
Support large-scale transformation programmes, particularly around ERP/CRM modernisation and D365 adoption

What We're Looking For

Proven experience leading architecture functions in complex, regulated environments
Strong expertise across the Microsoft technology stack, especially Azure and Dynamics 365
Demonstrable experience delivering D365 transformation programmes at scale
Deep understanding of:
Cloud-native architectures (Azure)
Data and integration (APIs, event-driven design)
SaaS platforms and hybrid environments
Ability to operate in matrixed organisations, influencing at executive level
Experience embedding architecture within Agile delivery models
Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts into business outcomes

Why Join

Opportunity to shape architecture in a cloud-first, Microsoft-led environment
Strategic role with real influence over technology direction and investment
Work at the intersection of business transformation and modern platforms
Lead a forward-thinking architecture capability with strong executive backing

Ideal Background

This role would suit someone currently operating as:

Head of Architecture
Lead / Principal Architect
Chief / Lead Architect within a Microsoft-focused organisationwith strong exposure to:

D365 (CE, F&O, or both)
Azure-based platforms
Large-scale digital or ERP transformation programmes

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