Systems and Data Architect in London - Avencia Consulting

About us

Our client is a specialty underwriting business operating as a managing general agent, focused on complex and niche risks. It partners with carriers to design tailored insurance solutions, emphasizes disciplined underwriting, data driven insight, and long term relationships, and operates globally with a lean, entrepreneurial culture prioritizing sustainable profitability and prudent growth strategies.

The role

This role offers an exciting opportunity in an ambitious business. The role's broad scope provides exposure to the business, design and development of systems and data architecture and exposure to and collaboration with other highly skilled professionals.

The primary purpose of the role is to support the design and ongoing development of the systems and data architecture that support business operations. The candidate must have extensive knowledge of good practice in data management, integration and system design as well as the ability to manage the solution design and implementation of changes. This is a hands on role with the successful candidate required to make an impact immediately.

The role is a combination of direct deliver and strategic design.

Key accountabilities

Systems architecture

• Review the existing systems architecture, infrastructure, and data management approaches
• Define the required systems architecture to support the scalable ambitions of the business that meet regulatory, audit and compliance requirements
• Implement a set of must have immediate changes, planning and implemented strategic solutions making sensible decisions based on risk and scalability
• Work closely with the S&D team on design, expectations and delivery
• Ensure solution design is aligned to the business strategy

Data architecture

• Working closely with group, assess the current data architecture
• Design data patterns/ pipelines for ingestion, consumption and data quality
• Review existing data security and standards
• Implement required changes aligned to group expectations

Integration

• Review the existing data integrations including APIs and data processing approaches
• Implement required changes aligned to business strategy in particular growth expectations

Leadership and mentoring

• Act as a leader to an enthusiastic team - focussing on developing their skills and understanding of best practice
• Create templates, document architecture and standards
• Provide guidance to early career team members

Skills & experience

Essential Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

• Proven hands-on experience in an insurance environment
• Strong design and implementation experience
• Ability to handle a varied workload and competing priorities
• Must be able to design and implement - hands on
• Proven Strategic design experience with attention to detail and desire to be hands on in delivery
• Ability to manage complex short term delivery needs with long term design architecture design

Competencies and behaviours

• Proactive and solutions orientated.
• Analytical with a strong attention to detail.
• Detail-orientated with excellent problem-solving skills.
• Personal drive and resilience in established and new/changing situations.
• Ability to support success and timely delivery in a complex, multi-disciplinary environment.
• A team player with strong interest in the performance of the wider business.
• Commercially savvy, bright, energetic, and positive with a 'can do' attitude and a focus on getting things done

What good looks like - first 30 days

1. Documented current architecture identifying immediate risks
2. Understood the current ways of working within Pine Walk and alignment with TFP
3. Delivered any critical changes identified as required
4. Defined a target state architecture for systems and data
5. Created a 3 month, 6 month, 1 year and three year roadmap

What good looks like - days 31 to 60

• Designed core architectural requirements including team capabilities
• Established a programme of work to address technical debt
• Delivered production improvements
• Designed a programme of upskilling team members and addressing capability gaps

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