Head of Architecture

Head of Architecture - Technology Operations, Infrastructure, Security, Networking - £115k + 25% Leeds (1 day per week in office)

A leading technology operations function within a major entertainment and gaming group is seeking a Head of Architecture. This established organization supports a federated model of premium digital entertainment brands across the UK, Ireland, and Europe, delivering critical infrastructure and architectural services that enable organic growth and strategic acquisitions across diverse business verticals.

The Head of Architecture will build and lead a new team of 6 architects, establishing architectural excellence and strategic direction across multiple disciplines.

• Build, lead, and develop a team of 6 architects from the ground up, including permanent staff and contractors.
• Develop and deliver comprehensive 3-year architectural strategies across cybersecurity, infrastructure, networking, and service architecture disciplines.
• Establish architectural patterns, governance processes, and standards for a complex, federated business model.
• Work collaboratively across global platform teams and multiple brands, balancing architectural authority with stakeholder engagement.
• Act as technical expert and hands‑on contributor when required, rolling up sleeves to solve complex challenges.
• Define architectural vision and roadmaps that support both operational excellence and rapid business growth.
• Build relationships and influence decision‑making across a distributed, multi‑brand technology landscape.
• Support both organic expansion and acquisition integration through scalable architectural frameworks.

• Proven people management and team leadership experience, ideally building teams from scratch.
• Strategic architecture delivery experience beyond tactical implementation.
• Multi‑disciplinary expertise spanning cloud infrastructure, networking, cybersecurity, and service architecture.
• Experience working in federated or complex organizational models at global scale.
• Background in retail, financial services, or similarly complex multi‑brand environments.
• Strong collaborative and influencing skills for matrix‑style decision making.
• Ability to balance long‑term architectural vision with short‑term business needs.
• Experience establishing governance processes and architectural standards.

Are you a strategic architecture leader ready to build a world‑class team and define architectural excellence for a major European group? Do you thrive in complex, federated environments where collaboration and strategic thinking are paramount? Please apply!