Job Ref: 214713047

Date: 2021-09-21 16:23:27

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Our client is a global group of life-saving technology companies. Named one of Britain's Most Admired Companies in 2019, they provide innovative solutions to many of the key problems facing the world today.
Their purpose is to grow a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day. Their purpose drives every business decision they make and ensures they are working towards it every day. It defines the three broad market areas where they operate:

Safety: protecting life as populations grow and urbanise, and protecting worker safety.
Environment: improving food and water quality, and monitoring air pollution.
Health: meeting rising healthcare demand as growing populations age and lifestyleschange.

Context

Our client is one of the top-performing businesses in the FTSE index, comprising over 40 individual operating companies, operating in over 20 countries, and with a combined total of over 6000 employees worldwide.
Recognizing the importance of creating digital business models to sustain our growth, they are implementing a new group-wide IT strategy intended to facilitate future value creation through the increased adoption of both operational and strategic technology. The scope of the technology initiatives within this strategy span Enterprise and Business Application Architecture; Data and Analytics; Digital and IoT Platforms; and Core IT Infrastructure.
They are in the early stages of devising and launching these initiatives. They now need to build out a team of technology experts, architects, and delivery professionals to define the various solutions across the initiatives and facilitate the successful build and adoption of them.
Depending on the scope and objectives of different initiatives, adoption will occur at various levels within the organization, either at the group level, the OpCo level, or both.
To achieve successful results, they require intelligent, articulate, consultative professionals who fit their culture and can comfortably operate in our client’s autonomous and decentralised model.
Role SummaryThe IoT / Digital Solutions Architect will report to the Chief Architect and will assist the Chief Architect in ensuring that IoT and digital solution initiatives are designed to support the growth strategy.
Given the complex environment consisting of an HQ organisation and 40+ individual companies, the IoT / Digital Solutions Architect will be responsible for establishing a reference IoT / digital architecture to enable the companies to quickly go to market withnew technologies.
This is a new position within the business and, as such, the successful candidate will initially run feasibility studies to assess what IoT technologies are likely to benefit the group. The role will also be responsible for driving the build of a common core IoT reference technology stack, help establish an IoT centre of excellence (CoE), and provide consulting to the group.
The scope of the reference architecture and support will cover technology, data, connectivity and digital architecture principles, guidelines, best practices, and approaches that can be adopted by individual companies.
 
The IoT / Digital Solutions Architect will also drive the requirements for the creation of a group IoT platform working with geographically dispersed software development teams.
Role Responsibilities● Support the Chief Architect to spearhead the creation of an IoT centre of excellence.● Run feasibility studies and make recommendations for technology and vendor selection related to IoT architecture and management for the emerging common core technology stack.● Work closely with the Chief Architect and Integration and Data Architect to ensure IoT architectures are based on modern technologies that are scalable, secure, and offer benefits to the business and therefore encourage adoption by the individualcompanies.● Drive adoption of IoT orientated technology best-practice principles and solutions across the group, with the goals to aid strategic growth, increase simplification, reduce implementation times, and lower costs. This will be achieved through:○ Create a set of evolving reference IoT architectures for individual companies to refer to when adopting new IoT technology solutions.○ Provide best-practice consulting expertise across the group for IoT architectural strategy and implementation; equipping the companies with the tools to digitally transform.○ Contribute to the establishment of a list of preferred vendors to implement the reference architectures.○ Provide consulting to the individual operating companies to help them make decisions for their IoT architecture.
● Assess new technologies and vendors on an ongoing basis across the Device Layer, Gateway Layer and Platform Layer and understand how they might be implemented into the environment and what benefit these innovations may bring.● Research and evaluate new and/or alternative solutions and technologies to enhance operational effectiveness, reduce costs and/or system risks and increase speed to market including overseeing Proof of Concepts / Proof of Technologies.● Spearhead the inhouse IoT platform working with geographically dispersed software developers to deliver and support key IoT infrastructure for use by the local operating companies.● Communicate to and manage Executive Stakeholders.● Ensure Security as a principle is incorporated into every technology strategy and solution devised.● Work with partner organisations and service integrators to deliver on the key technology initiatives.
 
