Domain Architect - People & HR Technology
- Location: Reading (Hybrid – 2 to 3 days per week)
- Contract Type: Day Rate Contract (Inside IR35)
- Duration: Initial 6 months with view to extend
We're seeking an experienced Domain Architect to lead the architecture strategy, roadmap, and governance for our large-scale People & HR Technology landscape.
This is a senior leadership role for someone with the gravitas and influencing skills to shape architectural direction across multiple concurrent programmes, guide delivery teams on the importance of architecture, and ensure strategic alignment between business and technology. You'll work closely with senior stakeholders, including Heads Of, Directors, Product Leaders, Programme Managers, and HR leadership teams, whilst providing architectural leadership across a complex People domain.
The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in HR technology architecture, preferably within Workday-led environments, and be comfortable operating at both strategic and delivery levels.
What You'll Be Doing
- Define and lead the People Technology architecture vision, strategy, and multi-year roadmap.
- Provide architectural leadership across multiple transformation programmes and projects.
- Influence business and technology leaders to ensure architecture is embedded throughout delivery.
- Partner with HR, Technology, Product, and Transformation teams to shape investment and technology decisions.
- Lead architectural governance, design assurance, and enterprise alignment across People systems.
- Drive architecture across core HR capabilities including HCM, Payroll, Talent, Recruitment, Learning, Workforce Management, and Employee Experience.
- Support vendor selection, solution shaping, and major technology investments.
- Collaborate with Enterprise, Data, Security, and Integration Architecture teams to deliver end-to-end solutions.
- Mentor and provide leadership to a team of 3-4 Solution Architects through a dotted-line management structure.
- Extensive experience as a Domain Architect, Lead Architect, or Enterprise Architect within large, complex organisations.
- Strong experience within the HR / People Technology domain.
- Proven experience working with Workday HCM and associated People systems.
- Deep understanding of People processes including:
- Talent Management
- Learning
- Workforce Management
- Payroll
- Employee Self-Service
- Strong knowledge of HR system integrations, cloud architectures, security, and data governance.
- Experience influencing senior stakeholders, including Heads Of, Directors, and Executive-level leaders.
- Ability to steer multiple projects simultaneously, balancing strategic architecture with delivery objectives.
- Experience providing leadership, coaching, and design governance across Solution Architecture teams.
Highly Desirable
- Expertise in Workday HCM architecture and multi-country deployments.
- Experience with UKG, SmartRecruiters, payroll platforms, and broader HR technology ecosystems.
- Experience leading HR transformation programmes in global organisations.
- Knowledge of Works Councils, GDPR, and multi-country People processes.
- Retail industry experience.
Why Join?
This is a rare opportunity to shape the future People Technology landscape for a major international organisation. You'll influence strategic technology decisions, lead a team of architects, and play a key role in delivering large-scale HR transformation initiatives that impact thousands of employees globally.
#J-18808-Ljbffr