Application and Interface Architect

Job Title: Application and Interface Architect

About Them:

Our client is a newly launched Insurtech start-up, backed by one of the UK's largest and most innovative retail groups. Focused on personal lines insurance, they are on a mission to shake up the industry with fresh ideas, smart technology, and customer-first solutions. As a small, fast-moving team in the early stages of building their platform, they need bold thinkers and doers to help turn their vision into reality.

About the Role:

They're looking for an Interface Architect / Application Architect to lead the design of seamless, scalable, and customer-centric interfaces that will power the insurance platform. This role isn't just about high-level blueprints; they need someone who can roll up their sleeves, navigate the complexities of early-stage development, and build something extraordinary. With your expertise in interface and application architecture, you'll have the chance to make a real mark on their platform and how customers experience insurance.

Responsibilities:

1. Application Architecture: Focusing on the internal design of the software (PAS, claims, customer platforms, etc.), microservices, logic, and databases, ensuring the architecture can handle current and future business requirements (scalability, maintainability, etc.).
2. Interface Architecture: Focusing on the external/internal communication between systems with APIs, ESB, RESTful APIs, message queues, SOAP, microservices, etc., defining how data is exchanged between different software components, platforms, or services.
3. Strong Architecture Expertise: Background in engineering and development with strong experience in designing, architecting, developing, and delivering modern architecture solutions and platforms.
4. Design from the Ground Up: Define and implement a clear and scalable architecture for application interfaces, setting the technical foundation for the platform.
5. Bridge the Gaps: Create robust, user-friendly interfaces that connect backend systems with customer-facing solutions, ensuring smooth integration across the board.
6. Collaborate Closely: Work hand-in-hand with product, engineering, and business teams to align technology decisions with company goals.
7. Pick the Right Tools: Evaluate and implement the best tools, frameworks, and technologies for our needs, ensuring we're building on solid ground.
8. Lead by Example: Bring hands-on expertise to development, helping the team troubleshoot, optimise, and iterate as we grow.
9. Champion Quality: Establish best practices for interface design, ensuring performance, usability, and maintainability at scale.
10. Be Agile: Thrive in a start-up environment where priorities can shift, and the path forward isn't always clear. Your adaptability will help them succeed.

What We're Looking For:

1. Deep Expertise: Significant experience in application and interface architecture, with a focus on building scalable, user-focused systems.
2. Tech-Savvy: Hands-on experience with Azure technologies and a strong understanding of HTML and related web technologies.
3. Insurance Know-How: You've worked in or around the insurance industry, so you understand the systems, data flows, and unique challenges of personal lines insurance.
4. Startup-Ready: Comfortable with ambiguity, able to balance strategic vision with tactical execution, and eager to be part of an early-stage team.
5. Problem Solver: You see challenges as opportunities and have the skills to tackle them head-on.
6. Collaborative Leader: Great at working with others and capable of inspiring teams to deliver their best.
7. Technical Expertise in Protocols and Standards: Chooses appropriate communication protocols (e.g., REST, SOAP, GraphQL) and data formats (e.g., JSON, XML) that enable effective data exchange across platforms.
8. Security: Implement security best practices and ensure that applications and interfaces are designed with robust security measures.
9. Documentation: Create and maintain comprehensive architectural documentation, including system design specifications, diagrams, and interface definitions.
10. Experience: Experience with cloud-based architectures and microservices. Formal education in technology, Azure/architecture certifications (not mandatory but nice to have).

Why This Role?

1. Ownership & Impact: You'll play a key role in building the platform from scratch, with the freedom to make big decisions and shape our approach.
2. Innovative Space: Work on solving real-world problems in insurance, an industry ripe for disruption.
3. Support & Flexibility: Benefit from the backing of a major retail group while enjoying the agility and excitement of a start-up.
4. Hybrid Working: Spend meaningful time collaborating in the London Bridge office while maintaining flexibility with your schedule.

Qualifications:

1. Education: Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
2. Experience: Proven experience as an Application Architect, Interface Architect, or similar role with a track record of successful architectural designs.
3. Technical Skills: Proficiency in architectural frameworks, design patterns, and technologies such as Microsoft application architecture, Azure application development, data platforms, interfaces, and microservices architecture.
4. Certifications: Relevant industry certifications such as TOGAF, Certified Solutions Architect, etc.

If you're ready to use your technical expertise and industry knowledge to make a lasting impact, we'd love to hear from you.