Profile Attributes
● Proven Technical Acumen – will have defined and executed enterprise-wide integration and data-focused roadmaps and commercialisation architectural IT strategies within the realms of the rapidly changing technology and securitylandscape. Be aware of significant trends affecting industries, whilst also making credible business cases for emerging technologies and delivering innovative solutions. Possess a strong understanding of software systems architecture and design approaches, with experience in informational, organisational, and modern IT layers to build scalable platforms and products.● Operational Expertise – Experienced Integration Data Architect in a global company. Will have a track record of operational excellence, with experience in creating, managing, and executing Data strategies.● Entrepreneurial, “can do approach” – Will be determined, creative and resilient, with a ferocious work ethic. Will be highly resourceful and pragmatic and find a way to get to the right answer. Will be comfortable operating in an entrepreneurial, high-growth investment environment, and understand the complexity and challenges of navigating a business through this phase of its lifecycle.● Commercial, Analytical and Strategic – Will have demonstrated previous success in using IT, innovation and digitization ecosystems as a competitive advantage for commercialisation purposes. Will be highly data-driven and make commercialsolutions based on a detailed and creative use of data and analytics. Will be effective at distilling complex issues into simple, commercially compelling plans and articulating them in an equally succinct manner. Will have a strategic mindset, withexceptional clarity of thought and problem-solving capabilities. Will adopt a hands-on approach, and be close to the detail, as needed. Must be consultative in approach.● Cultural Fit – Will be non-political, energetic, hungry, smart, organised, collaborative, transparent, down-to-earth, highly motivated, and entrepreneurial. Have high integrity, passion, accountability, disciplined, detailed, a problem-solver, results-focused and a ‘can do’ attitude. Critically, must be empathic and intuitive with a strong level of people skills and the ability to build strong relationships of trust at every level within the organisation. Must be a pragmatic, low-ego team-player with a high degree of emotion
Business and Technical Experience Required● 5+ years of experience in IoT architecture including practical experience of implementing these technologies to provide tangible IoT solutions● Capable of taking requirements from multiple companies and shaping a cohesive architecture that offers real benefits of adoption.● Hands-on experience in developing end-to-end IoT applications which include sensors, internet getaways (connectivity – LAN, WAN, Wifi, Mobile etc), edge IT, data centre and cloud right through to mobile apps and analytics.● Experience assessing technologies and vendors offerings within the IoT architecture landscape.● Experience with different IoT cloud platforms and corresponding infrastructure (e.g. Azure IoT, AWS, Google, etc).● Strong understanding of the IoT architectural layers – the client-side (IoT Device Layer), operators on the server-side (IoT Getaway Layer) and the pathway for connecting clients and operators (IoT Platform Layer).
● Experience in multiple cloud platforms, with a focus and tangible experience of the Microsoft Azure IoT ecosystem especially from Device and Enterprise architecture integration design and implementation perspectives.● Good understanding of drivers for edge sensors, device provisioning and protocols, sensor to gateway/cloud connectivity solutions.● Experience in Cloud computing platforms, Design patterns, API design and Platform development.● Software development skills (.Net, java etc).● Knowledge of Cloud Native open standards technologies and secure software architectures.● Work closely with delivery teams in Agile Methodology for design and delivery,utilizing relevant tools, such as Azure DevOps.

LocationThe office headquarters are located in Amersham in Buckinghamshire. There will be a mixture of working in theoffice, travelling, and home working.
 
Cultural Genes
These are the unique cultural and behavioural principles that we require, protect and leverage to effectively optimise our organisational genes and deliver our purpose.Live the purpose
Be passionate about making the world safer, cleaner, and healthier. See real problems and create innovative solutions.Embrace the adventure
Continually grow and change, as individuals and collectively. Challenge assumptions and see opportunities. Seek insight from all directions and leverage diverse points of view.
Be an entrepreneur
Be an owner, risk-taker, visionary. Transform bold ambitions into reality. Be agile and responsive in the face of constant change. Be successful through and with others.
Say Yes, and…Be comfortable with paradox. Choose Yes, and… to seemingly conflicting priorities. Build for tomorrow and deliver today. Have stability and constantly evolve. Enjoy autonomy and eagerly collaborate.
Just be a good person
Play to win, but not at the expense of others. Operate with impeccable ethics, transparency and integrity in all that you do.DiversityOur client is an equal opportunity employer and achieving diversity is a priority for them. They actively seek to balance gender and ethnicity in their workforce.
 
**Please ignore the salary stated in the offer as it is negotiable

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